Urriðafoss

Urriðafoss is not high, only a 6 meter drop, but no waterfall in Iceland has more volume of water passing through it. It is in the river Þjórsá (Thjorsa - Bull River), and its volume at the fall is 360 m³/sek. Þjórsá is the longest river of the country, 230 km. It is a glacial river, as can be seen by its opaque grey colour. Salmon swim upriver to the waterfall, jump and swim further upstream. It is said that the salmon population of Thjorsa has an exceptionally strong and long tailfin in order to clear the 6 m high waterfall. Trout and eel are also found in the river. It is teeming with life, although it seems to be a harsh environment for life at first sight. There are plans for a hydropower dam near Urriðafoss, located above the falls with a considerable reservoir behind it. At the dam the water would be diverted to the east to the control station located underground, but the water would reappear in the river bed about 3 km further downstream. Iceland's most voluminous waterfall would almost disappear.