Raudvatnet

Infobox lake
lake_name = Raudvatnet
image_lake = Raudvatnet wintertime.jpg
caption_lake = in wintertime (February 2006)
image_bathymetry =
caption_bathymetry =
location = Rana, Nordland
coords = coord|66|16|42|N|14|31|0|E|region:NO_type:waterbody_scale:200000|display=inline,title
type =
inflow = "Rausandhaugtjøn" and "Kringla"
outflow = Tverråga
catchment =
basin_countries = Norway
length =
width =
area = 4.45 km²
depth =
max-depth =
volume =
residence_time =
shore = 20.00 km
elevation = 488 m
islands =
cities =
frozen = winter
reference = NVE

Raudvatnet («the red lake») is a Norwegian lake in Rana municipality in Nordland. European route E12 between Mo i Rana and Sweden passes north and east of the lake. A Red cross hut («Rauvasshytta») is located east of Raudvatnet.

Raudvatnet has its name from the mountain Raudfjellet («the red mountain»), north of the lake. The mountain is red due to hematite, which in elder times was extracted in order to make house painting in Rana. During the years 1911-1919, the mining company "Bossmo Gruber" extracted pyrite from "Raudfjellet" in the mine "Mossgruven".

Hematite from this «red mountain» was also the source of house painting in Northern Sweden. It explains why most houses there are red, and also the Swedish common name "den Røda Stugan" («the red house») when referring to their homes in the Swedish municipalities of Sorsele and Storuman.

From Litle Raudvatn («small Raudvatn»), located on Raudfjellet, a river flows north-eastwards as a tributary to Plura. In order to distinguish between these lakes, Raudvatnet is sometimes also called Store Raudvatn («large Raudvatn»).

The two main inflow rivers into Raudvatnet (besides Tverrvatnet), flows from the water "Rausandhaugtjøn" («tarn of the red sand heap») in northeast and the water "Kringla" in southwest.

From Raudvatnet, the river Tverråga flows in a northwestern direction, ending up as a tributary to Ranelva.

Raudvatnet is rich on trout and arctic char, and is a popular lake for hobby fishers, both in the summer and wintertime (ice fishing).

Raudvatnet and the surrounding area is a popular recreation area. "Blåvegenløpet Skifestival" («The Blue road ski festival») was arranged for the 29th time by the sports club "I.L Stålkameratene" on March 31, 2007. Ending on "Brennåsen", north of Gruben, it starts on two places: Umbukta (45 km) and Raudvatnet (21 km).

Around 550 cabins are located around the lake, and work is going on to make electricity available to their owners. [ [http://www.ranablad.no/nyheter/article2812850.ece Rana Blad, Harald Mathiassen, 8. juni 2007: Lysende håp om hyttestrøm] ]

Reindeers near the eastern shores of Raudvatnet

Raudvatnet is located in Sami territory, where the traditional speakers of the Ume Sami language once flourished. Breeding reindeers are an essential part of the economy of the Samis around the lake. During wintertime the reindeers are enfenced east of Raudvatnet and south of the Raudfjellet, from where they during summertime grass on the areas east of Raudvatnet and south of Tverrvatnet.

Raudvatnet wintertime

Raudvatnet summertime

Raudvatnet in the autumn

Lake Tverrvatnet

Through a narrow inlet southwards, Raudvatnet is connected with the lake Tverrvatnet (coord|66|15|N|14|34|E|type:waterbody_region:NO), 680 meters above sealevel. Tverrvatnet [tvær'vatne] , also written Tvervatnet, has its name from the fact that it is located «across» ( _no. «på tvers»), in a north-south direction, while most lakes in Rana are located in an east-west direction.

The water in Tverrvatnet flows northwards, into Raudvatnet. Tverrvatnet is not separated from Raudvatnet, and is actually the southern part of Raudvatnet. The river Tverråga flows northwestwards, out of Raudvatnet, not Tverrvatnet.

