Skellefte River

Skellefte River (Skellefteälven, Skellefte älv)
River
Lejonströmsbron in Skellefteå
Country Sweden
County Norrbotten, Västerbotten
Source Ikesjaure
 - location Arjeplog Municipality, Norrbotten County
 - coordinates SE 66°48′56″N 16°7′6″E / 66.81556°N 16.11833°E / 66.81556; 16.11833
Mouth Gulf of Bothnia
 - location Skellefteå, Västerbotten County
 - elevation 0 m (0 ft)
 - coordinates SE 64°42′23″N 21°9′13″E / 64.70639°N 21.15361°E / 64.70639; 21.15361Coordinates: SE 64°42′23″N 21°9′13″E / 64.70639°N 21.15361°E / 64.70639; 21.15361
Length 410 km (255 mi) [1]
Basin 11,731.0 km2 (4,529 sq mi) [2]
Discharge
 - average 157 m3/s (5,544 cu ft/s) [1]

The Skellefte River (Swedish: Skellefteälven or Skellefte älv) is a river in northern Sweden; one of the major Norrland rivers..

Geographically, it starts in the Norrbotten County, also known as the Swedish Lappland province where it drains the lakes Hornavan, Uddjaur and Storavan near Arjeplog; then goes south-east into Västerbotten County, passing through the town Skellefteå (which has given it its name), and finally discharging in the Gulf of Bothnia, in the Västerbotten province.

It is one of the major northern Swedish rivers, with a length of 410 kilometers. Like many large northern rivers, it has been cultivated for water power.

There are several tributaries to the river, with the largest ones named: Malån, Petikån, Finnforsån, Bjurån and Klintforsån.

Salmons and trouts are being put out to compensate for the water power plants, and the river and its tributary are all popular destinations for fishers. Especially popular is the town Skellefteå, known as "Fishing in City".

See also

Some of the other large Norrland rivers:

References

  1. 1 2 "Skellefteälven". Nationalencyklopedin (in Swedish). Retrieved 14 July 2010. (subscription required)
  2. "Län och huvudavrinningsområden i Sverige" (PDF) (in Swedish). Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute. Retrieved 14 July 2010.


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