Rogue River Icefield Rapid Retreat, Selwyn Mountains, Yukon

The Selwyn Mountains, Yukon Territory are host to numerous small alpine glaciers that have been rapidly losing area and volume. David Atkinson, atmospheric scientist at University of Victoria has been examining the weather conditions leading to the extensive melting and higher snowlines. From 1958-2007 glaciers lost 22% of their volume in the Yukon (Barrand and Sharp, 2010). Due to the high snowlines Atkinson notes the rate of retreat has increased since then. The freezing level as determined by the North American Freezing Level Tracker illustrates this point with 2015 being the highest winter freezing level. Here we examine response of the Rogue River Icefield using Landsat imagery from 1986-2015. The icefield is at the headwaters of the Rogue River and also drains into the Hess River.

Canada Toporama map of the region.

Selwyn Mountain November-April freezing levels.

In 1986 the primary icefield glacier is shown with blue arrows above indicating flow direction towards both the north and southeast terminus. The north terminus reached the valley bottom at the red arrow and the southeast terminus extended to the yellow arrow in 1986. All arrows are in fixed locations in every image. The purple and orange arrows indicate the terminus of smaller valley glaciers in 1986. The pink arrow indicates a valley glacier that is split into two terminus lobes by a ridge. By 1992 the only significant change is the southeast terminus of the primary glacier at the yellow arrow. In 2013 the snowline is exceptionally high at 2200 meters, with glacier elevations only reaching 2300 m. Retreat is extensive at each terminus. In 2015 the satellite image is from early July and the snowline has not yet risen significantly. Terminus retreat at the yellow arrow is 900 meters, at the red arrow 400 m, at the purple arrow 600 m, at the pink arrow 400 m and at the orange arrow 500 m. Given the length of these glaciers at 1-3 km this is a substantial loss of every glacier. Further south in the Yukon high snowlines are also a problem for Snowshoe Peak Glacier.

1986 Landsat image

1992 Landsat image

2013 Landsat Image

2015 Landsat image

Mount Caubvick Glacier Retreat, Labrador

On September 1, 2015May 2, 2024 By mspeltoIn Canada glacier retreat, climate change glacier retreat, glacier climate change, Glacier Observations

Mount Caubvick is in the Torngat Mountains of Labrador 35 km inland of the Atlantic Ocean and south of Nachvak Fjord. Way et al (2014) identified 105 active glaciers that had flow indicators in these mountains. The mean elevation of these glaciers is quite low at 776 meters above sea level. The radiational shading and higher accumulation from protected cirque locations and proximity to the ocean are key to the low elevations. The elevation of the glaciers around Mount Caubvick is higher. Here we use Landsat images from 1992, 1997 and 2015 to identify response to climate change. The annual layers preserved in the glacier ice are evident in glacier B,C and E.

2013 Google Earth image of Mount Caubvick, Torngat Mountains, Labrador.

In 1992 Glacier A terminates at the red arrow in an expanding lake. Glacier C terminates at the yellow arrow in a just forming glacial lake. Glacier E terminates at the purple arrow in a glacial lake that is similar in length to the glacier. In 2015 each lake has notably expanded. The arrows are in the same locations in the 2015 image. At the red arrow, Glacier A has retreated 200 m, which is 20% of its entire length. Glacier C, yellow arrow has retreated 250 m, 40% of the total glacier length. At the purple arrow, Glacier D has retreated 225 m, which is 35% of its total length. The retreat of Glacier B and E is less clear as the terminus locations are hard to determine in 1992. What is most evident is the reduction in ice area at the higher elevations of the glaciers noted by the green arrows. In 1997 there is little expansion of the three lakes since 1992, indicating most of the retreat has been in the last 18 years. Glacier B provides a good snapshot of annual layers. The black arrow indicates the lack of an accumulation zone, without which a glacier cannot survive (Pelto, 2010). The red arrow indicates a band of annual layers that marks what had been the typical snowline Indeed none of the glaciers in 2015 in either the 2013 Google Earth image or 2015 Landsat have significant retained accumulation, indicating none can survive current climate. Way et al (2014) figure 4 indicates an example of the same snowline setup on a different glacier near Ryans Bay. . it is evident that in the last decade firn and snow are not retained consistently. Sharp et al (2014) indicate in Figure 52 the mass loss of Canadian Arctic glaciers in general, that parallels that of Labrador.

