Ätran
Encyclopedia
Ätran is a Swedish
river
. The river is about 240 kilometers long, and has its source in Gullered, Västergötland
, at a height of 332 meters above the sea level. The river has its mouth in Falkenberg
, Halland
, where the river enters Kattegat
.
The drainage basin
has an area of 3,343 km², of which most is forest. The river is well known as a good place for fishing. It is comparatively unpolluted
A road used for thousands of years, Redvägen, followed the river. Along the road several battle
s took place during the medieval era.
The river passes through several minor lakes in Västergötland (Sörsjön, Nolsjö, Vinsarpsjö and Lönnern). By the it reaches Åsunden
, a lake
of some size, it is about 1-2 meters deep och 6-10 meters wide. As the tributaries named Lillån join the river it gain considerably in size.
The largest tributary is Högvadsån
. Other main tributaries are Assman (Lillån), which join the river close to Örsås church and Kalvån (Lillån), which join the river close to Östra Frölunda
church.
The drainage basin include the major parts of Falkenberg
, Svenljunga
, Tranemo
and Ulricehamn Municipalities
. Smaller parts of Falköping
, Borås
, Gislaved
, Mark
, Hylte
and Varberg Municipalities
are also part of the drainage basin. Within the basin 64 percent of the area is forest, 6 percent lakes, 7 procent bogs, 11 procent fields och 12 percent other.
The largest lakes within the basin are Åsunden (33,9 km²), Fegen
(24,2), Sämsjön (9,2), Lönern (7,7) och Kalven (6,6). In total there is about 200 km² of lakes within the basin. The water flow at Yngeredsfors Power Station has been kept record of. It was on average 37,2 m³/s during the years 1909-1967. The maximum flow was 275 m³/s, while the minimum flow was about 5-7 m³/s.
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
river
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
. The river is about 240 kilometers long, and has its source in Gullered, Västergötland
Västergötland
', English exonym: West Gothland, is one of the 25 traditional non-administrative provinces of Sweden , situated in the southwest of Sweden. In older English literature one may also encounter the Latinized version Westrogothia....
, at a height of 332 meters above the sea level. The river has its mouth in Falkenberg
Falkenberg
Falkenberg is a locality and the seat of Falkenberg Municipality, Halland County, Sweden, with 18,972 inhabitants in 2005.The town has a population of 19,000 and is located at the mouth of the river Ätran. The name consists of the Swedish words for falcon and mountain...
, Halland
Halland
' is one of the traditional provinces of Sweden , on the western coast of Sweden. It borders Västergötland, Småland, Scania and the sea of Kattegat.-Administration:...
, where the river enters Kattegat
Kattegat
The Kattegat , or Kattegatt is a sea area bounded by the Jutland peninsula and the Straits islands of Denmark on the west and south, and the provinces of Västergötland, Scania, Halland and Bohuslän in Sweden on the east. The Baltic Sea drains into the Kattegat through the Øresund and the Danish...
.
The drainage basin
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
has an area of 3,343 km², of which most is forest. The river is well known as a good place for fishing. It is comparatively unpolluted
A road used for thousands of years, Redvägen, followed the river. Along the road several battle
Battle
Generally, a battle is a conceptual component in the hierarchy of combat in warfare between two or more armed forces, or combatants. In a battle, each combatant will seek to defeat the others, with defeat determined by the conditions of a military campaign...
s took place during the medieval era.
Path, tributaries and drainage basin
| Area/tributary | Drainage basin (km²) |
Average water flow (m³/s) |
| Ätran, upstream Åsunden | 650 | |
| Ätran, between Åsunden and Assman | 379 | 8 |
| Assman (Lillån) | 652 | 9,5 |
| Ätran, between Assman and Kalvån | 45 | 24,5 |
| Kalvån (Lillån) | 514 | 8,2 |
| Ätran, between Kalvån and Högvadsån | 370 | 33,5 |
| Högvadsån Högvadsån Högvadsån is the largest tributary of river Ätran, Sweden. It is well known for the fishing of salmon and is chalked in order to counteract acid rain. It is protected by Natura 2000.... |
476 | 8,5 |
| Ätran between Högvadsån and the Sea | 257 | 49 |
| Total/Final | 3 343 | 52,5 |
The river passes through several minor lakes in Västergötland (Sörsjön, Nolsjö, Vinsarpsjö and Lönnern). By the it reaches Åsunden
Åsunden (Västergötland)
Åsunden is a lake in Västergötland, Sweden....
