WORLD RIVERS DAY
Every year, on the fourth Sunday of September, World Rivers Day is celebrated around the globe. The day aims to highlight the importance of rivers to life on Earth. Rivers provide freshwater and habitat, support incredible biodiversity, and hold immense ecological, economic, and cultural value.
Even though rivers account for only a tiny fraction of the Earth's freshwater, their role on our planet is vital.
Here in Húsavík, our bay is mainly fed by two large rivers — although there are also several smaller rivers flowing into the bay along the Cheek Mountains. Both of these major rivers play an important role in the productivity of Skjálfandi Bay and, ultimately, in creating the rich feeding grounds that attract whales to the area year after year.
1. Laxá, meaning “Salmon River,” is a freshwater river originating from Lake Mývatn. Freshwater flowing from rivers into coastal waters plays an important role in coastal ecosystems, carrying nutrients and organic matter and influencing the productivity and balance of these environments.
2. The second major river is Skjálfandafljót, a glacial river originating from Vatnajökull, Iceland's largest glacier. As glacial rivers make their way towards the sea, they carry sediments and nutrients that can contribute to the productivity of coastal waters and support blooms of phytoplankton — the foundation of aquatic and marine food webs.
And this is where everything comes together.
Nutrients support phytoplankton, which feed tiny organisms such as zooplankton. These, in turn, support fish and other marine life, creating a food-rich ecosystem that can sustain much larger animals.
The abundance and availability of prey are essential to maintaining productive feeding grounds — and this is one of the reasons why large marine mammals, including the great whales, return to Skjálfandi Bay year after year.
So, while we often think of rivers as separate from the ocean, they are actually part of a much bigger system. What happens far inland can eventually influence the waters of the bay — and the whales that come here to feed.
Photos: Sarah (captain/head guide)
