Älvkarlebyforsen

Älvkarlebyforsen is a regulated waterfall along the river Dalälven in the town of Älvkarleby in Upsalla. The waterfall was harnessed for hydroelectric production in 1911 and the dam constructed at the top of the falls has partially destroyed the natural waterfall. The primary spillway for the dam releases water down a channel which largely bypasses the majority of the natural falls, but allows the river to flow over a small cascade just upstream from the Route 759 bridge as it crosses the Dalälven adjacent to the power station. During periods of heavier flow, spillway gates along the main part of the dam may release water down the natural course of the falls. The power station associated with the waterfall has an operating head of 23 meters, but how much of this measurement is accounted for in the dam itself is not known. The natural falls likely had a drop of at least 15 meters over a run of cascades stretching about 365 meters in length. The cascades visible adjacent to the bridge drop only about 3-4 meters.