CGRG Bibliography of Canadian Geomorphology
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Author : Brugman, M.
Date : 2007.
Title : Glacier runoff contribution to mountain headwaters: Focus on Columbia River Basin.
Publication : Glaciers in Watershed and Global Hydrology Workshop. August 27-31 2007. Obergurgl, Austria.
Issue : Program and Abstracts Volume.
Page(s) : 10.
Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate the contribution of glacier runoff to the headwaters the Columbia River and potential climate change impacts. Illecillewaet Neve, near Rogers Pass was chosen for the most intensive investigations which were carried out between 1991 to 1999. Nearby glaciers in the drainage were also studied to improve understanding and included Asulkan, Woolsey, Incommapleaux and Kokanee Glaciers and portions of the Columbia Icefields. These detailed field studies were used to create a simple nested snowline model driven to obtain glacier runoff for the Canadian headwaters of the Columbia River. Results were results from glacier stream discharge, mass balance and ice motion studies at other headwater sites in western Canada (these included Athabasca, Saskatchewan, Peyto, Sentinel and Place Glaciers). Together these investigations allowed measurement and modeling of glacier water contribution to the upper Columbia above Castlegar, BC with a focus on the most critical late summer months. The significance of glaciers for augmenting headwater streams during critical late summer lowflow periods and for acting as important water storage-buffers for the Columbia River were identified (Brugman, Pietroniro et al 1996, 1997). The role of regional weather fluctuations and climate change were also investigated to evaluate long term trends of glacier volume, ice extent, ice motion, snowline and runoff and related hazards in the past and project into the future. Through the course of this study a more complete understanding of the hydrology of Illecillewaet glacier was possible by examining the physics of a large marginal lake (Perley lake) that drained sub/englacially and (at the time) posed a potential threat to downstream areas of Glacier National Park. In recent years, tracking winter snow pack fluctuations in BC has been carried out by the author for related weather impact studies. Where glaciers remain in the basin, this snow pack tracking study allows a crude extrapolation of the glacier runoff modeling back a century and also into the future due to the dominant role of summertime glacier surface albedo (especially the ice versus snow contrast and the extent of exposed crevassing). In this paper we will explore how more recent improvements in modeling may be used to build upon these earlier studies and take advantage of knowledge gained from a revisit to these index study basins during recent years of highly variable mountain snow packs.
Bibliography of Canadian Geomorphology