Otta (river)

---

title: "Otta (river)" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["sel-municipality", "vågå-municipality", "lom-municipality-(norway)", "skjåk-municipality", "rivers-of-innlandet"] description: "River in Innlandet, Norway" topic_path: "geography/norway" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otta_(river)" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary River in Innlandet, Norway ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox river"]

Field	Value
name	Otta
image	Ottariver.jpg
image_caption	The Otta River near the town of Otta
mapframe-zoom	7
subdivision_type1	Country
subdivision_name1	Norway
subdivision_type2	County
subdivision_name2	Innlandet
subdivision_type3	Municipalities
subdivision_name3	Skjåk, Lom, Vågå, and Sel
length	147.85 km
discharge1_avg	119.7 m3/s
source1	Djupvatnet lake
source1_location	Stranda, Norway
source1_coordinates
source1_elevation	1016 m
mouth	Gudbrandsdalslågen
mouth_location	Otta, Norway
mouth_coordinates
mouth_elevation	210 m
basin_size	4172 km2
::

|name = Otta |name_native = |name_native_lang = |name_other = |etymology = |image = Ottariver.jpg |image_size = |image_caption = The Otta River near the town of Otta |mapframe-zoom = 7 |subdivision_type1 = Country |subdivision_name1 = Norway |subdivision_type2 = County |subdivision_name2 = Innlandet |subdivision_type3 = Municipalities |subdivision_name3 = Skjåk, Lom, Vågå, and Sel |length = 147.85 km |width_min = |width_avg = |width_max = |depth_min = |depth_avg = |depth_max = |discharge1_location = |discharge1_min = |discharge1_avg = 119.7 m3/s |discharge1_max = |source1 = Djupvatnet lake |source1_location = Stranda, Norway |source1_coordinates = |source1_elevation = 1016 m |mouth = Gudbrandsdalslågen |mouth_location = Otta, Norway |mouth_coordinates = |mouth_elevation = 210 m |progression = |river_system = |basin_size = 4172 km2 |basin_landmarks = |basin_population = |tributaries_left = |tributaries_right = |waterbodies = |waterfalls = |bridges = |ports =

Otta is a river in Innlandet county, Norway. The 147.85 km river flows through the Ottadalen valley which includes the municipalities of Skjåk, Lom, Vågå, and Sel. The watershed of the Otta drains an area of 4172 km2 beginning in the Breheimen mountains and emptying into the large river Gudbrandsdalslågen. The Otta River is known for rafting. The rafting season begins in mid-May and lasts until the end of September. The Norwegian National Road 15 runs along the river for almost its entire course.

Course

The river technically begins at the lake Djupvatnet in Stranda Municipality which is in Vestland county, about 1.5 km west of the border with Skjåk Municipality in Innlandet county. The river flows through the Billingsdalen valley heading to the east, including through several lakes including the Breiddalsvatnet, Skim, and Vågåvatn. After the Vågåvatn lake at Vågåmo, it enters the Ottadalen valley and heads to the southeast to the town of Otta in Sel Municipality. At Otta, the river joins the large river Gudbrandsdalslågen.

Name

The name of the river is probably derived from the Old Norse verb which is the genitive case of which means to "scare" or "terrify". The water of the river comes from glaciers, and the flooding of the river can be strong and fierce.

Media gallery

OttariverII.jpg|Otta River. Otta Laagen Ottaby.JPG|Aerial view of the Otta River. Otta river in front of Otta.jpg|In front of Otta.

References

References

1. "Informasjon om stadnamn". [[Norwegian Mapping Authority.
2. "NVE Atlas".
3. {{Cite SNL. Otta_-_elv. Otta (elv). 2025-04-19. Vinjar. Asbjørn. 2024-11-27

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