1992-2015 Landsat comparison of Mount Caubvick glaciers

Glacier B with numerous annual layers with the snowline indicates by red arrow and lack of accumulation black arrow.

Glacier C annual layers.

Barskoon Mountain Glacier Widespread Retreat, Tien Shan Range, Kyrgyzstan

On August 26, 2015May 2, 2024 By mspeltoIn climate change glacier retreat, glacier climate change, Glacier Observations

Farinotti et al. (2015) used three approaches to assess glacier change in the Tien Shan from 1961 to 2012. The results converge on an overall loss of glacier area of 19-27%,a spatial extent of 2960 square kilometers of glacier area. They further observe that it is primarily summer melting that has driven the change. Here we examine the change of several glaciers in a small sub-range in the Barskoon Mountain area of Kyrgyzstan using Landsat images from 1990-2013.. The A364 road extends up the Barskoon valley and was part of the silk road. It is now more widely used as the main road to the Kumtor Gold Mine (Colgan, 2015).

Google Earth image of Tien Shan Mountains and glaciers in Kyrgyzstan, study area is Barskoon Mountains.

In 1990 working clockwise from the black arrow, which indicates two glaciers merging and then ending in a proglacial lake. At the green arrow is a third glacier that now terminates short of this developing lake. At the yellow arrow a fourth glacier terminates in a small proglacial lake. At the purple arrow a glacier ends in a valley lacking any lake. At the red arrow the glacier expands into a broad terminus lobe in a valley with two small lakes both north and south of the terminus. By 1997 the lake at the black arrow has extended as the glacier terminating in it has retreated. The glacier at the green arrow terminates further from the lake. At the red arrow the terminus lobe is much thinner. By 2013 the two glaciers that terminated in the lake have now receded from the lake with a total retreat of 400-500 m since 1990. At the green arrow the glacier now terminates 600 m from the lake instead of 300 m in 1990. At the yellow arrow the glacier no longer reaches the lake it had terminated in. At the purple arrow a new 200 m long lake has formed. The most dramatic change is at the red arrow where the terminus tongue is only 30% of the area it was in 1990. All of these are unnamed glaciers, and each like those adjacent without arrows indicating specific changes have been retreating and losing area. The typical length of these glaciers is 2-4 km, and those indicated have lost at least 10% of their length from 1990 to 2013. This is a sustained loss of mass balance, on glacier that do not experience any calving losses. The changes are similar for larger glaciers in the Tien Shan such as Petrov Glacier.

1990 Landsat image

1997 Landsat image

2013 Landsat Image

Disastrous Year for North Cascade Glacier Mass Balance (Snow/Ice Economy)

On August 20, 2015May 2, 2024 By mspeltoIn climate change glacier retreat, glacier climate change, Glacier Observations, North Cascade Glaciers7 Comments

Mass loss of North Cascade glaciers visualized.

A disastrous year is unfolding in 2015 for North Cascade glaciers, if normal melt conditions continue the range will lose 5-7% of its entire glacier volume in one year! For the 32nd consecutive year we were in the North Cascade Range, of Washington to observe the mass balance of glaciers across the entire mountain range. The melt season is not over, but already the mass loss is greater than any other year, with six weeks of melting left. An alpine glacier’s income is the snow that accumulates, and to be have an equilibrium balance sheet for a year, alpine glaciers typically need 50-65% snowcovered surfaces at the end of the melt season. Below the accumulation zone, net assets are lost via ablation.

