The August glacial outburst - one of the larger jökulhlaups to have affected Skaftá in recent decade

Jökulhlaups in the river Skaftá are sourced from two subglacial lakes, formed due to persistent geothermal activity beneath Vatnajökull. This activity is apparent on the ice-surface as a circular depression, known as an ice cauldron. On average, the two neighbouring cauldrons drain every one to two years, producing floods ranging in maximum discharge from hundreds to occasionally thousands of cubic metres per second. When the interval between floods is short the flood tends to be smaller, with the eastern cauldron responsible for the largest floods.

Photo: The bridge in Skaftárdalur inundated by floodwater on 4th August. Photo: Benedikt G. Ófeigsson

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http://en.vedur.is/about-imo/news/the-august-glacial-outburst-one-of-the-larger-jokulhlaups-to-have-affected-skafta-in-recent-decades

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