Vorma

Vorma from the Eidsvoll train station looking north

Vorma is a river in Norway that brings water from lake Mjøsa into the Glomma river. The Vorma is 30 kilometers long and flows through the town of Eidsvoll. The Vorma goes from Lake Mjøsa via Minnesund to join with the Glomma at Årnes.

Vorma was so named because it was a 'warm' river that never iced over, while both the Glomma and the Gudbrandsdalslågen routinely freeze. The junction of the Vorma with the Glomma at Årnes and Nes is the site of the Funnefoss on the Glomma, a 10 meter fall.

History

The junction of the Minnesund and the Vorma, Eidsvoll, served as an ancient 'ting' place for Romerike during the period when transit by boat was much easier than by land. The "Eidsivating" was, according to tradition, founded by Halvdan Svarte, and served as the tingplace for all of the Opplands and Viken. Saint Olav also held a ting there and built a church at this site in 1017.

In 1795 a landslide totally blocked the Vorma at Disen for 111 days, allowing one to walk across without wetting ones shoes. A channel was cut around it to prevent a major overflow, with accompanying downstream damage.

On the Vorma, south of Eidsvoll, lies the Svanfoss where the water level in Lake Mjøsa is regulated. A 60 meter long by 6 meter wide lock, which bypassed the Svanfoss, lifting boats 3 meters to allow bypassing the drop, opened in 1906.

References

East Norway and its Frontier by Frank Noel Stagg, George Allen & Unwin, Ltd. 1956

External links

[An overview of Norwegian canals, including one on the Vormas]

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