In 2015 of the 9 glaciers we examined in detail, 6 had less than 2% retained snowcover, which will be gone by the end of August. Two more had no 2015 snowpack greater than 1.7 m in depth, which will also melt away before summer ends. Average ablation during the August field season was 7 cm per day of snow, and 7.5 cm of ice. Only one glacier will have any retained snowcover at the end of the summer, we will be checking just how much in late September. This is the equivalent of a business having no net income for a year, but continuing to have to pay all of its bills. Of course that comes on top of more than 27 years of consecutive mass balance loss for the entire “industry” of global alpine glaciers. The business model of alpine glaciers is not working and until the climate they run their “businesses” in changes, alpine glaciers have an unsustainable business model. Below this is illustrated glacier by glacier from this summer. A following post will look at the glacier runoff aspect of this years field season. The Seattle Times also featured our summer research.

Jill Pelto Painting of mass balance time series loss from 1984 to 2014.

In a recent paper published in the Journal of Glaciology spearheaded by the WGMS group (M. Zemp, H. Frey, I.Gartner-Roer, S.Nussbaumer, M.Hoelzle, F.Paul, W.Haeberli and F.Denzinger), that I was co-author on, we examined the WGMS dataset on glacier front variations (~42 000 observations since 1600), along with glaciological and geodetic observations (~5200 since 1850). The data set illustrated that “rates of early 21st-century mass loss are without precedent on a global scale, at least for the time period observed and probably also for recorded history.The rate of melting has been accelerating, and in the decade from 2001 to 2010, glaciers lost on average 75 centimetres of their thickness each year”, this is compared to the loss in the 1980’s and 1990’s 25 cm and 40 cm respectively each year (Pelto, 2015). A comparison of the global and North Cascade Glacier mass balance records since 1980 indicate the cumulative loss, at bottom.

Columbia Glacier terminus August 3, 2015 with new expanding lake.

Upper portion of Columbia Glacier on Aug. 5, 2015 note lack of snowcover and all previous firn layers (firn is snow that survived a melt season but is not yet glacier ice).

Foss Glacier lacking snowcover and losing area fast this summer, this glacier will lose more than 15% of its volume in 2015.

Measuring firn from 2011-2014 retained in a crevasse on Easton Glacier, 2015 snowpack lacking.

The typical end of summer snowline elevation on Easton Glacier, bare ice and firn in 2015.

Rainbow Glacier amidst the normal accumulation zone, where there should be 3-4 m of snowpack, none left.

Lynch Glacier view across the typical end of summer snow line region on Aug. 17th 2015.

Terminus of Lower Curtis Glacier with many annual layers exposed to rapid melt, 31 m of retreat from spring to August 11th, 2015.

Only firn from 2013 and 2014 and bare ice at surface of Ice Worm Glacier.

Comparison of cumulative glacier mass balance in the North Cascades and Globally (WGMS)

Primary field team for the from left, Mauri Pelto (Nichols College), Jill Pelto (UMaine), Tyler Sullivan (UMaine), Ben Pelto (UNBC) and Erica Nied (U-Colorado) summer with contributions from Justin Wright, Tom Hammond, Oliver Grah and Jezra Beaulieu not pictured

Embarking on the 32nd Annual North Cascade Glacier Climate Project

On August 2, 2015May 2, 2024 By mspeltoIn climate change glacier retreat, glacier climate change, Glacier Observations, North Cascade Glaciers

Sholes Glacier snowcover Aug. 5, 2013 (Jill Pelto) and Sholes Glacier July 23, 2015 (Oliver Grah)

For the 32nd straight summer we will be investigating North Cascade glaciers and their response to climate change over the next three weeks (that means no new posts until Aug. 20). In 1984 the program was initiated to study the impacts of climate change across an entire mountain range, instead of on just one glacier. This had been a high priority of the National Academy of Science, I felt I could address. The glaciers in the North Cascades provide water resources for irrigation, hydropower, salmon and municipal supply. During our 32 years we have seen the loss of 25% of the entire glacier volume of the range. Unfortunately 2015 is almost certainly going to be the worst year during this period. We will likely lose over 5% of the volume of these glaciers in one year. The problem has been high freezing elevations in the winter, note the difference from other years below. Because of the drought conditions glaciers are even more crucial to runoff, note the daily spike in flow due to glacier melt in the Nooksack River in July, black arrows. Blue arrow indicates rain storm.

Freezing levels on Mount Baker during winter 2015 versus previous winters. Nooksack River discharge from the USGS in July.