, a lake
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
of some size, it is about 1-2 meters deep och 6-10 meters wide. As the tributaries named Lillån join the river it gain considerably in size.
The largest tributary is Högvadsån
Högvadsån
Högvadsån is the largest tributary of river Ätran, Sweden. It is well known for the fishing of salmon and is chalked in order to counteract acid rain. It is protected by Natura 2000....
. Other main tributaries are Assman (Lillån), which join the river close to Örsås church and Kalvån (Lillån), which join the river close to Östra Frölunda
Östra Frölunda
Östra Frölunda is a locality situated in Svenljunga Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden with 323 inhabitants in 2005.- References :...
church.
The drainage basin include the major parts of Falkenberg
Falkenberg Municipality
Falkenberg Municipality is a municipality in Halland County on the Swedish west coast. The town Falkenberg is the municipal seat....
, Svenljunga
Svenljunga Municipality
Svenljunga Municipality is a municipality in Västra Götaland County in western Sweden. Its seat is located in the town of Svenljunga....
, Tranemo
Tranemo Municipality
Tranemo Municipality is a municipality in Västra Götaland County in western Sweden. Its seat is located in the town of Tranemo....
and Ulricehamn Municipalities
Ulricehamn Municipality
Ulricehamn Municipality is a municipality in Västra Götaland County in western Sweden. Its seat is located in the city of Ulricehamn....
. Smaller parts of Falköping
Falköping Municipality
Falköping Municipality is a municipality in Västra Götaland County in western Sweden. Its seat is located in the city of Falköping....
, Borås
Borås Municipality
Borås Municipality is a municipality in Västra Götaland County in western Sweden. Its seat is located in the city of Borås.In 1971 the City of Borås was made a municipality when the unitary type of local government unit was introduced in Sweden. Three years later a lot of surrounding...
, Gislaved
Gislaved Municipality
Gislaved Municipality is a municipality in Jönköping County in southern Sweden, with its seat located in the town Gislaved.The present municipality was formed in 1974, whenformer municipalities were amalgamated...
, Mark
Mark Municipality
Mark Municipality is a municipality in Västra Götaland County in western Sweden. Its seat is located in the town of Kinna.The municipality was created with the municipal reform of 1971 by the amalgamation of eight previous entities. Most of them had themselves been formed by the 1952 municipal...
, Hylte
Hylte Municipality
Hylte Municipality is the only inland municipality of Halland County in southwest Sweden. The industrial town Hyltebruk is the seat of the municipality....
and Varberg Municipalities
Varberg Municipality
Varberg Municipality is a municipality in Halland County, in southwest Sweden. Its seat is in Varberg.It was formed in 1971 through the amalgamation of the City of Varberg and the surrounding rural municipalities...
are also part of the drainage basin. Within the basin 64 percent of the area is forest, 6 percent lakes, 7 procent bogs, 11 procent fields och 12 percent other.
The largest lakes within the basin are Åsunden (33,9 km²), Fegen
Fegen (lake)
Fegen is a lake and nature reserve in Sweden. The lake has a surface area of 24 km2 and a maximum depth of 38 meters, whilst the nature reserve covers an area of 9.7 km2. The nature reserve was established in 1980.-References:...
(24,2), Sämsjön (9,2), Lönern (7,7) och Kalven (6,6). In total there is about 200 km² of lakes within the basin. The water flow at Yngeredsfors Power Station has been kept record of. It was on average 37,2 m³/s during the years 1909-1967. The maximum flow was 275 m³/s, while the minimum flow was about 5-7 m³/s.