Name of Waterfall

Langfoss

Description

Langfoss is visible from the E134 about 8.2 kilometers west of the western portal of the Rullestad Tunnel near the head of the Åkrafjord. The falls are absolutely impossible to miss as the road crosses directly in front of the base of the cataract. Travelers heading westbound from Odda or Røldal should be aware, there is an automated toll station located about a kilometer east of Langfoss. As of 2011, the toll was NOK 40 each direction, so if you are coming from and returning east, visiting Langfoss will cost NOK 80 (it is worth it).Langfoss is among the tallest unregulated waterfalls in Europe, veiling a total of 612 meters (2,008 feet) as it slides violently into the calm waters of the Åkrafjorden. Flowing out of a small tarn, the stream funnels into a steep, narrow gorge and at its exit point explodes outward into a nearly vertical fall of about 100 meters (330 feet). Without pausing below the initial plunge the stream immediately reverts into a long steep cascading slide, first at a more gradual angle and then becoming steeper after tumbling about 150 meters further. For the final 350 meters of its descent the stream veils out to as much as 60 meters across the cliff face, and then culminates in a set of triplet chutes which accelerate side-by-side-by-side under the E134 bridge and into the Åkrafjorden.
Officially the falls have been measured to stand 612 meters (2,008 feet) tall, however this measurement seems likely to stem from the pool elevation of tarn just above the falls, which is situated at 612.9m above sea level (2,010 feet). Given that the stream likely loses more than two feet between the outlet of this lake and the legitimate top of the falls, the falls may be slightly shorter than commonly reported (possibly under the 600 meter mark), but not by much if that is the case. It will take a detailed survey of the stream at the top of the falls to establish a truly accurate measurement, and until then we will assume the measurement of 612 meters is accurate.
Like most major waterfalls in Norway, Langfoss has been targeted for integration in a hydroelectric generating system many times. Given that there are at least a dozen significant lakes which feed into the falls, the consistent streamflow and great change in elevation is certainly a tempting target for energy production. However, we have been told that Langfoss has been indefinitely protected from hydro development by recent government action (the specifics of which are unclear), and given that there are so few 2,000 foot+ waterfalls in Norway left unregulated, this is certainly good news.Translated to english, the name of the falls literally means Long waterfall – which is certainly a colorfully descriptive, though perhaps uninventive moniker. We should also note that while most waterfalls in Norway are titled with the suffix –fossen, Langfoss is the correct spelling, sans the trailing –en (as best we can tell, the difference is essentially equivalent of titling a waterfall as “Fall” rather than “Falls”).

Other Names

['Langfossen']

Magnitude

60.37

IWC Rating (International Waterfall Classification)

3.51

Total Height (ft)

2008

Tallest Drop

2008

Number of Drops

1

Average Width

125

Maximum Width

350

Average High Volume (Cubic ft per second)

75 cfs (6 months)

Average Low Volume (Cubic ft per second)

20 cfs (6 months)

Pitch

70 degrees

Run (ft)

2000

Watershed or Feeder Stream