Tovdalselva (also known as the Tofdalselva, Tovdalsåna, Tovdalsåni, literally: the Tov valley river) is 143 kilometres (89 mi) long and is one of the longest rivers in Southern Norway. The river flows through Agder county from the mountains on the northeast side of the Setesdal valley in Valle municipality southwards, until it reaches the sea at the Tofdalsfjorden between Hamresanden and Kjevik in Kristiansand. The upper reaches of the river include many lakes such as the Herefossfjorden and the Straumsfjorden (the largest lake on the river). It drains about 1,800 square kilometres (690 sq mi) in territory and the highest point in the watershed is 1,101 metres (3,612 ft) above sea level. The drainage basin includes parts or all of the following municipalities: Fyresdal, Valle, Bygland, Evje og Hornnes, Åmli, Froland, Grimstad, Birkenes, Iveland, Lillesand, and Kristiansand.[1]

Tovdalselva
Topdalselva
Tovdalsåna / Tovdalsåni
The river mouth of Tovdalselva into Topdalsfjorden in Kristiansand.
To the left, the runway of Kristiansand Airport, Kjevik
Tovdalselva is located in Agder
Tovdalselva
Location of the river
Tovdalselva is located in Norway
Tovdalselva
Tovdalselva (Norway)
Location
CountryNorway
CountiesAgder
MunicipalitiesBygland, Åmli, Froland, Birkenes, Iveland, Kristiansand
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationStraumsfjorden
 • coordinates59°06′N 7°42′E / 59.1°N 7.7°E / 59.1; 7.7
 • elevation1,101 metres (3,612 ft)
Mouth 
 • location
Topdalsfjorden
 • coordinates
58°12′N 8°06′E / 58.2°N 8.1°E / 58.2; 8.1
 • elevation
0 metres (0 ft)
Length143 km (89 mi)
Basin size1,800 km2 (690 sq mi)
Discharge 
 • locationTopdalsfjorden
 • average65 m3/s (2,300 cu ft/s)
Basin features
River systemTovdalsvassdraget
WaterbodiesStraumsfjorden, Topsæ, Herefossfjorden

Fishing

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Tovdalselva was long considered one of the greatest salmon fishing rivers in the land. From 1880 to 1883, it was Norway's third most productive salmon river, calculated both by weight and by value of the salmon caught. This had decreased seriously by the 1900s. By 1970, the salmon fishing in the Tovdalselva was almost completely lost.[2]

References

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  1. ^ Store norske leksikon. "Tovdalsvassdraget" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2010-04-13.
  2. ^ "Tovdalselva" (in Norwegian). Lakseelver.no. Retrieved 2017-02-15.