Flocculation: a key process in the sediment flux of a large,glacier‐fed lake

This study investigates the consequences of flocculation for sediment flux in glacier‐fed Lillooet Lake, British Columbia based on density, fractal dimension, in situ profiles of sediment concentration and size distribution, and settling velocity equations presented in the literature. Sediment flux attributed to macroflocs during the late spring and summer accounts for a significant portion of sediment flux in the lake, equivalent to at least one‐quarter of the average annual sediment flux. Fine sediment is reaching the lake floor faster in flocs than occurs if settling as individual grains. This flux varies both spatially and temporally over the observation period, suggesting a link between deposition via flocculation and the properties of bottom sediments. Macrofloc flux increased through June, reached a peak during July, and then declined into August. Macrofloc flux was greatest in the distal end of the first basin, approximately 10 km from the point of inflow. Relatively high excess densities (～0·1 g cm^–3 at 500 µm) for flocs in situ are consistent with a composition dominated by inorganic primary particles. Microlaminations within Lillooet Lake varves have been linked by earlier workers to discharge events, and the action of turbidity currents, emanating from the Lillooet River. While turbidity currents undoubtedly occur in Lillooet Lake, these results demonstrate flocculation as an adjunct process linking discharge, lake level, macrofloc flux, bulk density and microlaminations. In situ measurements of sediment settling velocity in glacier‐fed lakes are required to better constrain flux rates, and permit comparison between flocculation in lacustrine environments with existing studies of estuarine, marine and fluvial flocculation. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fluvial suspended sediment yields over hours to millennia in the High Arctic at proglacial Lake Linnévatnet,Svalbard

Sediment yield can be a sensitive indicator of catchment dynamics and environmental change. For a glacierized catchment in the High Arctic, we compiled and analyzed diverse sediment transfer data, spanning a wide range of temporal scales, to quantify catchment yields and explore landscape response to past and ongoing hydroclimatic variability. The dataset integrates rates of lake sedimentation from correlated varve records and repeated annual and seasonal sediment traps, augmented by multi‐year lake and fluvial monitoring. Consistent spatial patterns of deposition enabled reconstruction of catchment yields from varve‐ and trap‐based fluxes. We used hydroclimatic data and multivariate modeling to examine annual controls of sediment delivery over almost a century, and to examine shorter‐term controls of sediment transfer during peak glacier melt. Particle‐size analyses, especially for annual sediment traps, were used to further infer sediment transfer mechanisms and timing. Through the Medieval Warm Period and Little Ice Age, there were no apparent multi‐century trends in lake sedimentation rates, which were over three times greater than those during the mid‐Holocene when glaciers were diminished. Twentieth‐century sedimentation rates were greater than those of previous millennia, with a mid‐century step increase in mean yield from 240 to 425 Mg km^?2 yr^?1. Annual yields through the twentieth century showed significant positive relations with spring/summer temperature, rainfall, and peak discharge conditions. This finding is significant for the future of sediment transfer at Linnévatnet, and perhaps more broadly in the Arctic, where continued increases in temperature and rainfall are projected. For 2004–2010, annual yields ranged from 294 to 1330 Mg km^?2 yr^?1. Sediment trap volumes and particle‐size variations indicate that recent annual yields were largely dominated by spring to early summer transfer of relatively coarse‐grained sediment. Fluvial monitoring showed daily to hourly sediment transfer to be related to current and prior discharge, diurnal hysteresis, air temperature, and precipitation. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Sedimentation in arctic proglacial lakes: Mittivakkat Glacier,south‐east Greenland

