Altaelva

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-kilometre (150 mi) 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.

Altaelva Álttáeatnu / Alattionjoki Kautokeinoelva
View of the Sautso canyon
Location of the mouth Show map of Finnmark Altaelva (Norway) Show map of Norway
Location
Country	Norway
County	Finnmark
District	Alta, Kautokeino
City	Alta
Physical characteristics
Source	South of Reisa National Park near the border with Finland and Finnmark
• location	Kautokeino, Finnmark, Norway
• coordinates	69°04′50″N 22°23′02″E / 69.08056°N 22.38389°E / 69.08056; 22.38389
• elevation	483 m (1,585 ft)
Mouth	Alta
• location	Alta Municipality, Finnmark, Norway
• coordinates	69°58′10″N 23°22′24″E / 69.96944°N 23.37333°E / 69.96944; 23.37333
• elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Length	240 km (150 mi)
Basin size	7,390 km2 (2,850 sq mi)
Discharge
• location	Alta
• average	90 m3/s (3,200 cu ft/s)
• maximum	1,200 m3/s (42,000 cu ft/s)

During the 1970s and 1980s, the river was the site of the Alta controversy regarding the construction of a 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 kilograms (73 lb) were recorded, and still fish up to 24 kilograms (53 lb) are caught. In 2011, 1,082 salmon (7 kilograms (15 lb) or heavier) were caught on the river.

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.

 

Panorama of Kautokeino river as seen from the ski jump hill south of the town center in Kautokeino