This has been followed by the warmest June and now July the region has seen. This has led to record low streamflow from either rain, groundwater or snowpack from non-glacier areas. The result is that in glacier fed basins glacier runoff which is above normal because of the warm temperatures is even more important. We are measuring flow below glaciers and melting on glaciers to quantify the percent of total flow contributed by glaciers. In 2014 in the North Fork Nooksack River glaciers contributed more than 40% of total stream discharge in the river on 21 days, all in August and September. We again with the Nooksack Indian Tribe will be examining the issue, particularly at Sholes Glacier. We will also be measuring the mass balance, terminus change and mapping ten glaciers we visit every year, including Columbia Glacier seen below.

Terminus of Columbia Glacier and accumulation zone looking bare in 2005, the lowest snowpack year of the last 32 until this year

The glaciers are all in Wilderness areas which means no motorized vehicles or equipment, we have to hike everything in. This has provided the opportunity to spend over 600 nights in a tent examining the glaciers, hiking/skiing over 3000 miles across the glaciers, and eating oatmeal each morning for breakfast. It has also provided the opportunity to train and work with more than 60 different scientists. This year the field team consists of Erica Nied from the University of Colorado, Tyler Sullivan from the University of Maine, Jill Pelto from the University of Maine for the seventh year and myself for the 32nd year. We will be joined at times by Justin Wright, Oregon State, Tom Hammond, University of Washington, Ben Pelto University of Northern British Columbia, Oliver Grah and Jezra Beaulieu of the Nooksack Indian Tribe. Below are three videos from last year that illustrate: 1: Visual report on initial 2015 findings 2: How and why we measure mass balance.3. The Nooksack Indian Tribe perspective on threats of glacier runoff and our measurements of it.

Lednik Midagrabin Retreat, Caucasus, Russia

On July 30, 2015May 2, 2024 By mspeltoIn Caucasus Glacier retreat, climate change glacier retreat, glacier climate change

Lednik Midagrabin is a large glacier draining northwest from Gora Dzhimara in North Ossetia, Russia. Stokes et al (2006) examined Caucasus glaciers during the 1985-2000 period and found that 94% of the glaciers have retreated, 4% exhibited no overall change and 2% advanced. The mean retreat rate is 8 m/year, with the largest glacier retreating the fastest. Shahgedanova et al (2009) observed that the retreat was driven by a large rise in summer temperature in the alpine zone, and that this will continue and generate substantial changes in the timing and amount of glacier runoff. Here we examine the changes in this glacier from 1989-2015. This region has had a particularly warm start to the melt season in 2015 prompting this examination, note the NOAA temperature anomaly for the Caucasus Region.

Google Earth Image

NOAA 2015 Temperature departure map for June 2015 with the Caucasus region indicated.

The glacier begins on the slopes of Dzhimarra at 4200 m and in 1989 the glacier terminated at the red arrow at 2950 m. The snowline at the end of August, 1989 was 3700 m. The green arrow indicates the extent of the clean blue glacier ice of the tributary from the north In 2014 the glacier had retreated to a terminus location at the red arrow. The snowline at the end of August 2014 was at 3800 m. In mid-July of 2015 the snowline has already reached 3700 m, with the melt season only half over. This will lead to substantial mass loss. The main terminus has retreated to the yellow arrow a distance of 900-1000 m since 1989 and now terminates at 3050 m. This is close to the maximum rate of 38 m/year identified by Stokes et al (2006) for the any glacier in the mountain range from 1985-2000. This indicates Midagrabin is one of the faster retreating glaciers in the Caucasus and that the rate of retreat has increased. The northern tributary clean ice zone has been reduced in length and width, now terminating 600 m further upglacier. The northern tributary has had little retained snowpack in 2014 and again in 2015. The tributary begins at 4000 m, which is not high enough in recent years to sustain this arm of the glacier. The high snowlines of recent years will lead to continued retreat. The glacier poses little geologic hazards of flooding compared to some other retreating glaciers in the area such as Bashkara Glacier.

