It is also said that Gullfoss is the most photographed waterfall and one of the most famous in Iceland. Also it is one of the largest volumes of water in Europe. Hvitá River or the White River flows over Gullfoss. Accordingly, Hvitá is an icy cold river flowing from its source underneath Langjökull glacier before it hits the falls and after which it continues on its way over 133 kilometers to empty into the Atlantic Ocean.
Gulfloss Water Fall
Gullfoss or the Golden Falls is a waterfall located in the Canyon of Hvítá River in southwest Iceland. One of the most popular tourist attractions in the country, the wide Hvitá river rushes southward and turns sharply about a kilometer above the falls to the left and flows down into a wide curved three-step staircase and then abruptly plunges in two stages into a deep crevice. It is said that as one first approaches the falls, the crevice is obscured from view, that it appears that the river simply vanishes into the earth.
With the glacial runoff in addition to water from rain, so much water flows over it per second that it would only take a few seconds to fill a decent sized building to the brim. Composed of two separate waterfalls with falls of 11 meters and 21 meters one, there are occasional glacial outbursts, called jökulhlaup, which increase the volume of the waterfalls. One of these outbursts was 2000 meters per second, which was the highest recorded volume.
The land surrounding Gullfoss is 200 meters above sea level filled with hardy vegetation like plains of low blueberry, holy grass, and dwarf birch shrubs perfectly suited to the cold climate.
During the first half of the 20th century and some years into the late 20th century, there was much speculation about using Gullfoss to generate electricity. During this period, many of the waterfalls in Norway are utilized by Hydroelectric facilities in the production of electricity. The waterfall being was rented indirectly by its owners, Tómas Tómasson and Halldór Halldórsson, to foreign investors. However, Gullfoss managed to escape utilization. The waterfall was later sold to the state of Iceland. Even after it was sold, there were plans to utilize Hvitá, which would have changed the waterfall forever.
Sigríđur Tómasdóttir, the daughter of Tómas Tómasson was determined to preserve the waterfall's condition and even threatened to throw herself into the waterfall. She was so dedicated to preserving the waterfall as is, that she once threatened to jump into the falls if a plant was built. But this wasn’t necessary due to the lack of money on the part of the investors to pay rent on the land which Gullfoss rests on. A stone memorial to Sigriđur, however can be found above the falls, depicting her profile.
In early April, 2008, together with Ţingvellir and the geysers of Haukadalur Gullfoss forms the Golden Circle, a popular day tour for tourists in Iceland.
Is the Gulfloss Water Fall to far from home? Maybe visit some of Portland Water Fountains in the Pacific Northwest.