Hvítá (Ölfusá)
| Hvítá | ||
 Hvítá |
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| Data | ||
| location | Southurland ( Iceland ) | |
| River system | Ölfusá | |
| Drain over | Ölfusá → Atlantic Ocean | |
| source | Outflow from the Hvítárvatn 64 ° 33 ′ 13 ″ N , 19 ° 47 ′ 59 ″ W. |
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| Source height | 419 m | |
| Association with |
Pull to Ölfusá (near Selfoss ) Coordinates: 63 ° 59 ′ 20 ″ N , 20 ° 57 ′ 49 ″ W 63 ° 59 ′ 20 ″ N , 20 ° 57 ′ 49 ″ W.
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| length | 185 km | |
| Catchment area | 1644 km² | |
| Left tributaries | Jökulfall (= Jökulkvísl) | |
| Right tributaries | Tungufljót , Brúará | |
| Flowing lakes | Hvítárvatn | |
| Small towns | Selfoss | |
| Communities | Hrunamannahreppur , Bláskógabyggð , Árnessýsla , Árborg | |
| Waterfalls: Faxi , Gullfoss | ||
 Gullfoss waterfall |
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 Ölfusárbrú, Selfoss |
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 Hvítárvatn |
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 Hvítá, Brúarhlöð |
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 Hvítá at Ingólfsfjall |
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The Hvítá is a river in southern Iceland in the Árnessýsla district .
River course
The river has its source in the Hvítárvatn glacial lake on Langjökull near the Bláfell . After about 40 kilometers, the Hvítá falls over the Gullfoss waterfall into a narrow gorge. The average amount of water at Gullfoss is 100–180 m³ / s in summer and 50–110 m³ / s in winter. The highest amount of water ever measured was 2000 m³ / s, the water catchment area covers 1,644 km²
Behind the Gullfoss, the Hvítá flows along the border between the districts of Biskupstunga and Hrunamannahreppur . Two larger rivers flow into the Hvítá: Tungufljót and Brúará . After the Stóra-Laxá has also added its water, the river contains twice the amount of water compared to that at Gullfoss.
It now flows through the Icelandic lowlands at Grímsnes and past Mount Ingólfsfjall . With the flow wake it joins the flow Ölfusá , further through the city Selfoss flows and in the Atlantic opens, wherein the Ölfusá a wide mouth area, a kind of lagoon forms.
In winter, the Hvítá can sometimes overflow its banks and flood larger areas.
Sport on the Hvítá
In some places rafting is practiced on the Hvítá .
Hydropower projects
A power station project at the Gullfoss waterfall was discussed in the 1920s, but it was never carried out.
In the modern era, consideration was given to damming the Hvítá at the confluence with the Jökulkvísl as well as the Jökulkvísl itself and installing two power plants there. These projects were not carried out either.
See also
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b IMO. vedur.is; Retrieved September 4, 2012.
- ↑ a b T. Einarsson, H. Magnússon (eds.): Íslandshandbókin. Náttúra, saga og sérkenni . 2. bindi. Örn og Örlygur, Reykjavík 1989, p. 804 f.
- ↑ Ólafur Sigurdsson: Virkjanir í Efri Hvítá ofan Gullfoss. (PDF; 9.7 MB) Orkustofnun VH 2007-021, 2007; Retrieved September 4, 2012.