Altaelva
River in Finnmark county, Norway
title: "Altaelva" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["rivers-of-finnmark", "alta-municipality", "kautokeino-municipality", "rivers-of-norway"] description: "River in Finnmark county, Norway" topic_path: "geography/norway" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altaelva" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary River in Finnmark county, Norway ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox river"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Altaelva |
| name_other | Álttáeatnu / Alattionjoki |
| Kautokeinoelva | |
| image | Altaelva canyon.JPG |
| image_caption | View of the Sautso canyon |
| mapframe | yes |
| mapframe-zoom | 7 |
| mapframe-wikidata | yes |
| map_caption | Interactive map of the river |
| subdivision_type1 | Country |
| subdivision_name1 | Norway |
| subdivision_type3 | County |
| subdivision_name3 | Finnmark |
| subdivision_type4 | District |
| subdivision_name4 | Alta, Kautokeino |
| subdivision_type5 | City |
| subdivision_name5 | Alta |
| length | 240 km |
| discharge1_location | Alta |
| discharge1_avg | 90 m3/s |
| discharge1_max | 1200 m3/s |
| source1 | South of Reisa National Park near the border with Finland and Finnmark |
| source1_location | Kautokeino, Finnmark, Norway |
| source1_coordinates | |
| source1_elevation | 483 m |
| mouth | Alta |
| mouth_location | Alta Municipality, Finnmark, Norway |
| mouth_coordinates | |
| mouth_elevation | 0 m |
| basin_size | 7390 km2 |
| :: |
| name = Altaelva | native_name = | native_name_lang = | name_other = Álttáeatnu / Alattionjoki Kautokeinoelva | name_etymology = | image = Altaelva canyon.JPG | image_size = | image_caption = View of the Sautso canyon | mapframe = yes | mapframe-zoom = 7 | mapframe-wikidata = yes | map_caption = Interactive map of the river | subdivision_type1 = Country | subdivision_name1 = Norway | subdivision_type2 = | subdivision_name2 = | subdivision_type3 = County | subdivision_name3 = Finnmark | subdivision_type4 = District | subdivision_name4 = Alta, Kautokeino | subdivision_type5 = City | subdivision_name5 = Alta | length = 240 km | width_min = | width_avg = | width_max = | depth_min = | depth_avg = | depth_max = | discharge1_location= Alta | discharge1_min = | discharge1_avg = 90 m3/s | discharge1_max = 1200 m3/s | source1 = South of Reisa National Park near the border with Finland and Finnmark | source1_location = Kautokeino, Finnmark, Norway | source1_coordinates= | source1_elevation = 483 m | mouth = Alta | mouth_location = Alta Municipality, Finnmark, Norway | mouth_coordinates = | mouth_elevation = 0 m | progression = | river_system = | basin_size = 7390 km2 | tributaries_left = | tributaries_right =
Altaelva (; ; ) is the third-longest river in Finnmark county, Norway. The river begins in the mountains and lakes in Kautokeino Municipality, near the border with Finnmark county and Finland, just south of Reisa National Park. The 240 km long river then runs northward into Alta Municipality where it flows out into the Altafjorden in the town of Alta. The river has carved out Sautso, one of the largest canyons in Europe on its way from the high Finnmarksvidda plateau down to the sea. The villages of Kautokeino and Masi are located along the river, in addition to the town of Alta.
During the 1970s and 1980s, the river was the site of the Alta controversy regarding the construction of a dam and hydroelectric power plant. The Alta power station was eventually built in 1987, creating the lake Virdnejávri on the river.
The river is one of the best salmon rivers in Norway, known for its large-sized salmon. In older days, salmon up to 33 kg were recorded, and still fish up to 24 kg are caught. In 2011, 1,082 salmon (7 kg or heavier) were caught on the river.
Name
The Altaelva literally means the "Alta River" in English. The Northern Sami language version of the name is Álttáeatnu and the Kven language version of the name is Alattionjoki. The part of the river that is upstream (south) of the Alta dam is also called Kautokeinoelva, meaning the "Kautokeino River", since that part of the river lies in Kautokeino. That part of the river is also known as Guovdageaineatnu or Eatnu in the Northern Sami language.
References
References
- Proctor, James. 2015. ''Lapland''. Bucks, UK: Bradt Travel Guides, p. 195.
- Dalland, Øystein. 1997. The Last Big Dam in Norway: Whose Victory? In: Ann Danaiya Usher (ed.), ''Dams as Aid'', pp. 41–58. London: Routledge, p. 48.
- Chapralis, Jim C. 2002. ''Fishing Passion: A Lifelong Love Affair with Angling''. Evanston, IL: AnglingMatters Press, p. 161.
- Store norske leksikon. "Altaelva".
- [http://www.nrk.no/nyheter/distrikt/troms_og_finnmark/1.7705522 http://www.nrk.no/24 kg salmon caught on fishing rod in Alta river July 2011]
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