Héraðsvötn (Icelandic pronunciation: [ˈçɛːraðsˌvœhtn̥] ), whose name is often shortened to Vötn or Vötnin (and was called Jökulsá in previous centuries) is a glacier river in Iceland. It is formed by the confluence of Austari-Jökulsá and Vestari-Jökulsá. [1] The Héraðsvötn is located in Skagafjörður, a municipality in northern Iceland, and it is one of the deadliest waterfalls in the country.[2]
| Héraðsvötn | |
|---|---|
 Mouth of Héraðsvötn | |
 | |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • coordinates | 65°22′20″N 19°6′30″W / 65.37222°N 19.10833°W |
| • elevation | 90 m (300 ft) |
| Mouth | |
• location | Skagafjörður |
• coordinates | 65°44′55″N 19°33′10″W / 65.74861°N 19.55278°W |
| Length | 40 km (25 mi) |
| Basin size | 3,650 km2 (1,410 sq mi) |
| Discharge | |
| • average | 111 m3/s (3,900 cu ft/s) |
Héraðsvötn is formed by the confluence of multiple rivers that come together at the lower part of the town of Tunguháls, where the eastern and western branches of Jökulsá meet. The Norður river, Húseyjarkvísl, and many smaller rivers also flow into it. In the middle of Blönduhlíð, Héraðsvötn splits into two forks that flow to the sea on either side of Hegranes. These forks are referred to as the Western-Héraðsvötn and Eastern-Héraðsvötn.[3]
In an article written by Hallgrímur Jónasson, published in 1966, Héraðsvötn was described as follows:[4]
To the south, they are formed from two major rivers: the western Jökulsá and the eastern Jökulsá. They converge a little farther down where settlements begin in the two valleys that they flow into and was named Héraðsvötn on account of this. Twelve to fifteen kilometers from the sea, they split off into two branches. They flow into the sea on either side of Hegranes, both branches moving similar amounts of water. Where the lake flows into the fjord, they are called the western and eastern estuary.
References
edit- ^ "Héraðsvötn – Iceland Road Guide". Retrieved 2024-01-27.
- ^ Bjorn (2017-03-30). "Heradsvotn River". NAT. Retrieved 2024-07-05.
- ^ "Héraðsvötn - NAT ferðavísir" (in Icelandic). 2020-05-04. Retrieved 2024-07-05.
- ^ Háskólabókasafn, Landsbókasafn Íslands-. "Tímarit.is". timarit.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 2024-07-05.