Vatnajökull-West floods

19.01.2014 Skaftá jökulhlaup

By means of near real-time TerraSAR-X images, the IsViews team was able to forecast this glacial outburst flood at Skaftá river (see results).

27.03.2014 Gígjukvísl jökulhlaup

A small glacial outburst flood occured in the river Gígjukvísl which originates from Skeiðarárjökull, a southern outlet glacier of Vatnajökull (see map). The jökulhlaup originates from the subglacial lake Grímsvötn.

The national road no. 1 is located only about 7 km south of Skeiðarárjökull glacier margin and thus -in case of a large flood- is at high risk.

5.-11.05.2015 Gígjukvísl jökulhlaup

A minor glacial outburst flood occured from Grímsvötn into Gígjukvísl, with a maximum waterlevel of about 65 cm measured at Vatnshæð on May 11th (see report and hazard warning by the Icelandic Met Office).

29.09.-2.10.2015 Skaftá jökulhlaup

With a time series of 7 Sentinel-1A images (12 m resolution, same orbit) the development of the eastern Skaftá ice cauldron could be monitored, from filling with water in August untill draining in October (see results).

On a high resolution TerraSAR-X Stripmap scene (1.25 m resolution) from 9. October 2015 the path of the flood underneath the glacier ice could be mapped (see results).

For the actual stream flow ratio of selected rivers in Iceland watch the hydrology website of the Icelandic Meteorological Office (www.vedur.is).