- Lule River
Infobox River
river_name = Lule river
caption = Location of Lule älv
length = 460.83 km [cite web|title=Vattendragsregistret|url=http://www.smhi.se/sgn0102/n0204/vdragreg.pdf|language=Swedish|publisher=SMHI |accessdate=2008-09-13]
elevation = | (arguably) 818m origin = | (arguably)Sårjåsjaure mouth =Gulf of Bothnia
discharge = 499 m³/s
watershed = 25,240.5 km² [cite web|title=Län och huvudavrinningsområden i Sverige|url=http://www.smhi.se/sgn0102/n0205/lan_haro_huvud.pdf|language=Swedish|publisher=SMHI |accessdate=2008-09-13]
basin_countries =Sweden (24,545.6 km²,Norway (694.9 km²)Lule River (Swedish: "Lule älv") is a major river in
Sweden , rising in northern Sweden and flowing southeast for 460 km (286 miles) before reaching theGulf of Bothnia atLuleå . It is the second longest river by watershed area or 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.The river is an important source of
hydroelectric energy , with major hydroelectric plants atPorjus andHarsprånget . It 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 a feared invasion by
Imperial Russia and subsequently theSoviet Union . Extensive fortifications exist along the entire length of the river, culminating with the Bodens Fortress in the city ofBoden .The
Stora 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 2.2km.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 numerouswaterfall s andrapid s 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 theLille Lule River .The Lule passes thePorsiforsen (25m over 2km),Edefors andHedens fors .It flows into theBaltic Sea through theBälingefjärden andLulefjärden .Other rivers in the watershed of the Lule with a length of more than 100 km are:
Black River (Sweden) ,Flarkån ,Lille Lule River ,Pär River ,Rissajåkkå ,Vietasätno , andBodträskån .Sources and further reading
* [http://runeberg.org/nfbp/0733.html article "Lule älf"] from
Nordisk Familjebok (1912)
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