Several sediment cores were collected from two proglacial lakes in the vicinity of Mittivakkat Glacier, south‐east Greenland, in order to determine sedimentation rates, estimate sediment yields and identify the dominant sources of the lacustrine sediment. The presence of varves in the ice‐dammed Icefall Lake enabled sedimentation rates to be estimated using a combination of X‐ray photography and down‐core variations in ¹³⁷Cs activity. Sedimentation rates for individual cores ranged between 0·52 and 1·06 g cm⁻² year⁻¹, and the average sedimentation rate was estimated to be 0·79 g cm⁻² year⁻¹. Despite considerable down‐core variability in annual sedimentation rates, there is no significant trend over the period 1970 to 1994. After correcting for autochthonous organic matter content and trap efficiency, the mean fine‐grained minerogenic sediment yield from the 3·8 km² basin contributing to the lake was estimated to be 327 t km⁻² year⁻¹. Cores were also collected from the topset beds of two small deltas in Icefall Lake. The deposition of coarse‐grained sediment on the delta surface was estimated to total in excess of 15 cm over the last c. 40 years. In the larger Lake Kuutuaq, which is located about 5 km from the glacier front and for which the glacier represents a smaller proportion of the contributing catchment, sedimentation rates determined for six cores collected from the centre of the lake, based on their ¹³⁷Cs depth profiles, were estimated to range between 0·05 and 0·11 g cm⁻² year⁻¹, and the average was 0·08 g cm⁻² year⁻¹. The longer‐term (c. 100–150 years) average sedimentation rate for one of the cores, estimated from its unsupported ²¹⁰Pb profile, was 0·10–0·13 g cm⁻² year⁻¹, suggesting that sedimentation rates in this lake have been essentially constant over the last c. 100–150 years. The average fine‐grained sediment yield from the 32·4 km² catchment contributing to the lake was estimated to be 13 t km⁻² year⁻¹. The ¹³⁷Cs depth profiles for cores collected from the topset beds of the delta of Lake Kuutuaq indicate that in excess of 27 cm of coarse‐grained sediment had accumulated on the delta surface over the last approximately 40 years. Caesium‐137 concentrations associated with the most recently deposited (uppermost) fine‐grained sediment in both Icefall Lake and Lake Kuutuaq were similar to those measured in fine‐grained sediment collected from steep slopes in the immediate proglacial zone, suggesting that this material, rather than contemporary glacial debris, is the most likely source of the sediment deposited in the lakes. This finding is confirmed by the ¹³⁷Cs concentrations associated with suspended sediment collected from the Mittivakkat stream, which are very similar to those for proglacial material. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

High-resolution fjord sediment record of a receding glacier with growing intermediate proglacial lake (Steffen Fjord,Chilean Patagonia)

Proglacial lakes are effective sediment traps but their impact on the reliability of downstream sediment records to reconstruct glacier variability remains unclear. Here, we investigate the sedimentary signature of the recent recession of Steffen Glacier (Chilean Patagonia, 47°S) in downstream fjord sediments, with a focus on identifying the trapping (decreased downstream sediment yield) and filtering (removal of coarse particles) effectiveness of a growing intermediate proglacial lake. Four sediment cores were collected along a 14 km longitudinal transect in Steffen Fjord and the sediment physical and chemical properties were compared with aerial imagery at high temporal resolution. The caesium-137 (¹³⁷Cs) chronology of the most distal core and sediment trap data suggest that sediment accumulation in the fjord remained relatively stable through time, despite the accelerating glacier recession and the growth of Steffen proglacial lake. This is in contrast with many studies that indicate a decrease in sediment yield during proglacial lake expansion. It implies that the increase in sediment export due to accelerating meltwater production may be balanced by the sediment trapping effect of the growing proglacial lake. The fjord sediments show a slight fining upward accompanied by a marked decrease in flood-induced grain-size peaks, most likely due to the increasing filtering and dampening effect of the expanding proglacial lake. Our findings show that the filtering effect of the proglacial lake reached a threshold in 1985, when the lake attained an area of 2.02 km². The additional 5 km of glacier recession during the following 32 years did not have any significant impact on downstream sedimentation. This study confirms that proglacial lakes act as sediment traps but it indicates that (1) the trapping effect can be outpaced by accelerating glacier recession and (2) the filtering effect becomes stable once the lake attains a certain critical size. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Contemporary sedimentation rates and depositional structures in a montane lake basin,southern Coast Mountains,British Columbia,Canada

