The Molgora stream originates in the Province of Lecco and flows into the Muzza between the Provinces of Milan and Lodi.

It originates in two branches in the Municipalities of Colle Brianza and Santa Maria Hoè, in the Meratese area. It descends with a modest flow and frequent waterfalls to Olgiate Molgora, where it gathers other small streams and begins to take on the features of a torrente (stream). Its course continues towards Osnago, crossing the valley with the same name. In Usmate Velate, it collects the waters of the Molgoretta, a small waterway that descends from the west, enriched by the Lavandaia and Curone brooks.

In Vimercate, it also grows deeper. Further downstream, after passing Caponago, the stream enters Pessano con Bornago, where it passes below the Villoresi, receiving part of its waters, with a structure called “tri boch de pessàn” in the Brianza and Milanese dialect. Subsequently, the stream also passes below the Naviglio Martesana (at Gorgonzola) with a simple bridge containing the canal and towpath.

The Molgora then descends towards Cassina de’ Pecchi and Melzo, marking the border between the Provinces of Milan and Lodi, between the Municipalities of Truccazzano and Comazzo, until its confluence with the Muzza (which in turn flows into the River Adda).

The stream and its valley cross the territories from north to south along a stretch with a total length of 12 kilometres, in a heavily agricultural area.

The Villoresi takes its waters from the River Ticino at the Diga del Panperduto in the Municipality of Somma Lombardo.

After travelling 86 kilometres, almost exclusively in the Province of Milan, it flows into the River Adda in the Municipality of Cassano d’Adda.

Conceived for purely irrigation purposes following the crisis in silk production crops, the canal now allows the distribution of water over a plain of about 85,000 hectares by means of a network that stretches about 3,000 kilometres in total.

For this canal, a kind of supra-municipal park with an agricultural and naturalistic focus is being planned (and has been partially implemented).

The aim of the park will be to preserve flora, fauna and activities dependent on the artificial waterway.

At present, only in some sections, for example between Arconate and Garbagnate Milanese, is the canal flanked by a cycle path that, once completed, will form the backbone of the entire green belt crossing the Provinces of Milan and Monza and Brianza from west to east.

The Martesana (also known as Naviglio Piccolo) is one of Milan’s canals. It is a navigable canal, 9 to 18 metres wide, one to three metres deep and 38 kilometres long (some of which are below ground), connecting Milan with the River Adda, from which it receives its waters at Concesa, just downstream of Trezzo sull’Adda.

Today, the urban stretch of the Naviglio della Martesana, covered in the 1960s as far as Cassina de’ Pomm, joins the Torrente Seveso in Milan. On its route it crosses the territories of the Municipalities of Trezzo sull’Adda, Vaprio d’Adda, Cassano d’Adda, Inzago, Bellinzago Lombardo, Gessate, Gorgonzola, Bussero, Cassina de’ Pecchi, Cernusco sul Naviglio, Vimodrone and Cologno Monzese.

It enters the territory of Milan at Via Idro, on the north-eastern outskirts of the city, and flows open until Cassina de’ Pomm, at the corner with Via Melchiorre Gioia, under the road surface of which it enters with a sharp bend to the left.

Following the street, it receives the Torrente Seveso and reaches the Bastioni di Porta Nuova, where it gives rise to the Cavo Redefossi. The Naviglio simultaneously serves an agricultural purpose (collecting excess water, which would feed marshes, and allows it to be redistributed to land that needs it. It is estimated that over 25,000 hectares of arable land have been developed in this way), and is a navigable waterway connecting the city to the Adda.

The Muzza is a branch of the River Adda. It starts in Cassano d’Adda, at the former linen mill, and ends in the Adda in Castiglione.

It is the Italian canal with the largest flow and the first artificial canal built in northern Italy (one of the first in the world). The Muzza Canal flows through the territories of Truccazzano, Comazzo and Merlino and arrives at Paullo after travelling 19 kilometres.

At the gates of Paullo, where the waters divide, to discharge its excess into the Addetta, the Muzza turns south, parallel to the Adda, flowing through the territories of Mulazzano, Zelo Buon Persico and Cervignano. It then leads to the Tavazzano power station and down into the Lodigiano area to Castiglione, where it rejoins the Adda.

The Lambro is a 130-kilometre-long river, a left tributary of the Po.

It springs from the mountains of the San Primo group, in the upper Brianza Comasca (in the province of Como), just above Ghisallo. The river also crosses the entire eastern area of Milan, flowing through a siphon under the Martesana and also receiving some of its waters.

From here onwards, the river receives water from hundreds of streams, in addition to drains of various kinds that artificially increase its flow.

In particular, when it reaches Melegnano, the Lambro receives the waters of the Vettabbia, enriched 100 metres further upstream by those of the Cavo Redefossi, then entering a few kilometres downstream into the borders of the Lodigiano area.

With a slower course, the river later crosses Sant’Angelo Lodigiano, receiving from the right the southern Lambro, a tributary that represents the main continuous branch of the River Olona beyond Milan.

With a flow rate almost doubled, the river continues slowly, bordering the centre of San Colombano al Lambro and acting for a very short distance as a border between the Provinces of Lodi and Pavia. Once near Orio Litta, it flows from the left into the Po.

The source of the Adda is north of Bormio, at an altitude of 2,253 metres, from mountain lakes; it then flows into Lake Como before exiting, after 42 kilometres, from the Lecco branch, resuming its course through mountains, hills and plains and heading towards the Po.

As far as Cassano, the Adda remains embedded between high banks, running fast between ravines and gullies.

When it reaches the plain, it heads towards Lodi, then near Cremona, at Castelnuovo Bocca d’Adda to be precise, it flows into the Po after a distance of 313 kilometres. The River Adda borders with Comazzo on the right for about five kilometres, leaving some land on the left.

It passes through the Merlino territory for more than three kilometres, also encountering the Risorgenza, Predazzo and Bezzecca farmsteads. Then, for a short distance to the left and for more than seven kilometres to the right, it borders with the territory of Zelo Buon Persico and for one kilometre the territory of Cervignano d’Adda. This waterway is the only one not crossed by the A58 or related works.