The river Helge or, in Swedish, Helgeån, alternatively Helge 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 Hanöbukten in the Baltic Sea.

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Quick Facts Native name, Location ...

Helge River
Helge River watershed (Interactive map)
Native name	Helge å (Swedish) Helgeån (Swedish)
Location
Country	Sweden
Physical characteristics
Mouth	Hanöbukten
• coordinates	55°51′30″N 14°14′10″E
• elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Length	190 km (120 mi)[1]
Basin size	4,748.9 km2 (1,833.6 sq mi)[2]
Discharge
• average	55 m3/s (1,900 cu ft/s)[1]
• maximum	320 m3/s (11,000 cu ft/s)[1]
Basin features
Designation
Ramsar Wetland
Official name	Helge å
Designated	5 December 1974
Reference no.	16[3]

Close

In the southern parts, there are large wetland areas with a rich bird life. The 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 Hanöbukten.^[4] 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]}

• Battle of Helgeå