Qinnguata Kuussua
Encyclopedia
Qinnguata Kuussua is a river
in a valley
of the same name in the Qeqqata
municipality in central-western Greenland
. Its source is a large meltwater outflow from Russell Glacier
flowing from the Greenland Ice Sheet
. It is the main river in the Kangerlussuaq
area. For most of its run, the river is very wide, up to 2 km (1.2 mi) in the upper reaches. The climate is polar continental
, with the area receiving very little rainfall.
outflow streams from the southern base of the Russell Glacier (66°57′45"N 50°00′00"W) form the Qinnguata Kuussua river. The valley is 31 km (19.3 mi) long, oriented east-south-east to west-north-west. From the north it is bounded by an exposed, barren, and flattened ridge
of Akuliarusiarsuk. From the south, the river valley is delimited by a sequence of tundra
ranges, culminating in Tasersuatsiaap Kinginnera at 591 m (1,939 ft), and petering out near Kangerlussuaq in the form of a low, wide ridge of Qaarsorsuaq.
The lower part of the valley narrows down in the gorge between Akuliarusiarsuk ridge in the north, and Qaarsorsuaq ridge in the south, which separates the valley from lake Tasersuatsiaq
and the Ammalortup Nunaa highland beyond.
river − another, more northerly outflow from Russell Glacier. During the operating years of the American Bluie West Eight base at Kangerlussuaq, the lower part of the river flow past the confluence
was referred to as Watson River. The confluence at 67°01′10"N 50°39′20"W forms a small sandur
basin with large fields of glacial silt
quicksand
.
of the river is very narrow, forcing its way through a rock barrier at high speed, discharging silt, which subsequently forms quicksand islet patches at the end of the Kangerlussuaq Fjord
.
of the Qinnguata Kuussua and Akuliarusiarsuup Kuua rivers, including the basin under the ice sheet, is 6280 square kilometre. The river is prone to flooding
in the summer, sometimes significantly. On 31 August 2007 one of the temporary meltwater outflow lakes near Russell Glacier broke the ice barrier, emptying into the upper basin of the river, with the latter flooding the valley.
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
in a valley
Valley
In geology, a valley or dale is a depression with predominant extent in one direction. A very deep river valley may be called a canyon or gorge.The terms U-shaped and V-shaped are descriptive terms of geography to characterize the form of valleys...
of the same name in the Qeqqata
Qeqqata
Qeqqata is a new municipality in western Greenland, operational from 1 January 2009. The municipality was named after its location in central-western part of the country. Its population is 9,677 as of January 2010. The administrative center of the municipality is in Sisimiut...
municipality in central-western Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
. Its source is a large meltwater outflow from Russell Glacier
Russell Glacier
Russell Glacier is a glacier in the Qeqqata municipality in central-western Greenland. It flows from the Greenland ice sheet in the western direction. The front of the glacier is located east of Kangerlussuaq...
flowing from the Greenland Ice Sheet
Greenland ice sheet
The Greenland ice sheet is a vast body of ice covering , roughly 80% of the surface of Greenland. It is the second largest ice body in the world, after the Antarctic Ice Sheet. The ice sheet is almost long in a north-south direction, and its greatest width is at a latitude of 77°N, near its...
. It is the main river in the Kangerlussuaq
Kangerlussuaq
Kangerlussuaq is a settlement in western Greenland in the Qeqqata municipality, located at the head of a fjord of the same name. It is Greenland's main air transport hub, being the site of Greenland's largest commercial airport....
area. For most of its run, the river is very wide, up to 2 km (1.2 mi) in the upper reaches. The climate is polar continental
Polar climate
Regions with a polar climate are characterized by a lack of warm summers . Regions with polar climate cover over 20% of the Earth. The sun shines 24 hours in the summer, and barely ever shines at all in the winter...
, with the area receiving very little rainfall.
