Mandalselva

Mandalselva, Mandalsåni, or Marna (English: Mandal River, Old Norse: Mǫrn) is a river in Agder county in Norway. The river has its origins in the mountains between Ose in Setesdal and the Upper Sirdal valley. The river flows south to its mouth at the North Sea at the town of Mandal. The river is 115 kilometres (71 mi) long and flows through the municipalities Åseral, Lyngdal, and Lindesnes. The largest tributaries are Monn, Logna, Skjerka, Kosåna, Logåna, and Røyselandsbekken. Skjerka, Monn and Logna all flow into the lake Øre in Åseral which is considered the beginning of the main Mandalselva river. The river passes through the villages of Kylland, Bjelland, Laudal, Heddeland, Øyslebø, and Krossen.^[1]

Mandalselva Mandalsåni / Marna
The river mouth of Mandalselva by Sjøsanden in Mandal
Location
Country	Norway
County	Agder
District	Sørlandet
Municipality	Åseral, Lyngdal, Lindesnes
Physical characteristics
Source	Øre lake
• location	Åseral, Agder, Norway
• coordinates	58°34′42″N 07°23′48″E
• elevation	260 m (850 ft)
Mouth	Mannefjorden
• location	Mandal, Agder, Norway
• coordinates	58°01′12″N 07°27′26″E
• elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Length	115 km (71 mi)
Basin size	1,800 km2 (690 sq mi)
Discharge
• location	Kjølemo, Mandal
• average	85 m3/s (3,000 cu ft/s)
• maximum	970 m3/s (34,000 cu ft/s)

Hydropower development

Hydropower development of the river on a larger scale started in 1930. At present there are six power plants along the river and its upper tributaries: Logna, Smeland, Skjerka, Håverstad, Bjelland, and Laudal.

The drainage basin covers an area of 1,800 square kilometres (690 sq mi). The mean flow of water in the river is 85 cubic metres per second (3,000 cu ft/s). During flooding periods in the spring and autumn, water flow can be far greater. The highest stream flow in recent times were measured in October 1987, when it passed about 970 cubic metres per second (34,000 cu ft/s) at Kjølemoen in Holum.^[2]

Salmon and trout

The original salmon stocks are extinct as a result of acid rain, but extensive liming has led to a better environment in the river, and a new salmon stocks are established. It was caught 8,785 kilograms (19,368 lb) of salmon and sea trout in Mandalselva in 2015.^[3][4]

Media gallery

• 
  Mandalselva at Buøy
• 
  View of the Mandal harbor
• 
  View of the river Marna
• 
  Mandal bridge

References

1. Store norske leksikon. "Mandalselva" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2016-11-26.
2. Holmqvist, Erik (January 2004). "Flomsonekartprosjektet Flomberegning for Mandalselva (022.Z)" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Norges vassdrags- og energidirektorat. Retrieved 2016-11-26.
3. "Mandalselva" (in Norwegian). Norske lakseelver. Archived from the original on 2016-08-12. Retrieved 2016-11-26.
4. "River catch of salmon, sea trout and migratory char. Catch from selected rivers. Preliminary figures". Statistisk sentralbyrå. 2015.

External links

• Mandalselva in Norwegian
• Salmon fishing in Mandalselva (in English)