Messingåga

Messingåga (Sami: Seaibbethohka) is a 50,67 km² river which flows northwards, ending up as a contributary to Ranelva at Hjartåsen in the small village of Storvoll in Dunderlandsdal in Rana municipality, county of Nordland, Norway.

The river should not be confused with another river, also named Messingåga, which flows out into Ranelva from east, south of Messingsletta close to Dunderland.

From the small lake of Kjerringvatnet (Sami: Stuorra Áhkajávri), the river Kjerringelva (Sami: Áhkajohka) flows in an eastern direction. This river meets the stream Jarfjellbekken, which flows in a northern direction from the tarn Jarfjelltjønna through Austerskardet, north of the lake kopparvatnet. Messingåga has its beginning at the place Elivollan (Sami: Seaibbetgieddi), where Kjerringelva and Jarfjellbekken meets.

The river flows in a northern direction, through the valley of Messingdalen, east of the mountain Messingen, and absorbs several brooks.

On its way northwards, the river absorbs from west five brooks flowing from the mountain Jarfjellet, and from east five brooks from the mountain Kjerringfjellet (Sami: Stuorra Áhkavárre) and one brook from the mountain Harafjellet.

Messingåga flows through an area of moraines and deposits from clacier rivers. On its way to lake kopparvatnet, it flows through an area of mounds and knots of moraines (kettle area).

In 2005, the electricity company MiljøEnergi Nordland AS delivered a formal application to the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate, in order to get a license to use parts of Messingåga to produce electricity. ^[1] Two alternatives have been presented: One installation of 6,5 MW with an energy production of 19 GWh, and another installation of 4,9 MW with an energy production of 16,5 GWh.

The river is located in untouched nature, in one of the most important areas of wetland birds in Rana. It is very rich of arctic char and trout, and has been proposed preserved both by environmental organizations ^{[2] [3]} and by the Norwegian parliament. ^[4]

References

1. ^ Søknad om utbygging av kraftverk (Sakstype C-41), Registreringsnr 4325, Saksnr 200502031, Vassdragsnr 156.F1A MESSINGÅGA
2. ^ Samarbeidsrådet for Naturvernsaker (SRN), Den Norske Turistforening, Norges Naturvernforbund, Norges Jeger- og Fiskerforbund, WWW: Verneverdige norske vassdrag, Oslo, april 2004
3. ^ Erling Solvang, Naturvernforbundet i Nordland: Ta vare på vassdragene, Helgeland Arbeiderblad, July 16, 2004
4. ^ Innst.S.nr.116 (2004-2005) Innstilling fra energi- og miljøkomiteen om supplering av Verneplan for vassdrag