| Sjønstå River | |||||||
| Map: |
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| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location of the river | ||||||
| Subdivision Type1: | Country | ||||||
| Subdivision Name1: | Norway | ||||||
| Subdivision Type2: | County | ||||||
| Subdivision Name2: | Nordland | ||||||
| Subdivision Type3: | Municipality | ||||||
| Subdivision Name3: | Fauske Municipality | ||||||
| Length: | 12.7km (07.9miles) | ||||||
| Discharge1 Avg: | 32.8m3/s | ||||||
| Source1: | Langvatnet | ||||||
| Source1 Location: | Langvann Valley, Fauske | ||||||
| Source1 Coordinates: | 67.168°N 15.8883°W | ||||||
| Mouth: | Øvervatnet | ||||||
| Mouth Location: | Sjønstå, Fauske | ||||||
| Mouth Coordinates: | 67.2057°N 15.7148°W | ||||||
| River System: | Sulitjelma basin | ||||||
| Basin Size: | 779.45km2 | ||||||
The Sjønstå River[1] (no|Sjønståelva,[2] known as the Langvasselva in its upper course)[3] is a river in Fauske Municipality in Nordland county, Norway. The river is located in the valley between the town of Fauske and the village of Sulitjelma.
The Sjønstå River is the main river of the Sulitjelma drainage system. The stretch from its source at Langvatnet (Long Lake) to the village of Sjønstå, where it empties into the lake Øvervatnet has been developed into the Sjønstå Hydroelectric Power Station. The river has many small tributaries.[4] Norwegian County Road 830 runs parallel to the Sjønstå River. The Sulitjelma Line formerly ran along the river. The drainage system is regulated by many hydroelectric stations. The river is 12.7km (07.9miles) long and has a drainage basin of 779.45km2.[5] The river's average discharge is 32.8m3/s.[5]
The river gently flows from Langvatnet, but it has some rapids. The only waterfall is located at contour level 60m (200feet),[6] where the river runs through narrow sections with steep hillsides. The river has been seriously affected by pollution. After the Sjønstå power plant was built, large quantities of water flowed from Langvatnet down to Øvervatnet, and this has led to less pollution.[6] The lower part of the river supports salmon and has a permanent population of trout.[6]
There are several hydroelectric power stations on the river operated by Salten Kraftsamband:[7]
In 2013, a concession was requested from the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate to build the Sjønstå Falls Hydroelectric Power Station. It is planned to have an intake at 58.4m (191.6feet) at the existing threshold in the river. The installed capacity will be about 2.7 MW. According to the plan, the average annual production will be 7.3 GWh. The development will create a further reduction in water flow on a 1370sp=usNaNsp=us stretch of the Sjønstå River. The planned release from the plant is a minimum of 600L/s in the summer season and 150L/s in the winter season.[8]
There are also plans to create the Lappland Hydroelectric Power Station, which, if it is realized, will change the flow of water in the Sjønstå River significantly by drawing large quantities of water from Swedish watercourses into Norway.