Spatial variability of recent lacustrine sedimentary structures and sedimentation rates are examined for Green Lake, a morphologically complex lake basin of the southern Coast Mountains, British Columbia. A dense, 100 m grid sampling scheme was used for sediment coring within the 2 km² lake basin. Deltaic, massive, weakly laminated, and varved sediment sequences are identified within the sediment record. Spatial patterns among these sedimentary deposits are related to within‐lake sediment transfer processes, morphometric controls, and the extent of post‐depositional mixing by bioturbation. Unconformities, turbidites, and cohesive slump failure deposits, observed within the contemporary varve sequences, could all be correlated with major flooding events in the catchment area and direct anthropogenic disturbances along the shoreline. There is an overall, non‐linear decrease in sedimentation rates with increasing distance from the lake inflows; however, this pattern is disrupted in deep water sites of intervening lake sub‐basins where locally higher accumulation rates are observed. Spatial sedimentation patterns are quantitatively described by an empirically‐derived model. Systematic variations in the model parameters are observed for different lake sub‐regions and are associated with changing sediment transfer dynamics between proximal and distal sub‐basin settings. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Study of isotopic seasonality to assess the water source of proglacial stream in Chhota Shigri Glaciated Basin,Western Himalaya

The impact of surface melt patterns and the Indian summer monsoon (ISM) is examined on the varying contributions of end member (snow, glacier ice, and rain) to proglacial streamflow during the ablation period (June–October) in the Chhota Shigri glaciated basin, Western Himalaya. Isotopic seasonality observed in the catchment precipitation was generally reflected in surface runoff (supraglacial melt and proglacial stream) and shows a shift in major water source during the melt season. Isotopically correlated (δ¹⁸O–δD) high deuterium intercept in the surface runoff suggests that westerly precipitation acts as the dominant source, augmenting the other snow- and ice-melt sources in the region. The endmember contributions to the proglacial stream were quantified using a three-component mixing. Overall, glacier ice melt is the major source of proglacial discharge. Snowmelt is the predominant source during the early ablation season (June) and the peak ISM period (August and September), whereas ice melt reaches a maximum in the peak melt period (July). The monthly contribution of rain is on the lower side and shows a steady rise and decline with onset and retreat of the monsoon. These results are persistent with the surface melt pattern observed in Chhota Shigri glacier, Upper Chandra basin. Moreover, the role of the ISM in Chhota Shigri glacier is unvarying to that observed in other glacierized catchments of Upper Ganga basin. Thus, this study augments the significant role of the ISM in glacier mass balance up to the boundary of the central-western Himalayan glaciated region.     

Structural composition and sediment transfer in a composite cirque glacier: Glacier de St. Sorlin,France

This paper considers the links between structure, sediment transport and sediment delivery at Glacier de St. Sorlin, France. Sediment transported by the glacier is concentrated at flow‐unit boundaries as medial moraines, controlled by the position of bedrock outcrops in the accumulation area. Rockfall entrained within primary stratification is tightly folded at flow‐unit boundaries under high cumulative strains and laterally compressive stress. High cumulative strains and laterally compressive stresses lead to the development of longitudinal foliation from primary stratification. Folding elevates subglacial sediments into foliation‐parallel debris ridges, which are exposed in the ablation area. Crevasses and shear planes within the glacier have little control on sediment transport. Debris stripes in the proglacial area are morphologically similar to foliation‐parallel debris ridges; however, they are not structurally controlled, but formed by fluvial erosion. The conclusion of this study is that at Glacier de St. Sorlin proglacial sediment‐landform associations are subjected to intense syn‐ and post‐depositional modification by high melt‐water discharges, hence their composition does not reflect that of sediments melting out at the terminus. The action of melt water limits the potential of the sedimentary record to be used to constrain numerical models of past glacier dynamics in debris‐poor glacierized Alpine catchments. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Solute provenance,transport and denudation in a high arctic glacierized catchment

