Vefsna
Encyclopedia
The river Vefsna is the largest river in Nordland
county, Norway
. It is 163 kilometres (101.3 mi) long and drains a watershed
of 4122 square kilometres (1,591.5 sq mi). Its headwaters lie in the mountains of Børgefjell National Park
at the lake Simskardvatnet
. The river runs through the municipalities of Hattfjelldal
, Grane, and Vefsn
. The southern parts of the river are sometimes called the river Susna. The river flows north, not far from the Swedish
border, and some of the minor tributaries come from Sweden
. At Mosjøen
, the river discharges into the Vefsnfjord
. The Laksforsen waterfall lies along its course.
Historically it was an important salmon
fishery, but it has now been infected with the salmon parasite Gyrodactylus salaris
.
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, 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...
. It is 163 kilometres (101.3 mi) long and drains a watershed
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
of 4122 square kilometres (1,591.5 sq mi). Its headwaters lie in the mountains of 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...
at the lake Simskardvatnet
Simskardvatnet
Simskardvatnet is a lake in the municipality of Hattfjelldal in Nordland county, Norway. It is the headwaters of the river Vefsna. The lake lies within Børgefjell National Park, just east of the municipal border with Grane....
. The river runs through the municipalities of Hattfjelldal
Hattfjelldal
Hattfjelldal is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Helgeland traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Hattfjelldal. Other villages include Grubben, Svenskvollen, and Varntresk...
, Grane, and Vefsn
Vefsn
Vefsn is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Helgeland traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Mosjøen....
. The southern parts of the river are sometimes called the river Susna. The river flows north, not far from the Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
border, and some of the minor tributaries come from Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. At Mosjøen
Mosjøen
-History:Mosjøen was founded in the 17th century as local farmers met here to trade, and has been growing since then. Sawmills were built here in 1866 by a British company, and Mosjøen got township rights in 1875. It is the oldest town in the Helgeland region and the second oldest town in Nordland...
, the river discharges into the Vefsnfjord
Vefsnfjord
The Vefsnfjord is a fjord in the Helgeland traditional district of Nordland county, Norway. It is about long, reaching a maximum depth of about . The fjord flows through the municipalities of Alstahaug, Leirfjord, and Vefsn....
. The Laksforsen waterfall lies along its course.
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
fishery, but it has now been infected with the salmon parasite Gyrodactylus salaris
Gyrodactylus salaris
Gyrodactylus salaris is a small monogenean ectoparasite which mainly lives on the skin of freshwater fish, especially Atlantic salmon. This species is a leech-like parasite that has been implicated in some diminution of Atlantic salmon populations in the Norwegian fjords. Its common name is Salmon...
.