Tovdalselva (also known as the Tofdalselva, Tovdalsåna, Tovdalsåni, literally: the Tov valley river) is 143 kilometres (89 mi) long and is one of the longest rivers in Southern Norway.
The river flows through Agder county from the mountains on the northeast side of the Setesdal valley in Valle municipality southwards, until it reaches the sea at the Tofdalsfjorden between Hamresanden and Kjevik in Kristiansand.
It drains about 1,800 square kilometres (690 sq mi) in territory and the highest point in the watershed is 1,101 metres (3,612 ft) above sea level.
The drainage basin includes parts or all of the following municipalities: Fyresdal, Valle, Bygland, Evje og Hornnes, Åmli, Froland, Grimstad, Birkenes, Iveland, Lillesand, and Kristiansand.
[1] Tovdalselva was long considered one of the greatest salmon fishing rivers in the land.