Recent understanding of chemical weathering in glacierized catchments has been focused on mid-latitude, Alpine catchments; comparable studies from the high latitudes are currently lacking. This paper attempts to address this deficiency by examining solute provenance, transport and denudation in a glacierized catchment at 78°N in the Svalbard High Arctic archipelago. Representative samples of snow, glacier ice, winter proglacial icing and glacier meltwater were obtained from the catchment during spring and summer 1993 and analysed for major ion chemistry. Seasonal variations in the composition of glacier meltwater occur and are influenced by proglacial solute acquisition from the icing at the very start of the melt season, and subsequently by a period of discharge of concentrated snowmelt caused by snowpack elution; weathering within the ice-marginal channels that drain the glacier, particularly carbonation reactions, continues to furnish solute to meltwater when suspended sediment concentrations increase later in the melt season. Partitioning the solute flux into its various components (sea-salt, crustal, aerosol and atmospheric sources) shows that c. 25% of the total flux is sea salt derived, consistent with the maritime location of the glacier, and c. 71% is crustally derived. Estimated chemical denudation, 160 meq m⁻² a⁻¹ sea salt-corrected cation equivalent weathering rate, is somewhat low compared with other studied glacierized catchments (estimates in the range 450–1000 meq m⁻² a⁻¹), which is probably attributable to the relatively short melt season and low specific runoff in the High Arctic. A positive relationship was identified between discharge and CO₂ drawdown owing to carbonation reactions in turbid meltwater. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The impact of pro‐glacial lakes on downstream sediment delivery in Norway

Glacier recessions caused by climate change may uncover pro‐glacial lakes that form important sedimentation basins regulating the downstream sediment delivery. The impact of modern pro‐glacial lakes on fluvial sediment transport from three different Norwegian glaciers: Nigardsbreen, Engabreen and Tunsbergdalsbreen, and their long‐term development has been studied. All of these lakes developed in modern times in overdeepened bedrock basins. The recession of Nigardsbreen uncovered a 1.8 km long and on average 15 m deep pro‐glacial lake basin during 1937 to 1968. Since then the glacier front has been situated entirely on land, and the sediment input and output of the lake has been measured. The suspended sediment transport into and out of the lake averaged 11 730 t yr^?1 and 2340 t yr^?1 respectively. Thus, 20% remained in suspension at the outlet. The measured mean annual bedload supplied to the lake was 11 800 t yr^?1, giving a total transport of 23 530 t yr^?1 which corresponds to a specific sediment yield of 561 t km^?2 yr^?1. A 1.9 km long and up to 90 m deep pro‐glacial lake basin downstream from Engabreen glacier was uncovered during 1890 to 1944. The average suspended sediment load delivered from the glacier during the years 1970–1981 amounted to 12 375 t yr^?1and the transport out of the lake was 2021 t yr^?1, giving an average of 16% remaining in suspension. The mean annual bedload was 8000 t yr^?1, thus the total transport was 20 375 t yr^?1, giving a specific sediment yield of 566 t km^?2 yr^?1. For Tunsbergdalsbreen glacier, measurements in the early 1970s indicated that the suspended sediment transport was on average 44 000 t yr^?1. From 1987 to 1993 the recession of the glacier uncovered a small pro‐glacial lake, 0.3 km long and around 9 m deep. Downstream from this, the suspended sediment load measured in 2009 was 28 000 t yr^?1, indicating that as much as 64% remained in suspension. Flow velocity, grain size of sediment, and morphology of the lake are important factors controlling the sedimentation rate in the pro‐glacial lakes. A survey of the sub‐glacial morphology of Tunsbergdalsbreen revealed that there are several overdeepened basins beneath the glacier. The largest is 4 km long and 100 m deep. When the glacier melts back they will become lakes and act as sedimentation basins. Despite an expected increase in sediment yield from the glacier, little sediment will pass these lakes and downstream sediment delivery will be reduced markedly. Beneath Nigardsbreen there was only a small depression that may form a lake and the sediment delivery will not be significantly affected. © 2014 The Authors. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.     

