Qinnguata Kuussua
| Qinnguata Kuussua | |
|---|---|
Qinnguata Kuussua in its lower run, seen from Tarajornitsut
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| Country | Greenland |
| Basin features | |
| Main source | 100 m (330 ft) |
| River mouth |
Kangerlussuaq Fjord 0 m (0 ft) |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Length | 31 km (19 mi) |
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.
Several meltwater outflow streams from the southern base of the Russell Glacier (66°57′45″N 50°00′00″W / 66.96250°N 50.00000°W) form the Qinnguata Kuussua river. The valley is 31 km (19 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.
Its main tributary is the Akuliarusiarsuup Kuua 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 / 67.01944°N 50.65556°W forms a small sandur basin with large fields of glacial silt quicksand.
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Wikipedia