Icelandic farmer battles rising floodwaters after heavy winter snowfall
Flooding has been causing problems in Fljóts, near the east of Skagafjörður in Iceland, where water levels have been unusually high following a heavy snowfall in winter. The situation has been exacerbated by a significant amount of silt obstructing the water flow of Miklavatn, a lake near the sea.
Jóhannes, a local farmer in the region, says that almost 10 hectares of his land have been submerged under water. “You can see it on the fence posts that are underwater. We have about 10 hectares of cultivated and grazing land under water,” he states. The flood has also affected a large part of the watercourse in the area, negatively impacting the salmon and trout populations.
Jóhannes says the damage to his land has been considerable, especially after a difficult start to the summer. “Especially in such a spring. The fields were unusable and did not provide grazing land for the animals because I could not let the livestock onto the mountain until late June. Which meant that I had all the livestock in full feed there, which otherwise would have had enough grazing land,” says Jóhannes. “Giving about two rolls a day, you can calculate that in money, it’s quite a bit. Plus the strain on the animals and everything else that is added. So this is quite a big financial loss,” he adds.
However, Jóhannes acknowledges that nature can be unpredictable. “We choose to live here and you just take it and work from it, try to find the best solutions for everything,” he states.
Last week, the river was deepened and widened but the water level continued to rise. Landowners in the area are now working with the relevant authorities to find a permanent solution. The preferred option is to move the river of Miklavatn to where there is more depth on both sides. “This is just nature on the move there. We just intend to help her a little, so we don’t completely drown here,” concludes Jóhannes.