Moelva (old spelling: Maa Elv) is a river in the municipalities of Birkenes and Lillesand in Agder, Norway. It originates from a hill south of Tveide in Birkenes and empties into the Tingsakerfjord, east of the town of Lillesand. Large parts of the disused, former railway Lillesand-Flaksvand Line followed the river bank.

Moelva
View of the river
Moelva (Agder) is located in Agder
Moelva (Agder)
Location of the river
Moelva (Agder) is located in Norway
Moelva (Agder)
Moelva (Agder) (Norway)
Location
CountryNorway
CountyAgder
MunicipalitiesLillesand, Birkenes
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationSouthern hill of Søndagsheia, Tveide
 • coordinates58°16′52″N 8°13′19″E / 58.2812°N 8.2219°E / 58.2812; 8.2219
 • elevation175 metres (574 ft)
Mouth 
 • location
Tingsakerfjorden, Lillesand
 • coordinates
58°15′18″N 8°23′18″E / 58.2551°N 8.3883°E / 58.2551; 8.3883
 • elevation
0 metres (0 ft)
Length20.8 km (12.9 mi)
Basin size3,454 km2 (1,334 sq mi)
Discharge 
 • average1.04 m3/s (37 cu ft/s)[1]
Basin features
River systemLillesand-Birkenes

An old stone bridge is still located by Helvetesfossen. It was restored by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration in 1993.[2]

Hydropower

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The hydropower company Lillesand Elektrisitetsverk was started as a private company in 1916. There were dams in all tributaries to Moelva, dam at Helvetesfossen and pipeline down to the power station at Tingsaker, that had a turbine of 150 hp, a generator of 125 kW and an oil transformer of 7 kW. The power plant was sold and closed in 1970.[3]

Fishing

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Moelva is a sea trout leader in the lower part. It is Lillesand municipality that has been responsible for both the preparation and clearing of the riverbed and built a threshold dam in the lower part of the river. The sea trout population has recovered after a decline due to pollution.[2]

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The former power plant

References

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  1. ^ Moelva, Lillesand atlas of the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (in Norwegian)
  2. ^ a b Lillesand kommune, Håndbok om kulturløyper, Natur- og kulturhistorie i Lillesands turområder, 1993 (in Norwegian)
  3. ^ Lillesands første elektrisitetsverk Lillesand Town- and Maritime Museum (in Norwegian)