 The river rises in the Ligurian Apennines at the Fontana di S. Giacomo, elevation , near the Passo del Giovà, which lies just to the east of the peak of Monte Chiappo in the commune of Santa Margherita di Staffora.It flows at first through a deep and narrow valley, receiving from the right the waters of the torrents Montagnola and Aronchio before reaching Varzi where the valley begins to widen.The torrent Crenna enters from the right and the Lella from the left before the Staffora receives its major affluents