The Thjorsarver wetlands in South Iceland have been saved from the ravages of a hydro-electric scheme, at least for the foreseeable future.
Thjorsarver is a wetlands area that became listed as a RAMSAR site in 1990, principally because it is home to the world’s largest breeding ground for pink-footed geese, 6-10,000 breeding pairs. But many other birds nest there too, such as the purple sandpiper, red-necked phalarope, dunlin, Arctic tern, Arctic skua, ptarmigan, golden and ringed plovers, snow bunting and long-tailed duck. Botanically, it is home to 167 species of vascular plants as well as mosses and lichens, some of them rare. The insect life is rich.
Paradoxically, the designation of RAMSAR and nature reserve status should mean that the area be left untouched – but those with vested interests appeared to disregard this point.
The vegetated area of Thjorsarver encompasses 120 square km in the uninhabited highlands and comprises an oasis of low hills, tundra wetlands and hummocky land caused by permafrost. There are many pools and lakes, along with a glacier, Hofsjokull, and a glacial river, Thjorsa. Much of the area is flat, though it lies at an altitude of about 600 m.
The area is not completely untouched, though, as a series of channels and reservoirs called Kvíslaveita was built up over a period of time in the eastern part of Thjorsarver in preparation for the Thjorsarver Diversion. Critics have said that Kvíslaveita alone has caused considerable damage.
Despite its special environmental qualities, Thjorsarver has been implicated in various types of hydro-electric power schemes since 1950, when the first idea of a dam at 608 m above sea level at Nordlingaalda was conceived. In 1972 the idea was resurrected by another engineering firm, this time with dam options at 581, 589 and 594 m a.s.l.
The plan has always been to channel water into the Thjorsa river from Thjorsarver, and by so doing cause an increase in power production from the existing hydro-power stations of Vatnsfell, Sigalda, Hrauneyjafoss and Budarhals.
The height of the dam and accompanying reservoir has been one of the key issues of controversy in the Thjorsarver Diversion project. Because the land is so flat, an increase of a few metres in the height of the reservoir could lead to considerable flooding and habitat destruction.
Opposition to the project started in the mid-70s, at a time when Icelanders were first becoming aware of environmental issues. Local residents from the districts bordering the western side of the river Thjorsa, Skeida- and Gnupverjahreppur, were particularly opposed to the project. Their opposition has been crucial to the eventual abandonment of the project.
In 1981 the area became designated as a nature reserve, but with the proviso that a reservoir could be built in association with a dam at 581 m at Nordlingaalda.
In 1999 the Nordlingaalda project, including a dam at an altitude of 581 m, became incorporated into plans for the central highlands of Iceland, with the proviso that nature would not be adversely affected. The Planning Authority agreed the environmental impact assessment for the project in 2002, but the reservoir could only be 575 m. Their decision was surprising, as they pointed out that the project would entail irreversible and considerable damage to the vegetation, tundra forms, water conditions, insects, birdlife and landscape of Thjorsarver.
The Iceland Conservation Council and other bodies appealed against the decision to the Environment Minister, Siv Fridleiksdottir. They said that the eastern section of the wetlands had already been disturbed by Kvislaveita and that no other development should be allowed.
University professors also protested. “The authors of the EIA report took our results and distorted them so they were meaningless ,” said freshwater biology professor Gisli Mar Gislason who, along with two others, had provided information for the EIA report.
Fridleifsdottir, however, felt that she could not make the appeal decision in this case as she had opposed the development before she became Minister, so she passed the responsibility onto the Health Minister, Jon Kristjansson.
Many people felt that Kristjansson made a wise decision when he adjudicated the following year that the Nordlingaalda reservoir must not be higher than 566 m and must not intrude into the nature reserve. However, to make up for a less voluminous reservoir, a diversion reservoir and sedimentary lake north-east of Thjorsarver were also permitted, which would divert water from the western branch of the river Thjorsa to Thjorisvatn reservoir through the Kvislaveita network. Two months later, the Minister for Industry and Commerce gave Landsvirkjun permission to construct and operate Nordlingaalda Diversion.
However, some people were still uneasy. They said there was a danger that some of the tributaries running into Thjorsa, and about 8 km of the Thjorsa itself, would dry up, leading to a risk of erosion as well as habitat destruction. And visual pollution would be extensive, from the edge of the nature reserve to well within it.
Environmental groups complained that the boundaries of the reserve were too narrow and should be expanded. They said that there should be no development within or at the borders of the nature reserve, and suggested that Thjorsarver become a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
A few months later, an overall plan was produced that looked at 35 potential power plants from the view of environmental value and efficiency. Thjorsarver was ranked highly in terms of environmental value but only average in terms of energy production and profitability. This turned out to be an important issue.