Modelling suspended sediment discharge in a glaciated Arctic catchment–Lake Peters,Northeast Brooks Range,Alaska

Seasonal suspended sediment transfer in glaciated catchments is responsive to meteorological, geomorphological, and glacio-fluvial conditions, and thus is a useful indicator of environmental system dynamics. Knowledge of multifaceted fluvial sediment-transfer processes is limited in the Alaskan Arctic – a region sensitive to contemporary environmental change. For two glaciated sub-catchments at Lake Peters, northeast Brooks Range, Alaska, we conducted a two-year endeavour to monitor the hydrology and meteorology, and used the data to derive multiple-regression models of suspended sediment load. Statistical selection of the best models shows that incorporating meteorological or temporal explanatory variables improves performances of turbidity- and discharge-based sediment models. The resulting modelled specific suspended sediment yields to Lake Peters are: 33 (20–60) t km⁻² yr⁻¹ in 2015, and 79 (50–140) t km⁻² yr⁻¹ in 2016 (95% confidence band estimates). In contrast to previous studies in Arctic Alaska, fluvial suspended sediment transfer to Lake Peters was primarily influenced by rainfall, and secondarily influenced by temperature-driven melt processes associated with clockwise diurnal hysteresis. Despite different sub-catchment glacier coverage, specific yields were the same order of magnitude from the two primary inflows to Lake Peters, which are Carnivore Creek (128 km²; 10% glacier coverage) and Chamberlin Creek (8 km²; 23% glacier coverage). Seasonal to longer-term sediment exhaustion and/or contrasting glacier dynamics may explain the lower than expected relative specific sediment yield from the more heavily glacierized Chamberlin Creek catchment. Absolute suspended sediment yield (t yr⁻¹) from Carnivore Creek to Lake Peters was 27 times greater than from Chamberlin Creek, which we attribute to catchment size and sediment supply differences. Our results provide a foundational understanding of the current sediment transfer regime and are useful for predicting changes in fluvial sediment transport in glaciated Alaskan Arctic catchments.     

Diurnal variations in discharge and suspended sediment concentration,including runoff‐delaying characteristics,of the Gangotri Glacier in the Garhwal Himalayas

Diurnal variations in discharge and suspended sediment concentration (SSC), including runoff delaying characteristics, have been studied for the Gangotri Glacier, the largest glacier in the Garhwal Himalayas (glacierized area 286 km²; drainage area 556 km²). Hourly discharge and SSC data were collected near the snout of the glacier (∼4000 m) at an interval of about 15 days for an entire ablation period (May–October 2001). Diurnal variability in SSC was found to be much higher than the discharge. Hysteresis trends between discharge and SSC were established. Results indicate that, for the study glacier, clockwise hysteresis dominated for the entire melt season, indicating that most of the time the SSC led the discharge. During the peak melt period, anticlockwise hysteresis was also observed for a few hours. Assessment of runoff‐delaying characteristics was made by estimating the time lag between the occurrence of melting and its appearance as runoff along with estimation of time to peak. A comparison of runoff‐delaying parameters with discharge ratio clearly indicated that changes in time lag and time to peak are inversely correlated with variations in discharge. Attempts have also been made to establish the relationship between discharge and SSC using short‐interval data. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Seasonal evolution of meltwater generation,storage and discharge at a non‐temperate glacier in Svalbard

In glacierized catchments, meteorological inputs driving surface melting are translated into runoff outputs mediated by the glacier hydrological system: analysis of the relationship between meteorology and diurnal and seasonal patterns of runoff should reflect the functioning of that system, with the role of meltwater storage likely to be of particular importance. Daily meltwater storage is determined for a glacier at 78 °N in the Svalbard archipelago, by comparing inputs calculated from a surface energy balance model with measured outputs (proglacial discharge). Solar radiation, air temperature, wind speed and proglacial discharge are then analysed by regression and time‐series methods, in order to assess the meteorology–discharge relationship and its variation at diurnal and seasonal time‐scales. The recorded discharge time‐series can be divided into two contrasting intervals: up to early August, proglacial discharge was high and variable, mean hydrographs showed little indication of diurnal cycling, ARIMA models of discharge indicated a non‐seasonal, moving‐average generating process, and there was a net loss of meltwater from storage; from early August, proglacial discharge was low and relatively invariable, but with clearer diurnal cycles, regression models of discharge showed substantially improved correlations with air temperature and solar radiation, ARIMA models indicated a non‐seasonal, autoregressive generating process, and eventually a seasonal component, and there was a net gain in meltwater storage. The transition between the two periods is brief compared with the duration of the melt season. The runoff response to meteorology therefore lacks the strongly progressive element previously identified in mid‐latitude glacierized catchments. In particular, the glacier hydrological system only appears responsive to diurnal forcing following the depletion of the seasonal snowpack meltwater store. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Short‐term discharge and suspended sediment fluctuations in the proglacial Skeldal River,north‐east Greenland

