| Lule River | |
|---|---|
 Harsprånget in Lule River, August 2007 | |
 Location of Lule älv | |
| Native name | |
| Location | |
| Country | Sweden,Norway |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Sårjåsjaure |
| Mouth | Gulf of Bothnia |
• location | Luleå,Norrbotten,Sweden |
• coordinates | 65°35′12″N22°02′31″E / 65.58667°N 22.04194°E /65.58667; 22.04194 |
• elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
| Length | 450 km (280 mi)[1] |
| Basin size | 25,240.5 km2 (9,745.4 sq mi)[2] |
| Discharge | |
| • average | 515 m3/s (18,200 cu ft/s)[1] |
Lule River (Lule Sami:Julevädno,Swedish:Lule älv,Luleälven) is a major river inSweden, rising in northern Sweden and flowing southeast for 460 km (290 mi) before reaching theGulf of Bothnia atLuleå. It is the second largest river by watershed area and length inNorrbotten County (after theTorne River and very slightly ahead of theKalix River, which is 460.65 km long), but is the largest by average discharge.
It has a watershed of 25,240.5 km2 of which 24,545.6 km2 is inSweden and 694.9 km2 inNorway.
The river is an important source ofhydroelectric energy, with major hydroelectric plants atPorjus and the 977MWHarsprånget,commissioned in 1952 and expanded in 1983 to become Sweden's largest hydro power station.[3] The waterfall Harsprånget (former name: Njommelsaska) was the largest waterfall on the Swedish Lule River. Today the rapids power the largest hydroelectric plant in Sweden,Stora harsprånget.
The river was used extensively for the transportation oftimber, with logs floated downstream for processing at Luleå, but this stopped in the early 1980s. Several major rapids exist along the river's length, notably theStora Falls and those at Porjus and Harsprånget.
During the 19th and 20th centuries, the river was designated as a defensive line against an invasion fromImperial Russia and subsequently theSoviet Union. Extensive fortifications exist along the entire length of the river, culminating inBodens Fortress in and around the city ofBoden. Most of these fortifications and bunkers are no longer in use.
TheGreater Lule River (Big Lule River) arguably begins somewhere nearSårjåsjaure in the mountains west ofGällivare.The water flows to theVirihaure lake, which also collects water fromKerkevare (viaKettaurejokk) andAlkajaure (viaMillätno). TheTukejokk joins the Lule as well in Virihaure. Leaving Virihaure to the north, the river reaches theVastenjaure lake after losing 32m over 2.2 km.It then flows via theVuojatätno to lakeKutjaure and thenLuoktanjarkajaure, collecting a lot of water from other lakes inSarek National Park, likeSalohaure, and from the Swedish-Norwegian border. There are numerouswaterfalls andrapids in the river. The best known isStora Sjöfallet at the end of theAkkajaure lake, where the water falls 39.6 m fromKårtjejaure toLangasjaure. In this lake theVietasajokk joins the Lule. TheStora Lule träsk is the largest of the lakes in the river. Here it reaches the forest, and after the lake is joined by theMuddus River fromMuddus National Park.
At 75m, near the village ofVuollerim, the river joins with theLesser Lule River.The Lule passes thePorsiforsen (25m over 2 km),Edefors andHedens fors.It flows into theBaltic Sea through theBälingefjärden andLulefjärden.
The name of the town Luleå means "Lule River"; the river's name is from the Samilulij meaning "Easterner", a name for Forest Sami people.[4][5]
Other rivers in the watershed of the Lule with a length of more than 100 km are:Black River (Sweden),Flarkån,Lesser Lule River,Pärl River,Rissajåkkå,Vietasätno, andBodträskån.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
