View source for Helge River

{{Expand Swedish|date=March 2022|topic=geo}}
{{Short description|River in Sweden}}{{Infobox river
| name               = Helge River
| name_native        = {{native name list |tag1=sv|name1=Helge å |tag2=sv|name2=Helgeån }}
| name_native_lang   = 
| name_other         = 
| name_etymology     = 
<!---------------------- IMAGE & MAP -->
| image              = Helge å.jpg
| image_size         = 270
| image_caption      = 
| map                = Helge River watershed.jpg
| map_size           = 270
| map_caption        = Helge River watershed ([https://mghydro.com/watersheds/shared/64710B.html Interactive map])
| pushpin_map        = 
| pushpin_map_size   = 
| pushpin_map_caption= 
<!---------------------- LOCATION -->
| subdivision_type1  = Country
| subdivision_name1  = [[Sweden]]
| subdivision_type2  = 
| subdivision_name2  = 
| subdivision_type3  = [[Counties of Sweden|County]]
| subdivision_name3  = 
| subdivision_type4  = 
| subdivision_name4  = 
| subdivision_type5  = 
| subdivision_name5  = 
<!---------------------- PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS -->
| length             = {{convert|190|km|mi|abbr=on}}<ref name=ne>{{cite encyclopedia | title=Helge å | encyclopedia=[[Nationalencyklopedin]] | url=http://www.ne.se/helge-å | language=Swedish | accessdate=12 July 2010}} {{Subscription required}}</ref> 
| width_min          = 
| width_avg          = 
| width_max          = 
| depth_min          = 
| depth_avg          = 
| depth_max          = 
| discharge1_location= 
| discharge1_min     = 
| discharge1_avg     = {{convert|55|m3/s|cuft/s|abbr=on}}<ref name=ne />
| discharge1_max     = {{convert|320|m3/s|cuft/s|abbr=on}}<ref name=ne />
<!---------------------- BASIN FEATURES -->
| source1            = 
| source1_location   = 
| source1_coordinates= 
| source1_elevation  = 
| mouth              = {{lang|sv|[[Hanöbukten]]}}
| mouth_location     = 
| mouth_coordinates  = {{coord|55|51|30|N|14|14|10|E|display=inline,title}}
| mouth_elevation    = {{convert|0|m|abbr=on}}
| progression        = 
| river_system       = 
| basin_size         = {{convert|4748.9|km2|abbr=on}}<ref>{{cite web | title=Län och huvudavrinningsområden i Sverige |trans-title=County and main catchment areas in Sweden | url=http://www.smhi.se/sgn0102/n0205/lan_haro_huvud.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050331172102/http://www.smhi.se/sgn0102/n0205/lan_haro_huvud.pdf |archive-date=31 March 2005 | language=Swedish | publisher=[[Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute]] | accessdate=12 July 2010}}</ref>
| tributaries_left   = 
| tributaries_right  = 
| custom_label       = Designation
| custom_data        = {{Designation list
| embed = yes
| designation1 = Ramsar
| designation1_offname = Helge å
| designation1_date = 5 December 1974
| designation1_number = 16<ref>{{Cite web|title=Helge å|website=[[Ramsar Convention|Ramsar]] Sites Information Service|url=https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/16|accessdate=25 April 2018}}</ref>}}
| extra              = 
}}

The river '''Helge''' or, in Swedish, Helgeån, alternatively Helge&nbsp;å (lit. The [[Holy river]]), is a [[river]] which flows through [[Småland]] and [[Skåne]] in southern [[Sweden]]. The course of the river takes it through [[Kristianstad]] and out to the Bay of {{lang|sv|[[Hanöbukten]]}} in the [[Baltic Sea]].

In the southern parts, there are large wetland areas with a rich bird life. The  {{lang|sv|Kristianstads Vattenrike}} (The Rich Wetlands of Kristianstad/Water Kingdom) reserve extends along 35km and covers 100,000 hectares in the river's lower course near the city of [[Kristianstad]] and the Bay of {{lang|sv|[[Hanöbukten]]}}.<ref>{{Cite journal| doi = 10.1196/annals.1319.018| issn = 1749-6632| volume = 1023| issue = 1| pages = 323–327| last = Magnusson| first = Sven-Erik| title = The Changing Perception of the Wetlands in and around Kristianstad, Sweden: From Waterlogged Areas toward a Future Water Kingdom, Kristianstads Vattenrike Biosphere Reserve| journal = Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences| access-date = 2024-03-12| date = 2004| url = https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1196/annals.1319.018| url-access = subscription}}</ref> This wetland is recognized as having international importance under the [[Ramsar Convention]].

Within the catchment area, there are 14 major lakes and 16 watercourses designated as being of national or regional value. There are also 64 [[Natura 2000]] areas, 14 of which have been established because of their high nature values in the water. {{Citation needed|date=March 2024}}


==See also==
*[[Battle of Helgeå]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Helgea}}
[[Category:Småland]]
[[Category:Scania]]
[[Category:Drainage basins of the Baltic Sea]]
[[Category:Rivers of Skåne County]]
[[Category:Ramsar sites in Sweden]]


{{Skåne-geo-stub}}
{{Sweden-river-stub}}