Case study - Iceland

• What is the name of the Dam?

  Kárahnjúkar
• When was the the Dam built?

  Started in 2002 and ended in 2007
• Where was the Dam built?

  East Iceland
• How tall/wide is the dam?

  193m tall; 730m long
• How much the Dam cost?

  $1.3 bil
• What is the reservoir called?

  Hálsón Reservoir
• How big is the reservoir?

  57 km2
• Where does the reservoir reach to?

  The north east of the Vatnjökull glacier
• Why was the Dam built?

  The economy in Iceland is small and volatile so the government needed a sustainable source of money

  Iceland has a surplus of geothermal and and hydroelectric power potential

  To provide energy to the Alcoa aluminium smelter
• What was the GDP of Iceland in 2011 and 2018?

  2011: $12 bil

  2018: $27 bil
• What percentage of Iceland’s energy is from geothermal and hydro energy?

  75% hydro

  25% geothermal
• What percentage of the world’s aluminium now comes from Iceland?

  2%
• What are the main environmental impacts?

  Water is diverted - impacts accumulation balance

  The wall of the dam can withstand earthquakes

  Soil erosion can increase as the wind can mobiles sediment in the reservoirs when there’s low levels
• What are the socio-economic impacts?

  Tourism is more than 10% of Iceland’s GDP so the dam could discourage them

  Water overflows in the Lagarfljót could lead to more frequent flooding
• What are the impacts on the landforms?

  The dam will limit the sediment available for braided streams and outwash plains (until the material is flushed out)

  Esker deposition may occur as meltwater emerges at the glacier snout - this can lead to fewer braided streams and more mounds of stratified materials