Then began a period of planning ideas for the central highlands. Decisions were made, with provisos of reservoir height, and once again a permit was given for the project. In 2005 Skeida and Gnupverjahreppur deferred their decision on whether or not to agree the project until the Central Highlands Planning Group had made their decision on future plans for the highlands.
The Central Highlands group sent their planning proposal back to the new Environment Minister, Sigridur Anna Thordardottir – Nordlingaalda Diversion had disappeared off the map. She refused to accept the proposal, and sent it back to the Central Highlands group. But the grounds for which the project had been agreed, with Kristjansson’s ruling in 2003, were no longer compatible with planning proposals for the highlands, so the project had come back to square one.
Reykjavik City Council own 45% of Landsvirkjun, so their views matter. Early in 2006 they made a decision not to support the project, and in so doing virtually stopped the project. A day later, the head of Landsvirkjun talked to officials from the parishes with land in the Thjorsa area, and basically decided to develop other sites further down the Thjorsa instead of continuing with Nordlingaalda Diversion. Once more, the plan was shelved.
Not only that, but this time the shelving may be permanent. A few days after the Landsvirkjun decision, Thordardottir announced her intention to expand the area of Thjorsarver that has official protection as a nature reserve. She says this should happen by spring. The area should then be completely safe from further threats.
Lowana Veal
ICELAND:
Environmentalists See Off Hydro Project
Lowana Veal
REYKJAVIC, Feb 2 (IPS) – The Thjorsarver wetlands in South Iceland have been saved from the ravages of a hydro-electric scheme, at least for the foreseeable future.
Thjorsarver is home to the world’s largest breeding ground for pink-footed geese, up to 10,000 breeding pairs. But many other birds nest there too, such as the purple sandpiper, red-necked phalarope, dunlin, Arctic tern, Arctic skua, ptarmigan, golden and ringed plovers, snow bunting and the long-tailed duck.
Botanically, it is home to 167 species of vascular plants as well as mosses and lichens, some of them rare. The insect life is rich.
Thjorsarver encompasses 120 square km in the uninhabited highlands, and comprises an oasis of low hills, tundra wetlands and hummocky land caused by permafrost. There are many pools and lakes, along with a glacier named Hofsjkull, and a glacial river, Thjorsa.
It is a wetlands area that became listed as a ‘Ramsar’ site in 1990, which makes it a natural reserve that should be left untouched.
But the area has not been left untouched, because a series of channels and reservoirs called Kvíslaveita have been built here. Critics say the Kvíslaveita alone has caused considerable damage.
Despite its special environmental qualities, many hydro-electric schemes have been planned here since 1950, when the first idea of a dam at 608m above sea level at Nordlingaalda was conceived. In 1972 the idea was resurrected by another engineering firm, this time with dam options at 581, 589 and 594 metres above sea level.
The plan has always been to channel water into the Thjorsa river from Thjorsarver, and to therefore increase power production from the existing hydro-power stations of Vatnsfell, Sigalda, Hrauneyjafoss and Budarhals.
The height of the dam and accompanying reservoir has been one of the key issues of controversy in the Thjorsarver diversion project. Because the land is so flat, an increase of a few metres in the height of the reservoir could lead to considerable flooding and habitat destruction.
Opposition to the project started in the mid-70s, at a time when Icelanders were first becoming aware of environmental issues. Local residents from the districts bordering the western side of the river Thjorsa, Skeida and Gnupverjahreppur, were particularly opposed to the project. Their opposition has been crucial to the eventual abandonment of the project.
In 1981 the area became designated as a nature reserve, but with the proviso that a reservoir could be built in association with a dam at 581m at Nordlingaalda.
In 1999 the Nordlingaalda project, including a dam at an altitude of 581m, became incorporated into plans for the central highlands of Iceland, with the proviso that nature would not be adversely affected.
The Planning Authority agreed the environmental impact assessment for the project in 2002, but the reservoir could only be 575m. Their decision was surprising, as they pointed out that the project would entail irreversible and considerable damage to the vegetation, tundra forms, water conditions, insects, birdlife and landscape of Thjorsarver.
The Iceland Conservation Council and other bodies appealed against the decision to Environment Minister Siv Fridleiksdottir. They said that the eastern section of the wetlands had already been disturbed by Kvislaveita and that no other development should be allowed.
After considerable to and fro, and appeals and revisions, their appeal was upheld.
This time the shelving may be permanent. The government has now decided to expand the area of Thjorsarver this year. The expansion of the nature reserve is expected to make it safe from further threats. (END/2006)