The summer discharge pattern of the Skeldal River, which drains a 560 km² partly glacierized catchment in north‐east Greenland, is dominated by diurnal oscillations reflecting variations in the melt rate of snow and ice in the basin. Superimposed on this diurnal pattern are numerous short‐lived discharge fluctuations of irregular periodicity and magnitude. The larger fluctuations are described and attributed to both rainfall events and periodic collapse of the glacier margin damming flow from beneath the Skelbrae glacier. Other minor fluctuations are less readily explained but are associated with changes in the channelized and distributed reservoirs and possibly temporary blockage of subglacial conduits caused by ice melt with subsequent damming. Fluctuations in suspended sediment concentration (SSC) are normally associated with discharge fluctuations, although examples of ‘transient flushes’ were observed where marked increases in SSC occurred in the absence of corresponding discharge variations. A strong relationship between the event discharge increase and event SSC increase for rainfall‐induced events was established, but no such relationship existed for non‐rainfall‐induced events. There is some evidence for an exhaustion effect in the SSC patterns both at the event time‐scale and as the month proceeds. A mean suspended sediment load of 1765 ± 0·26 t day^?1 was estimated for the study period, which would be equivalent to a suspended sediment yield of 732 ± 4 t km^?2 year^?1. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hydrological importance of an unusual hazard in a mountainous basin: flood and landslide

The Bhagirathi River, a proglacial melt water stream of the Gangotri Glacier, is the principal source of the Ganges river system. The upper part of the basin lies in the high altitude region of the Garhwal Himalayas and is extensively covered by glaciers. We provide hydro‐meteorological insight into a severe storm that produced unusual high rains in June 2000 in the uppermost part of the Bhagirathi River. This storm was concentrated upstream of Gangotri town and triggered landslides/rockslides at several locations between the glacier snout and Gangotri town. One of the major rockslides blocked the Bhagirathi River at Bhujbas, about 3 km downstream of the Gangotri Glacier snout, creating an artificial lake at this location. High stream flow in the river, generated by rapid runoff response from mountain slopes along with melt runoff from the glacier, quickly increased the level of water stored in the artificial lake. Daily rainfall in this region rarely exceeds 10 mm, while total rainfall during this 6‐day storm was 131·5 mm. This unusual rain event occurred during the tourist season in June, consequently trapping a large number of tourists and vendors in this area. Sudden release of stored water generated floods that created havoc downstream of the artificially created lake. This paper presents the hydrological and meteorological information related to such an unusual and devastating event observed in the high altitude region of the Himalayas. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Suspended sediment yield and transfer processes in a small High-Arctic glacier basin,Svalbard

Observations of suspended sediment concentration and discharge at two sites on the proglacial river network draining from a predominantly cold-based, High-Arctic glacier (Austre Brøggerbreen) are described. Analysis of these observations illustrates: (i) the relatively low suspended sediment yield from this basin in comparison with many other glacier basins reported in the open literature; (ii) sustained and possibly increasing availability of suspended sediment to the fluvial system as the ablation season progresses; and (iii) the role of the proglacial sandur as both a sediment source and sink. Field observations coupled with the results of the data analysis are used to make inferences concerning the changing nature and relative importance of sediment sources within the basin. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Short‐term spatial and temporal patterns of suspended sediment transfer in proglacial channels,small River Glacier,Canada

