WORLD RIVERS DAY
Every year on the fourth Sunday of September, World Rivers Day is celebrated globally. The day is meant to highlight the importance of rivers to the life on earth as they provide freshwater, habitat (rivers are home to over 100'000 freshwater species making them one of the most biodiverse habitats) as well as ecological, economical and cultural value.
Even though rivers account for just 2% of Earth's liquid surface freshwater, their role on our planet is vital.
A short while ago I wrote about the importance of rivers to the ocean - and consequently its inhabitants. Our bay here is mainly fed by two large rivers (though there's several smaller ones to not forget about along the Cheek Mountains) - of which both are essential to the productivity of Skjálfandi Bay's waters and hence the reason whales continue to show up in this area:
1. One of the rivers, called Laxá (Salmon River), is a fresh water river originating in the area of Mývatn. Fresh water plays an essential role to the health of the coastal and ocean ecosystems, their productivity and balances.
2. The second river is a glacial river called Skjálfandafljót, which is having its source at Vatnajökull, Iceland's biggest glacier and is delivering nutrients into the bay that can drive blooms of phytoplankton, the base of aquatic and marine food chains.
Only as long as waters are rich in nutrients the abundance of food in them stays stable - and that is in the end why large mammals such as the great whales continue to show up here!
But let's look at it more globally - did you know these 10 fascinating facts about rivers?
1. The Thames River (London) is the cleanest river worldwide.
2. There are 19 countries in the world without any river.
3. With a length of about 6650km, the Nile is passing through 11 countries.
4. The Amazon is the widest, largest (by volume) and disputable longest river in the world.
5. With a depth of up to 230m, the Congo is the deepest river worldwide.
6. Bangladesh has over 700 rivers and is therefore also called the "Land of Rivers.
7. The Danube flows through four European capital cities (Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest and Belgrade).
8. Caño Cristales (Colombia), also called" River of Five colours" or "the river that ran away from paradise" is considered the most beautiful river in the world.
9. The Roe River (Montana, US) is with a length of only 61m the shortest river.
10. Yarlung Zangbo River (Tíbet, China) has its source at 6020m. No continuously flowing river has a higher origin.
- Sarah
