Deildartunguhver is a hot spring in Reykholtsdalur. It is characterized by a very high flow rate for a hot spring (about 180 liters/second) and is said to be the one with the highest output of thermal water in the world.
The hot water in Deildartunguhver originally fell down as rain on the planes above Borgarfjörður about one thousand years ago. Deildartunguhver was cited to the Nature Conservation Register in 1978.
Its water has been utilized for central heating since 1925. Because Deildartunguhver ist only 19 meters above sea level, the hot water needs to be pumped through the distribution pipes. The distribution pipe connecting Deildartunguhver to Akranes, Borgarnes and Hvanneyri was constructed in the years 1979-1981. The pipe runs a total of 74 kilometers and is considered the longest of its kind in the world.
The water reaches Akranes in approximately one day. The water cools down for about 20°C, so it reaches Borgarnes with 77°C on average.
The temperature of the water coming out of the spring depends on the weather: It increases during dry and frosty periods and decreases during wet periods.
The warm surrounding of the spring leads to unique biological situation: The deer fern (Blechnum Spicant) is a plant, that exclusivly grows in the surroundings of the thermal spring.
To log this earthcache:
1) At which temperature does the water come out? (°C, K or F)
2) Estimate the energy, that the spring delivers in one second (To calculate that: the heat capacity of water ist nearly 4.2 kJ/kgK, you need to know the temperature in Kelvin [T], estimate the amount of water coming out in one second in kg [m], and then calculate: 4.2 * T * m; that's approximately the heat energy held by the water in kJ.
3) Estimate the length of the spring in meters.
4) Write the requested informations via message-center. You don't have to wait for an answer. If there are any problems, we´ll contact you.
5) Optional, but I would be very pleased: Upload a picture of you with GPS in front of Deildartunguhver spring or only nice pictures of the spring. ….
edit 2022/7/25: changed Questions (missing information board)