Urriðafoss
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| Urriðafoss | |
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| Location | South of Iceland |
| Average flow rate | 360 m³/s |
Urriðafoss (Icelandic pronunciation: [ˈʏrːɪːðaˌfɔsː], "sea trout waterfall") is a waterfall located in the river Þjórsá in southwest Iceland. With a flow rate of 360 m³/s, it has the highest average water flow of any waterfall in Iceland, and the second highest in Europe behind the Rheinfall.[1]
The Fossafélagið Títan company was given permission in 1927 to build a power plant in Urriðafoss in connection with a railway to Reykjavík from the waterfall.[2] It did not happen but now Landsvirkjun is planning to build hydropower stations on the lower part of Þjórsár river, at Urriðafoss and Núpur.
The proposed Urriðafoss Power Plant is expected to have a capacity of approximately 125 MW and a power-generating capacity of 930 GWh per year. The powerhouse will be underground and a tunnel leading from the powerhouse will open out into Þjórsá river below Urriðafoss waterfall. The waterfall is expected to disappear if the powerhouse is built. Local residents in the area are protesting against the construction in an effort to save Urriðafoss.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ "Urriðafoss, Iceland – World Waterfall Database". www.worldwaterfalldatabase.com. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
- ^ HNIT (April 2003), Urriðafossvirkjun í Þjórsá allt að 150 MW og breyting á Búrfellslínu 2 (PDF) (Environmental Impact Assessment Report) (in Icelandic), Landsvirkjun, retrieved 2017-05-21
External links[edit]
- Nýjar virkjanir í Þjórsá - English summary
- Map of proposed power plant in Urriðafoss
- Faults and fractures of the South Iceland Seismic Zone near Þjórsá
63°55′26″N 20°40′26″W / 63.924°N 20.674°W
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