Hraunfossar Waterfalls and Deildartunguhver Thermal Springs

Today we visited the Hraunfossar Waterfalls and the Deildartunguhver thermal spring in western Iceland.

The Hraunfossar Waterfalls consist of countless springs of clear water that emerge from under the edge of the Hallmundarhraun lava field and flow into the Hvita River. Surface and melt water from glaciers runs between the lava layers and bedrock emerging to form the kilometer-wide Hraunfosar Falls.

 

These photographs of nearby lava demonstrate the ropey quality of the formation.  Water can seep between the "strands" until it is stopped by bedrock below and channelled into the myriad of springs that collectively form the falls.

Deildartunguhver thermal spring produces 180 liters of water per second, the largest output of any thermal spring in the world. The water temperature of Deildartunguhver is 212 degrees Fahrenheit; and its production capacity, including two adjacent bore holes, is 62 megawatts.

Water from Deildartunguhver has been utilized for central heating since 1925.  Currently the hot water is collected in this building and pumped through these lines to Akranes and two other nearby towns.