The Lesser Lule River ( sv, Lilla Luleälven) is a

tributary A tributary, or affluent, is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream or main stem (or parent) river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries and the main stem river drain the surrounding drai ...

of the

Lule River Lule River ( smj, Julevädno, sv, Lule älv, ''Luleälven'') is a major river in Sweden, rising in northern Sweden and flowing southeast for before reaching the Gulf of Bothnia at Luleå. It is the second longest river by watershed area or length ...

in north

Norrland Norrland (, "Northland", originally ''Norrlanden'' or "the Northlands") is the northernmost, largest and least populated of the three traditional lands of Sweden, consisting of nine provinces. Although Norrland does not serve any administ ...

, in Norrbotten County, Sweden. The river, which is entirely within the municipality of Jokkmokk, is 238 km long, with a

drainage basin A drainage basin is an area of land where all flowing surface water converges to a single point, such as a river mouth, or flows into another body of water, such as a lake or ocean. A basin is separated from adjacent basins by a perimeter, ...

of approximately 9800 km². The longest tributary of the Lesser Lule River is called ''Tarrajåkkå'' and it originates in the southern part of

Sarek Sarek is a fictional character in the ''Star Trek'' media franchise. He is a Vulcan astrophysicist, the Vulcan ambassador to the United Federation of Planets, and father of Spock. The character was originally played by Mark Lenard in the e ...

Fell. The river flows southeast, passing Lakes Saggat (302 amsl), Skalka (295 amsl) and

Randi Randi is both a given name, and a nickname in the English language, popular in North America and Norway. It is primarily a feminine name, although there is recorded usage of the name by men. It may have originated as a pet form of '' Miranda'' ...

(284 amsl) before it reaches

Jokkmokk Jokkmokk (; smj, Jåhkåmåhkke or ; se, Dálvvadis; fi, Jokimukka) is a locality and the seat of Jokkmokk Municipality in Norrbotten County, province of Lapland, Sweden, with 2,786 inhabitants in 2010. The Lule Sami name of the place (compose ...

. After Jokkmokk, it flows towards

Vuollerim Vuollerim () is a locality situated in Jokkmokk Municipality, Norrbotten County, Sweden with 732 inhabitants in 2010. Notable people * Zemya Hamilton *Jakob Hellman * Jokkmokks-Jokke * Birgitta Svendén *Lars-Göran Nilsson Lars-Göran Birger ...

where it joins the Greater Lule River. The river's largest

tributaries A tributary, or affluent, is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream or main stem (or parent) river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries and the main stem river drain the surrounding drainag ...

are the Rapa ( smj, Rapaätno, sv, Rapaälven) and Pärl Rivers. The waterflow of the Lesser Lule River is regulated.

Hydroelectrical plants along the Lesser Lule River

The Lesser Lule River has several

hydro-electric power station Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other renewable sources combined an ...

s on it. All of the station are owned by Vattenfall AB. These plants have cut off the traditional migratory routes followed by the

Sámi The Sámi ( ; also spelled Sami or Saami) are a Finno-Ugric-speaking people inhabiting the region of Sápmi (formerly known as Lapland), which today encompasses large northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and of the Murmansk Oblast, Ru ...

in the area, causing some of the reindeer herders to have to truck the animals between the summer and winter camps.

Sources

* Vattenfall AB

References

Lule River basin Rivers of Norrbotten County {{Sweden-river-stub