The river Tverråga is thus named after Tverrvatnet, and those who once was giving the river Tverråga its name, did not consider Raudvatnet as a lake of its own, but as the northern part of Tverrvatnet. If Raudvatnet was the original name, the correct name of the river Tverråga, in local dialect, would in fact have been «Rauvassåga».

The primary source of water into Tverrvatnet is "Umskarbekken" («the Umskar stream»), flowing northwards from "Umskartjørnet" («the Umskar water») on "Umskaret". From the west, a brook from "Fisktjønna" («The fish water») ends up as a tributary to "Umskarbekken".

The farm of Tverrvatnet

The area east of Tverrvatnet was cleared by a farmer named "Andreas" in the 1770s. Tverrvatnet farm was built on an important rallying point among the Ume Sami speaking population. An official document of November 11 1789 declared "Elias Nilssa" (1752-1838) from Åga as the leaseholder. The next leaseholders were:

*Around 1812: "Kristoffer Eliassa" (1784-1848)
*During the 1850s: "Elias Kristoffersen" (1827-1902)
*During the 1890s: "Kristian Johan Eliassen" (1859-1935)
*During the 1930s: "Anders Olaus Kristiansen" (1888-)
*November 19, 1955: "John Petersen"

The farm could not grow grain, but potatoes and grass grew well. Potatoes was not possible to raise along "Raudvatnet" in the north.

In 1803 the farm was taxed to 10 Swedish riksdaler, able to sow 1/2 and reap 1 barrel of grain on 7 creatures. During the census in 1801, 5 people worked and lived on the farm. In 1838, the farm was registered in a cadastre. In 1845, the farm had 1 horse, 10 cows, 12 sheeps and 4 goats. They also cultivated barley and potatoes. During the census of 1865, 8 people lived there, with 1 horse, 9 cows and 6 sheeps. Barley and potatoes was still cultivated.

The owner "Jacob Coldevin" sold the farm to the Norwegian state in 1888.

Tverrvatnet farm is the oldest farm in Rana, still running (2008). On December 4, 2006, the farmers on Tverrvatnet farm was honored with the "Cultural landscape prize" ( _no. «Kulturlandskapsprisen»), for their work on restoring the farm. [ [http://www.nfk.no/ncms.aspx?id=B994270B-00CC-49ED-ABFB-1BA573AF920F&ax=center:B44BFD83-407F-44A9-8D82-F91A08303B60,-1 Kulturlandskapsprisen 2006] ]

Tverrvatnet farm was an important link of the trade between Sweden and Mo i Rana, before the opening on August 13, 1939 of what was later named European route E12. Traders from Sweden spent their nights there. In 1904, traders paid 5 øre for an overnight stop and 10 øre if the trader brought with him a horse. [Före Blå vägen, p 97.]

The farm was of uttermost importance during the catastrophic year of hunger on the Swedish side of the border in 1867. The situation in northern Sweden was so critical that King Oscar II of Sweden visited Mo i Rana on July 13, 1873, discussing the needs of a road between northern Sweden and Mo i Rana. [Före Blå vägen, pp 39–44.]

References

Litterature

* Jens Andreas Friis: "Hans Majiestæt Kong Oscar II's Reise i Nordland og Finmarken Aar 1873" (Danish = "The travel of His Majesty the King Oscar II in Nordland and Finnmark during the year 1873"), Christiania, Mallings, 1874, 2nd edition 1882
*Axel Coldevin: "Mo Prestegjeld. Gardshistorie", Rana bygdebok, 1964
*Karl Andersson: "Före Blå vägen" (Swedish = "Before the Blue Road"), Ljungberg Boktryckeri AB, Klippan, Västerbottens län, Bokförlaget Libris, Örebro, June 1979, ISBN 91-7194-187-8
*Det Bestes Store Norge Atlas, Forlaget Det Beste A/S (Readers Digest), Oslo, 1st edition, 1983, ISBN 82-7010-152-4

ee also

* List of lakes in Norway
* Geography of Norway