# Sirdalen

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> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Sirdalen.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sirdalen
> Source revision: 1355105566
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{short description|Valley in Agder, Norway}}
{{Infobox valley
|name            = Sirdalen
|other_name      = Sirdal
|photo           = Fra øvre Reienshaugen. Taget fra Ausdal Sirdalen sydover - no-nb digifoto 20160331 00014 bldsa NGU0216 (cropped).jpg
|photo_width     = 
|photo_caption   = Upper Sirdalen valley
|mapframe        = yes
|mapframe-zoom   = 8
|coordinates     = {{coord|58.73782|6.74495|region:NO_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
|location        = [Agder](/source/Agder), [Norway](/source/Norway)
|elevation_m     = 
|elevation_ref   = 
|direction       = N-S
|length          = {{convert|90|km}}
|width           = 
|area            = 
|depth           = 
|type            = [River valley](/source/Valley)
|river           = [Sira](/source/Sira_(river))
|age             = 
|boundaries      = 
|topo            = 
|towns           = 
|traversed       = 
}}

'''Sirdalen'''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Informasjon om stadnamn |url=https://stadnamn.kartverket.no/fakta/910632 |access-date=2026-05-19 |website=Norgeskart |publisher=[Kartverket](/source/Norwegian_Mapping_Authority) |language=no}}</ref> is a [river valley](/source/Valley) in [Agder](/source/Agder) county, [Norway](/source/Norway). The {{convert|90|km|adj=on}} long valley is located in [Sirdal Municipality](/source/Sirdal_Municipality) and [Flekkefjord Municipality](/source/Flekkefjord_Municipality), and it extends from the lake [Lundevatnet](/source/Lundevatnet) in the south to the Lyseheiane and Sirdalsheiane mountains in the north. The river [Sira](/source/Sira_(river)) flows through the valley floor and the valley gets its name from this river.<ref name="snl">{{Cite SNL|Sira_-_elv|Sira (elv)|2026-05-19|Vinjar|Asbjørn|2024-11-27|editor2-first=Per Roger|editor2-last=Lauritzen}}</ref>

The southern part of Sirdalen, from [Lundevatnet](/source/Lundevatnet) to the village of [Tonstad](/source/Tonstad), is dominated by the {{convert|27|km|adj=on}} long and narrow lake [Sirdalsvatnet](/source/Sirdalsvatnet), which is part of the Sira river system. Between Tonstad and Handeland, the valley is very narrow and cramped, while northward from Handeland it becomes more open and gradually merges into the open landscape of the surrounding mountains.

The Sira River and the neighboring [Kvina](/source/Kvina) River and most of their tributaries have been developed for power production. There are several large power reservoirs that have been dammed in and in the mountains surrounding the Sirdalen valley including the lakes Svartevatn, [Gravatn](/source/Gravatn), and [Valevatn](/source/Valevatn). The main [Tonstad Hydroelectric Power Station](/source/Tonstad_Hydroelectric_Power_Station) in [Tonstad](/source/Tonstad) is Norway's largest in terms of production.<ref>{{Cite SNL|Sira-Kvina_kraftselskap|Sira-Kvina kraftselskap|2026-05-19|Vinjar|Asbjørn|2025-12-13|editor2-first=Knut A.|editor2-last=Rosvold}}</ref>

Along the sides of the valley in upper Sirdalen, especially the Tjørhom – Ådneram area, there are many ski and alpine resorts. The area is popular with ski tourists, especially from Rogaland and Agder counties.<ref>{{Cite SNL|Sirdal|Sirdal|2026-05-19|Nilsen|Jan Erik|2026-03-05|editor2-first=Geir|editor2-last=Thorsnæs|editor3-first=Per Roger|editor3-last=Lauritzen}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{use dmy dates|date=May 2026}}
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Category:Valleys of Norway
Category:Sirdal

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Sirdalen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sirdalen) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sirdalen?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.