August 1989 Landsat Image

August 2014 Landsat Image

July 2015 Landsat image

Auyuittuq National Park Ice Cap Downwasting, Baffin Island

On July 28, 2015May 2, 2024 By mspeltoIn Canada glacier retreat, climate change glacier retreat, glacier climate change, Glacier Observations, Uncategorized

Just south of the Penny Ice Cap on Baffin Island in Auyuittuq National Park there are a large number of small ice caps. We focus on three of these ice caps east of Greenshield Lake. The region has been experiencing rapid ice loss, with 50 % of the ice cap area lost in the last few decades (Miller et al, 2008). Miller et al (2008) also observe that these are thin and cold glaciers frozen to their beds with limited flow. Way et al (2015) observed the loss of 18-22% of two larger ice caps on Baffin Island, Grinnell and Terra Incognita. The ice cap losses are due to reduced retained snowpack. Zdanowicz et al (2012) found that starting in the 1980s, Penny Ice Cap entered a phase of enhanced melt rates related to rising summer and winter air temperatures across the eastern Arctic. In recent years they observed that 70 to 100% of the annual accumulation is in the form of refrozen meltwater. However, if the snowline rises above the ice cap consistently, as happened at Grinnell Ice Cap than there is no firn to retain the meltwater and superimposed ice formation is limited. Meltwater has difficulty refreezing on a glacier ice surface. The rise in temperature is illustrated by a figure from Way et al (2015), below

Map of region south of Penny Ice Cap from Canadian Topographic maps.

Figure From Way et al; (2015)

In the 1998 Landsat image the two northern ice caps, with E and F on them, have very little retained any snowpack, but significant firn areas. The larger ice cap has retained snowpack adjacent to Point A and considerable firn area as well. There is a trimline beyond the glacier margin apparent west of Point B due to recent retreat, but otherwise trimlines are not immediately evident. In 2000 the two northern ice caps again have very little retained snow, and the larger ice cap retained snow near Point A. In the 2013 Google Earth image black arrows on the image indicate trimlines recently exposed by glacier retreat. There is no evident retained snow, and no retained firn is even evident. This suggests the ice caps lacks an accumulation zone. A close up view, illustrates many years of accumulation layers now exposed, note the linear dark lines, black arrows. The second closeup view illustrates the area around Point E and D that has been deglaciated. There also are some new areas of expanded bedrock such as near Point A on the larger ice cap. The 2014 Landsat image indicates the bedrock has expanded at Point A. At Point B an area of bedrock is expanding into the ice cap. At Point C the lake has expanded at. Ice has melted away from Point D and E. At Point F a new area of bedrock has emerged within the ice cap. At Point J the new bedrock seen in the 2013 Google Earth image has now expanded to the margin of the ice sheet. These changes are a result of a thinning ice cap, largely due to increased ablation. The lack of retained snow cover or firn confirms there is not a consistent accumulation zone and that these ice caps cannot survive current climate (Pelto, 2010).

1998 Landsat image

2000 Landsat image

2013 Google Earth Image

Google Earth Closeup

2014 Landsat image

Otemma Glacier Retreat & Snowline Rise, Switzerland

On July 7, 2015May 3, 2024 By mspeltoIn climate change glacier retreat, glacier climate change, Glacier Observations

Otemma Glacier is in the Upper Rhone River watershed and feeds Lac de Mauvoisin. Climate change is altering this glacier, with terminus change not being the main story it is the rising snowline and separation from tributaries. The lake fed by the glacier is impounded by Mauvoisin Dam one of the 10 largest concrete arch dams in the world. The reservoir can store 200 million cubic meters of water. The dam provides hydropower and protection against natural hazard. In 1818, an advance of the Gietro Glacier, now retreated high above the reservoir, generated ice avalanches which blocked the flow of the river. When the ice barrier was breached, 20 million cubic meters of flood water was released devastating the valley (Collins, 1991).There are several other large glaciers in the basin Gietro, Mont Durand and Brenay that provide runoff to power what is today a large hydropower project. The Mauvoisin Dam can produce 363 MW of power.

