In fact, so much water is currently stored in Vatnajökull that the Icelandic river with the greatest flow, Ölfusá, would need over 200 years to carry this quantity of water to sea.
Nikjer na Islandiji, z izjemo ledenika Mýrdalsjökull, ne pade več padavin in ne odteče več vode v morje kot na južni strani Vatnajökulla.