ORTA, LAKE

Italian Lago D'orta, also called Lago Cusio, lake in Novara and Verbano-Cusio-Ossola provincie, Piemonte (Piedmont) regione, northwestern Italy, just west of Lake Maggiore, from which it is divided by Mount Mottarone. About 8 miles (13 km) long and 0.75 mile (1.2 km) wide, it has an area of 7 square miles (18 square km). Its greatest depth is 469 feet (143 m), and the surface is 951 feet (290 m) above sea level. It is the remnant of a much larger body of water through which the waters of the Toce River flowed south toward Novara. From its north end the Nigoglia River flows toward Lake Maggiore.