Namsen
Encyclopedia
Namsen is the biggest river
in Nord-Trøndelag
county, in the central part of Norway
. The 228 kilometres (141.7 mi) long river flows through the municipalities of Røyrvik
, Namsskogan
, Grong
, Overhalla
, and Namsos
. It traditionally has been used for floating timber down from the forests to the town of Namsos
, where the sawmill
s were located. Today parts of the Namsen are regulated by several dam
s.
The river begins in spring
s in Børgefjell National Park
, just over the border in Nordland
county. This water feeds that large lake Store Namsvatnet
. The Namsen river itself starts when the water passes through the dam
on the northwest side of the lake Namsvatnet
in the municipality of Røyrvik
.
The river then travels through the Namdal
valley towards the coast, ending at the town of Namsos
where it flows into the Namsenfjorden
, the same fjord
into which the smaller river Årgårdselva flows. There are two major tributaries to the Namsen: Tunnsjøelva and Sanddøla.
The total watershed is approximately 6298 square kilometres (2,431.7 sq mi) and at Namsos, the water discharges into the fjord at about 285 m3/s.
fishing
rivers in the world, and is often called the "Queen of Rivers". Beginning in the 19th century, the British found the Atlantic salmon fishing to be excellent here, and the river became a major tourist attraction. Catches above 23 kilograms (50.7 lb) are not unusual. The Namsen is a wide river and is thus often fished from small boat
s using a method called "harling". This method consists of trolling a lure while the boat moves slowly from bank to bank and drifting downstream. Thus, the salmon meet the lure as they swim upstream.
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
in Nord-Trøndelag
Nord-Trøndelag
is a county constituting the northern part of Trøndelag in Norway. As of 2010, the county had 131,555 inhabitants, making it the country's fourth-least populated county. The largest municipalities are Stjørdal, Steinkjer—the county seat, Levanger, Namsos and Verdal, all with between 21,000 and...
county, in the central part of Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. The 228 kilometres (141.7 mi) long river flows through the municipalities of Røyrvik
Røyrvik
Røyrvik is a village and municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Namdalen region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Røyrvik. The area has always had a strong Sami influence....
, Namsskogan
Namsskogan
Namsskogan is a village and municipality in Nord-Trøndelag, Norway. Namsskogan is located in the upper part of the long Namdalen valley region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Namsskogan...
, Grong
Grong
is a municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Namdalen region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Medjå. Other villages in the municipality include Bergsmoen, Formofoss, Gartland, and Harran....
, Overhalla
Overhalla
Overhalla is a municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Namdalen region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Ranemsletta . Other villages include Melen, Skage, Skogmo, Svalia, and Øysletta.The population is concentrated in the relatively broad...
, and Namsos
Namsos
is a town and municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Namdalen region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Namsos. Other villages in the municipality include Bangsund, Klinga, Ramsvika, Skomsvoll, and Spillum....
. It traditionally has been used for floating timber down from the forests to the town of Namsos
Namsos
is a town and municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Namdalen region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Namsos. Other villages in the municipality include Bangsund, Klinga, Ramsvika, Skomsvoll, and Spillum....
, where the sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
s were located. Today parts of the Namsen are regulated by several dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
s.
Location
Spring (hydrosphere)
A spring—also known as a rising or resurgence—is a component of the hydrosphere. Specifically, it is any natural situation where water flows to the surface of the earth from underground...
s in Børgefjell National Park
Børgefjell National Park
Børgefjell National Park is an inaccessible and undeveloped national park in Norway, straddling the border between Nord-Trøndelag and Nordland county, with a border to Sweden. The park is for the most part a reservation, with few trails or other facilities for visitors. Visitors can hike for...
, just over the border in Nordland
Nordland
is a county in Norway in the North Norway region, bordering Troms in the north, Nord-Trøndelag in the south, Norrbottens län in Sweden to the east, Västerbottens län to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The county was formerly known as Nordlandene amt. The county administration is...
county. This water feeds that large lake Store Namsvatnet
Namsvatnet
Namsvatnet is a lake in the municipality of Røyrvik in Nord-Trondelag county, Norway. The river Namsen formerly was the primary outlet, but the lake has been regulated for hydroelectric generation since 1959 and part of the water is diverted south towards a power station...
. The Namsen river itself starts when the water passes through the dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
on the northwest side of the lake Namsvatnet
Namsvatnet
Namsvatnet is a lake in the municipality of Røyrvik in Nord-Trondelag county, Norway. The river Namsen formerly was the primary outlet, but the lake has been regulated for hydroelectric generation since 1959 and part of the water is diverted south towards a power station...
in the municipality of Røyrvik
Røyrvik
Røyrvik is a village and municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Namdalen region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Røyrvik. The area has always had a strong Sami influence....
.
The river then travels through the Namdal
Namdalen
Namdalen is a traditional district in the central part of Norway, consisting of the municipalities Namsos, Grong, Overhalla, Røyrvik, Fosnes, Nærøy, Høylandet, Namdalseid, Flatanger, Lierne, Leka, Namsskogan, and Vikna, all in Nord-Trøndelag county. The district has two towns: Kolvereid and Namsos...
valley towards the coast, ending at the town of Namsos
Namsos
is a town and municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Namdalen region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Namsos. Other villages in the municipality include Bangsund, Klinga, Ramsvika, Skomsvoll, and Spillum....
where it flows into the Namsenfjorden
Namsenfjorden
The Namsenfjorden or Namsfjorden is a fjord in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The long fjord flows along the border between the municipalities of Namsos, Namdalseid, and Flatanger. It runs southeast from the Folda, between the mainland in the south and the island of Otterøya in the north, past...
, the same fjord
Fjord
Geologically, a fjord is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created in a valley carved by glacial activity.-Formation:A fjord is formed when a glacier cuts a U-shaped valley by abrasion of the surrounding bedrock. Glacial melting is accompanied by rebound of Earth's crust as the ice...
into which the smaller river Årgårdselva flows. There are two major tributaries to the Namsen: Tunnsjøelva and Sanddøla.
The total watershed is approximately 6298 square kilometres (2,431.7 sq mi) and at Namsos, the water discharges into the fjord at about 285 m3/s.
Fishing
The Namsen is considered one of the best Atlantic SalmonAtlantic salmon
The Atlantic salmon is a species of fish in the family Salmonidae, which is found in the northern Atlantic Ocean and in rivers that flow into the north Atlantic and the north Pacific....
fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
rivers in the world, and is often called the "Queen of Rivers". Beginning in the 19th century, the British found the Atlantic salmon fishing to be excellent here, and the river became a major tourist attraction. Catches above 23 kilograms (50.7 lb) are not unusual. The Namsen is a wide river and is thus often fished from small boat
Boat
A boat is a watercraft of any size designed to float or plane, to provide passage across water. Usually this water will be inland or in protected coastal areas. However, boats such as the whaleboat were designed to be operated from a ship in an offshore environment. In naval terms, a boat is a...
s using a method called "harling". This method consists of trolling a lure while the boat moves slowly from bank to bank and drifting downstream. Thus, the salmon meet the lure as they swim upstream.