Otemma Glacier is one of the glaciers where the terminus is monitored annually by the Swiss Glacier Monitoring Network (SCNAT). Here we examine changes in this glacier from 1985 to 2014 including changes in the terminus, snowline elevation and tributary connection during this period using Landsat Imagery. SCNAT reports that the glacier retreated at a rate of 27 m/year from 1985-1999, to 40 m/year from 2000-2014.

Google Earth view of the glacier indicating glacier flow direction.

In 1985 the glacier terminates at the yellow arrow, with tributaries A,B & C all joining the main glacier. The snowline is at 2800 m, green dots. In 1988 the snowline extends to the divide with Bas Glacier d’Arolla at 3050 m. In 1999 the snowline also extends to the divide with Glacier d’Arolla. Tributary A no longer connects to the glacier, pink arrow, and the terminus has retreated 300 m.

By 2013 Tributary B is also detached from the main glacier (orange arrow). The terminus has retreated to the red arrow a distance of 1010 m over the thirty year period. The snowline in 2013 and 2014 almost reaches the divide with Bas Glacier d’Arolla with a few weeks left in the ablation season. The area of persistent snowcover is thus restricted to the region above 3050 m. This region is not large as the Bas Glacier d’Arolla captures most of the upper basin. That the snowline is consistently reaching the highest divide for this large glacier is noteworthy. The retreat of the large valley tongue of Otemma Glacier will remain rapid given the consistent high snowlines indicative of limited retained accumulation. Even with current climate not much of the Otemma Glacier can survive. The rising snowline is observed on most glaciers including nearby Rutor Glacier, Italy.

1985 Landsat Image

1988 Landsat Image

1999 Landsat Image

2013 Landsat Image

2014 Landsat Image

Rutor Glacier, Italy Retreat and Rising Snowline

On June 25, 2015May 3, 2024 By mspeltoIn climate change glacier retreat, glacier climate change, Glacier Observations, Italy glacier retreat

The Rutor (Ruitor) Glacier is one of the 10 largest in Italy and is on the France-Italy border draining into the Aosta River valley. The glacier has three termini with the main terminus being the eastern one. The position of the glacier snout has been surveyed though not every year by the Italian Glaciological Committee since 1900. The glacier has a long series of terminus and volume observations compiled by Villa et al (2007) at the University of Milano-Bicocca, that indicate a 27% loss in area from the LIA maximum in the mid 19th century to 1975. The glacier than increased slightly (1%) to 1988, followed by a loss of 5% from 1988 to 2004 (Villa et al, 2007). They further observe that the equilibrium line altitude (height of snowline at end of summer) was 2775 m during the Little Ice Age and 2850 m during the 1975-1992 period. Here we examine landsat imagery from 1988 to 2014 to identify the current trend in both ELA and terminus change.

Google Earth image indicating the three terminus of the Rutor glacier, arrows indicate 1988 terminus position, dots the 2011 terminus position of each.

In 1988 the eastern terminus, green arrow, had expanded slightly occupying the same location as it had in 1975, this left a trimline do the lack of retreat from 1975 to 1991, the area down valley had been deglaciated an additional 20 years. All three termini descended below 2600 m in 1988. The eastern and central terminus (yellow arrow) were separated by only 400 m. There was a small nunatak shortly above the terminus between the central and western (pink arrow) terminus. By 2014 a lake, red arrow, has formed due to retreat of the eastern terminus. The retreat is 500 m. Additionally between the eastern and central terminus the glacier margin has pulled back from a series of bedrock knobs. The central terminus, yellow arrow, has receded 400 m, and no longer reaches the lower slope foreland below 2650 m. The nunatak between the central and western terminus is now a substantial bedrock knob beyond the glacier margin. the western terminus has receded the least 300 m, but this is a greater percentage of the full length of the glacier feeding this terminus. Further there is negligible retained snowpack in 2014. The 2011 Google Earth image has stagnant areas evident at the terminus, red arrows, that lack of crevassing or other features of movement.

