Gullfoss Waterfall
May 11, 2001
Provided by: Jim Foster, NASA/GSFC
Summary Author: Jim Foster
In Iceland, at this time of year, the seasonal snow has melted, and the lower elevations of the glacial ice caps are just beginning to melt. Thus water is rapidly entering rivers and streams. The largest and most famous waterfall in Iceland is the Gullfoss (golden waterfall). Meltwater from the Langjokull and Hofsjokull ice caps in west-central Iceland are partially drained by the Hvita River (where the Gullfoss is located). This river flows vigorously from April through September. For scale, see the people standing on the bare rocks, just to the left of the upper portion of the falls. The 2-tier falls drop almost 100 feet into a narrow canyon, which is about 1 1/2 miles long.
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