Alpine glacial basins are a significant source and storage area for sediment exposed by glacial retreat. Recent research has indicated that short‐term storage and release of sediment in proglacial channels may control the pattern of suspended sediment transfer from these basins. Custom‐built continuously recording turbidimeters installed on a network of nine gauging sites were used to characterize spatial and temporal variability in suspended sediment transfer patterns for the entire proglacial area at Small River Glacier, British Columbia, Canada. Discharge and suspended sediment concentration were measured at 5 min intervals over the ablation season of 2000. Differences in suspended sediment transfer patterns were then extracted using multivariate statistics (principal component and cluster analysis). Results showed that each gauging station was dominated c. 80% of days by diurnal sediment transfer patterns and ‘low’ suspended sediment concentrations. ‘Irregular’ transfer patterns were generally associated with ‘high’ sediment concentrations during snowmelt and rainfall events, resulting in the transfer of up to 70% of the total seasonal suspended sediment load at some gauging stations. Suspended sediment enrichment of up to 600% from channel storage release and extrachannel inputs occurred between the glacial front and distal proglacial boundary. However, these patterns differed significantly between gauging stations as determined by the location of the gauging station within the catchment and meteorological conditions. Overall, the proglacial area was the source for up to 80% of the total suspended sediment yield transferred from the Small River Glacier basin. These results confirmed that sediment stored and released in the proglacial area, in particular from proglacial channels, was controlling suspended sediment transfer patterns. To characterize this control accurately requires multiple gauging stations with high frequency monitoring of suspended sediment concentration. Accurate characterization of this proglacial control on suspended sediment transfer may therefore aid interpretation of suspended sediment yield patterns from glacierized basins. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Understanding hydrological processes in glacierized catchments: Evidence and implications of highly variable isotopic and electrical conductivity data

The spatial and temporal characterization of geochemical tracers over Alpine glacierized catchments is particularly difficult, but fundamental to quantify groundwater, glacier melt, and rain water contribution to stream runoff. In this study, we analysed the spatial and temporal variability of δ²H and electrical conductivity (EC) in various water sources during three ablation seasons in an 8.4‐km² glacierized catchment in the Italian Alps, in relation to snow cover and hydro‐meteorological conditions. Variations in the daily streamflow range due to melt‐induced runoff events were controlled by maximum daily air temperature and snow covered area in the catchment. Maximum daily streamflow decreased with increasing snow cover, and a threshold relation was found between maximum daily temperature and daily streamflow range. During melt‐induced runoff events, stream water EC decreased due to the contribution of glacier melt water to stream runoff. In this catchment, EC could be used to distinguish the contribution of subglacial flow (identified as an end member, enriched in EC) from glacier melt water to stream runoff, whereas spring water in the study area could not be considered as an end member. The isotopic composition of snow, glacier ice, and melt water was not significantly correlated with the sampling point elevation, and the spatial variability was more likely affected by postdepositional processes. The high spatial and temporal variability in the tracer signature of the end members (subglacial flow, rain water, glacier melt water, and residual winter snow), together with small daily variability in stream water δ²H dynamics, are problematic for the quantification of the contribution of the identified end members to stream runoff, and call for further research, possibly integrated with other natural or artificial tracers.     

Pro‐glacial lake sedimentation from jökulhlaups (GLOF), Blåmannsisen,northern Norway

