Scientists expect that a new lake will appear in the northeastern highlands this summer when the melt-water from Vatnajökull glacier will flow into Jökulsá á Fjöllum, making it more voluminous. The new lava from the Holuhraun eruption has blocked some of the river’s waterways, pushing the river eastwards, visir.is reports.
The river’s water flow in summer is 800 m3/s on average, almost five times the average flow in the winter, or 150 m3/s, as stated on the website of the Icelandic Met Office.
The naming of the new lake will be in the hands of the municipality Skútustaðahreppur, by Lake Mývatn, as the eruption site is in the southernmost part of the municipality.
The municipality is also responsible for naming the new lava, along with the craters, which until now have been called Baugur (the biggest crater which was active the entire time) and the smaller ones, Suðri and Norðri.
