The large river delta between Ascona and Locarno indicates this: The Maggia drains half the canton of Ticino. In the lower part, the long Maggia Valley presents itself as a wide trough valley with one of the most pristine river landscapes in Switzerland. In the upper part, it branches out into several wild side valleys, whose hydroelectric power is harnessed by the Maggia power plants.Avegno (293 m a.s.l.) lies in the lower part of the valley, shortly after the valley narrows of Ponte Brolla.