The snowline in 2014, red dots, extends east and west from a prominent rib, and is at 3000-3050 m. In 2011 the snowline is at 3050 m-3100 m and in 2013 the snowline is at 2950-3000 m. The average snowline of the last four years is 150 -200 m higher than during the 1975-1991 period and 250 m higher than during the LIA. This is substantial and will drive further continued rapid retreat. This is the same climate that is driving retreat throughout the Alps from Verra Grande Glacier to Sabbione Glacier to Presena Glacier, that needed a blanket.

1988 Landsat image

2014 Landsat image

Google Earth image of new lake formed and retreat of eastern terminus

2011 Landsat image

2013 Landsat image

Gepatsch Glacier Retreat, Austria 1984-2013

On June 22, 2015May 3, 2024 By mspeltoIn climate change glacier retreat, glacier climate change, Glacier Observations

Gepatsch Glacier (Gletscher), Austria the runoff from this glacier drains into the Gespatsch Reservoir, which has a storage volume of 140 million cubic metres of water and an annual electricity production of 620 million kwh. The glacier is Austria’s second largest with an area of over 16 square kilometers. The adjacent Weißsee-Kaunertal Gletscher is host to Kaunertal Gletscher ski area and in the summer a key destination of the Gletscherpark. The ski area map below indicates several lifts on the Weißsee-Kaunertal Gletscher. This glaciers retreat will reduce summer water supply to the reservoir, as it provides 50 million cubic meters of runoff each summer. With climate change that runoff will no longer peak in the warmest-driest part of the summer. The retreat is similar to that of Obersulzbachkees, Austria the third largest in Austria.

Ski Area Map

2007 Google Earth image

In 1985 the glacier terminated at the red arrow, expanding across the bottom of the valley where it turns south. The Weißsee-Kaunertal Gletscher terminus is at the blue arrow and the snowline is just above the icefall at the purple dots. In 1990 there is little evident change, the snowline is higher above the icefall, the glacier in fact ended a decade of advance in 1988. By 2000 Gespatch Gletscher has retreated 200-300 meters from the red arrow. Weißsee-Kaunteral Gletscher has retreated 100-150 m from the blue arrow. In 2010 most of the glacier has lost its snowcover, which was frequently the case from 2000-2010. The terminus has retreated up the westward oriented side valley several hundred meters. There is essentially no snow on the Weißsee-Kaunertal Gletscher. By 2013 Gepatsch Gletscher has retreated 800-900m from its 1985 position, with most of the retreat since 1990. Much of this retreat occurred from 2010-2013 of 240 m of retreat and another 120 m in 2014, 52 meters per year, as noted in the annual reports of the Austrian Alpine Club glacier report completed by Andrea Fischer each year (Fischer, 2015).

It is evident in the 2003 Google Earth image that rapid retreat was imminent as the terminus of the galcier was stagnant. The Weißsee-Kaunertal Gletscher has retreated 300 m and has thinned even more from 1990-2013. The Alpine club also observes this glacier and notes typical retreat rates in the last five years ranging from 15-25 meters/year. Given the ski lifts emplaced on this glacier, continued thinning and retreat will increasingly impact ski area operation. The ski area has not resorted to artificial means to sustain Weißsee-Kaunertal Gletscher as has been done at nearby Pitzal Glacier ski area.

1985 Landsat Image

1990 Landsat Image

2000 Landsat Image

2010 Landsat Image

2013 Landsat Image

2003 Google Earth Image

Google Earth Images ski lifts evident as the linear feature on the nearly snowless galcier.

Slender Glacier, Brooks Range, Alaska: Rapid Retreat 1992-2014

On June 19, 2015May 3, 2024 By mspeltoIn alaska glacier retreat, climate change glacier retreat, glacier climate change, Glacier Observations

Slender Glacier is not an official name, but a well suited name to this glacier in the Romanzof Mountains of the Brooks Range of Northern Alaska. It is adjacent to the Okpilak Glacier and drains into the Okpilak River, which is host to arctic grayling. Here we examine Landsat imagery from 1992-2014 to identify changes. U-Alaska-Fairbanks has an ongoing program in the nearby Jarvis Creek Watershed examining in part how will the anticipated future increase in glacier wastage and permafrost degradation affect lowland hydrology. Matt Nolan (U-AK-Fairbanks) reports on changes of nearby McCall and Okpilak Glacier. These glacier have suffered increased mass loss since 1990 as a result of an increase in the equilibrium line altitude that has reduced accumulation area and is indicative of increased ablation (Delcourt al , 2008)