Geography
Several meltwaterMeltwater
Meltwater is the water released by the melting of snow or ice, including glacial ice and ice shelfs over oceans. Meltwater is often found in the ablation zone of glaciers, where the rate of snow cover is reducing...
outflow streams from the southern base of the Russell Glacier (66°57′45"N 50°00′00"W) form the Qinnguata Kuussua river. The valley is 31 km (19.3 mi) long, oriented east-south-east to west-north-west. From the north it is bounded by an exposed, barren, and flattened ridge
Ridge
A ridge is a geological feature consisting of a chain of mountains or hills that form a continuous elevated crest for some distance. Ridges are usually termed hills or mountains as well, depending on size. There are several main types of ridges:...
of Akuliarusiarsuk. From the south, the river valley is delimited by a sequence of tundra
Tundra
In physical geography, tundra is a biome where the tree growth is hindered by low temperatures and short growing seasons. The term tundra comes through Russian тундра from the Kildin Sami word tūndâr "uplands," "treeless mountain tract." There are three types of tundra: Arctic tundra, alpine...
ranges, culminating in Tasersuatsiaap Kinginnera at 591 m (1,939 ft), and petering out near Kangerlussuaq in the form of a low, wide ridge of Qaarsorsuaq.
The lower part of the valley narrows down in the gorge between Akuliarusiarsuk ridge in the north, and Qaarsorsuaq ridge in the south, which separates the valley from lake Tasersuatsiaq
Tasersuatsiaq
Tasersuatsiaq is a lake in central-western Greenland, in the Qeqqata municipality. It is located southeast of Kangerlussuaq, with a depth of , covering an area of 750ha. During the operating years of the American base at Bluie West Eight at Kangerlussuaq the lake was referred to as Lake Ferguson...
and the Ammalortup Nunaa highland beyond.
Tributaries
Its main tributary is the Akuliarusiarsuup KuuaAkuliarusiarsuup Kuua
Akuliarusiarsuup Kuua is a river and valley of the same name in the Qeqqata municipality in central-western Greenland. Its source is the meltwater outflow from Russell Glacier, an outflow of the Greenland ice sheet. The river is a tributary of Qinnguata Kuussua, the main river in the Kangerlussuaq...
river − another, more northerly outflow from Russell Glacier. During the operating years of the American Bluie West Eight base at Kangerlussuaq, the lower part of the river flow past the confluence
Confluence
Confluence, in geography, describes the meeting of two or more bodies of water.Confluence may also refer to:* Confluence , a property of term rewriting systems...
was referred to as Watson River. The confluence at 67°01′10"N 50°39′20"W forms a small sandur
Sandur
A sandur is a glacial outwash plain formed of sediments deposited by meltwater at the terminus of a glacier.- Formation :Sandar are found in glaciated areas, such as Svalbard, Kerguelen Islands, and Iceland...
basin with large fields of glacial silt
Silt
Silt is granular material of a size somewhere between sand and clay whose mineral origin is quartz and feldspar. Silt may occur as a soil or as suspended sediment in a surface water body...
quicksand
Quicksand
Quicksand is a colloid hydrogel consisting of fine granular matter , clay, and water.Water circulation underground can focus in an area with the optimal mixture of fine sands and other materials such as clay. The water moves up and then down slowly in a convection-like manner throughout a column...
.
Estuary
The estuaryEstuary
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
of the river is very narrow, forcing its way through a rock barrier at high speed, discharging silt, which subsequently forms quicksand islet patches at the end of the Kangerlussuaq Fjord
Kangerlussuaq Fjord
Kangerlussuaq Fjord is a long fjord in the Qeqqata municipality in central-western Greenland. The fjord is long and between and wide, flowing from the estuary of Qinnguata Kuussua river to the southwest, and emptying into Davis Strait...
.
Floods
The combined drainage basinDrainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
of the Qinnguata Kuussua and Akuliarusiarsuup Kuua rivers, including the basin under the ice sheet, is 6280 square kilometre. The river is prone to flooding
Flood
A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water...
in the summer, sometimes significantly. On 31 August 2007 one of the temporary meltwater outflow lakes near Russell Glacier broke the ice barrier, emptying into the upper basin of the river, with the latter flooding the valley.