Outburst floods from glacier‐dammed lakes are major events associated with glacier thinning and volume reduction. This paper investigates jökulhlaups emanating from the glacier‐dammed lake Øvre Messingmalmvatn at Rundvassbreen, an outlet glacier of the Blåmannsisen ice cap in northern Norway. Since 2001, the lake has several times been observed to drain suddenly, causing jökulhlaup outbursts into the pro‐glacial lake Rundvatnet. Varve analysis and lead‐210 (²¹⁰Pb) dating were used to date sediment cores taken from Rundvatnet. It was found that sedimentation from jökulhlaups is recognizable in the lake as distinct sand layers embedded in the varved silt‐clay sequence which represents the normal lake sedimentation. Sand fractions were carried in suspension because of the extreme hydraulic conditions of jökulhlaups. The thickest sand layer was deposited during the 2001 jökulhlaup which lasted three days and had a total volume of 40 ×10⁶ m³. Jökulhlaups were also recorded in 2005, 2007, 2009, and 2010; they each resulted in a sand layer. Annual sediment accumulation in Rundvatnet increased up to 10‐fold during the years with jökulhlaup outburst floods, from a normal value of 1–2 mm yr^?1 to 8–10 mm yr^?1. Five other jökulhlaups were identified from the 1910–1930 sedimentation interval, in addition to those observed in 2001–2010; there appear to have been none for 70 years during 1931–2000. Each jökulhlaup was preceded by a period when the glacier thinned to a critical volume and could no longer withstand the hydrostatic pressure of Øvre Messingmalmvatn; consequently a tunnel developed beneath the glacier, leading to a jökulhlaup. Statistical analyses of the correlations between the pro‐glacial sedimentation rate and temperature and precipitation suggested that although climate conditions are expected to influence sedimentation in the pro‐glacial catchment, a host of other interacting factors moderate the availability and delivery of sediment to the pro‐glacial system, making the processes responsible for changes in pro‐glacial sedimentation to remain uncertain. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A multi‐dimensional analysis of pro‐glacial landscape change at Sólheimajökull,southern Iceland

Pro‐glacial landscapes are some of the most active on Earth. Previous studies of pro‐glacial landscape change have often been restricted to considering either sedimentological, geomorphological or topographic parameters in isolation and are often mono‐dimensional. This study utilized field surveys and digital elevation model (DEM) analyses to quantify planform, elevation and volumetric pro‐glacial landscape change at Sólheimajökull in southern Iceland for multiple time periods spanning from 1960 to 2010. As expected, the most intense geomorphological changes persistently occurred in the ice‐proximal area. During 1960 to 1996 the pro‐glacial river was relatively stable. However, after 2001 braiding intensity was higher, channel slope shallower and there was a shift from overall incision to aggradation. Attributing these pro‐glacial river channel changes to the 1999 jökulhlaup is ambiguous because it coincided with a switch from a period of glacier advance to that of glacier retreat. Furthermore, glacier retreat (of ~40 m yr^?1) coincided with ice‐marginal lake development and these two factors have both altered the pro‐glacial river channel head elevation. From 2001 to 2010 progressive increase in channel braiding and progressive downstream incision occurred; these together probably reflecting stream power due to increased glacier ablation and reduced sediment supply due to trapping of sediment by the developing ice‐marginal lake. Overall, this study highlights rapid spatiotemporal pro‐glacial landscape reactions to changes in glacial meltwater runoff regimes, glacier terminus position, sediment supply and episodic events such as jökuhlaups. Recognizing the interplay of these controlling factors on pro‐glacial landscapes will be important for understanding the geological record and for landscape stability assessments. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Proglacial erosion rates and processes in a glacierized catchment in the Swiss Alps

In the Swiss Alps, climatic changes have not only caused glacier retreat, but also likely increased sedimentation downstream of glaciers. This material either originates from below the glacier or from periglacial environments, which are exposed as glaciers retreat, and often consist of easily erodible sediment. Griesgletscher's catchment in the Swiss Alps was examined to quantify erosion in the proglacial area, possible hydrological drivers and contributions of the sub‐ and periglacial sources. Digital elevation models, created from annual aerial photographs, were subtracted to determine annual volume changes in the proglacial area from 1986 to 2014. These data show a strong increase in proglacial erosion in the decade prior to 2012, coincident with increasing proglacial area size. However, examination of the gradient between discharge and sediment evacuation, and modeled sediment transport, could suggest that the proglacial area began to stabilize and sediment supply is limited. The large influx of sediment into the proglacial reservoir, which is roughly 2.5 times greater than the amount of sediment eroded from the proglacial area, demonstrates the importance of subglacial erosion to the catchment's sediment budget. Although far more sediment originates subglacially, erosion rates in the proglacial area are over 50 times greater than the rest of the catchment. In turn, both sub‐ and periglacial processes, in addition to constraining sediment supply, must be considered for assessing future sediment dynamics as glacier area shrinks and proglacial areas grow. © 2017 The Authors. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.