USGS 1951 map

In 1992 the glacier extended downvalley to the red arrow at 1530 m. The glacier also received contribution from a tributary glacier at Point A. By 2002 the glacier had receded a short distance from the red arrow and still received input from the tributary glacier at Point A. By 2013 the glacier had receded to the yellow arrow 1100 meters from the 1992 terminus position, and now terminates at an altitude of 1675 m. The tributary glacier is no longer connected to Slender Glacier at Point A. The percent of snowcover is better than on Okpilak Glacier immediately to the west, or East Okpilak Glacier to the southeast. The first tributary entering the glacier on the east side is also disconnecting from Slender Glacier. In 2014 the Landsat image is after a light snowfall that has endured only on the glacier ice, helping outline the glaciers. The continued decline in retained snowfall and contributed snowfall from tribuatry glaciers will lead to an even more slender glacier.

1992 Landsat Image

2002 Landsat Image

2013 Landsat Image

2014 Landsat Image

Google Earth images from 2006 and 2012 indicate a rapid retreat of the thin main terminus, and the loss of contact with the tributary glacier at Point A. The retreat is similar to that of Fork Glacier and Romanzof Glacier in the same region. The retained snowcover in 2012 is minimal on Slender Glacier and its tributaries. Tributary A lost almost all snowcover in 2012 and 2013 suggesting a lack of a consistent accumulation zone, which a glacier cannot survive without (Pelto, 2010)

2006 Google Earth Image and 2012 Google Earth image

Big Bend Glacier, British Columbia Transitions to Alpine lake

On June 4, 2015May 3, 2024 By mspeltoIn Canada glacier retreat, climate change glacier retreat, glacier climate change, Glacier Observations

“Big Bend” Glacier is an unnamed glacier west of Big Bend Peak north of Harrison Lake in Southwest British Columbia. In 1985 the glacier was 2.6 km long filling a low valley with a surface elevation of 1600-1800 m elevation, the topographic map indicates this basic size. Here we utilize Landsat imagery to identify the changes in the glacier from 1985-2014 due to climate change. In essence the glaciated basin is transitioning to an alpine lake basin, quickly.

Topographic map of the Big Bend Glacier area.

In 1985 the glacier extends to the big bend in the valley marking its eastern end, red arrow. the yellow arrow indicates an area near 1800 m where the glacier extends across the valley. In 1992 there has been little retreat but evident thinning is leading to lake formation at the terminus and narrowing of the glacier at the red arrow. In 2002 thinning is leading to expansion of a proglacial lake both west and south of the red arrow. The terminus retreat has still been limited, thinning is evident at the yellow arrow.

In 2013 a new alpine lake that is approximately 1 km long has formed, as the terminus area of the glacier has collapsed. In 2014 an area of bedrock and a small lake has developed at the yellow arrow. There is no retained snowpack below the yellow arrow in 2013, and no retained snowpack in at all in 2014. This will likely be the case in 2015 as well. This glacier has a lower top elevation than most in the region and will be more impacted by the warm winter conditions and high snowline of 2015. The retreat from 1985 to 2014 has been 1.1 km. This is 40% of the entire glacier length gone in 30 years. The lake itself has a deep blue color suggesting limited glacier sediment input, further indicating a lack of motion of the glacier currently or in the near past.

The glacier retreat has been more extensive than Stave Glacier or Snowcap Glacier to its east. Koch et al,(2009) observed a widespread retreat and glacier area loss in Garibaldi Provincial Park just to the west, with 20% area loss from 1988-2005. Place Glacier is a short distance north of Big Bend Glacier has its mass balance has lost an average of 25 m of water equivalent (28 m ice) thickness since 1984, see bottom chart. This has been higher but similar in trend to other glaciers in the region. Big Bend will disappear soon just as we obsserved already happened at Milk Lake Glacier, North Cascades, Washington.

1985 Landsat Image