Southeast Alaska Network Inventory and Monitoring Program Glacier Monitoring

Justification Integrate weather, hydrology, landscapes, provide visitor opportunities “raison d’etre” “Determine changes in glacial extent and configuration of selected glaciers in GLBA and KLGO.” Southeast Alaska Network Inventory and Monitoring Program

Alaska NPS Glacier Inventory and Change Assessment 1.Map change in areal extent in the 1950’s and 2000’s 2.Estimate volume changes over various time periods (~1995 – 2011) 3.More thoroughly characterize 1-3 “focus glaciers” per park Southeast Alaska Network Inventory and Monitoring Program

Areal Extent Anthony Arendt - UAF Glaciation in GLBA diminished 11% (from 53.5 to 48.4%) between 1952 and 2010 Datasets describing physical characteristics of each glacier are in development (length, width, slope, area, elevation). Methods: image processing, digitizing, and watershed modeling Southeast Alaska Network Inventory and Monitoring Program

Southeast Alaska Network Inventory and Monitoring Program

Volume Change Chris Larsen - UAF Found negative glacier-wide mass balance rates with 5 exceptions. Thinning was greatest on Grand Pacific (1.99 m/yr) Methods: existing altimetry profiles extrapolated glacier-wide using best available DEM Will project to additional glaciers beyond those directly measured Southeast Alaska Network Inventory and Monitoring Program

Southeast Alaska Network Inventory and Monitoring Program Volume change by elevation

Focus Glaciers Brady –Remote tidewater with very low-elev accum. zone Margerie –Cruise-ship visible, tidewater, high-elev accum. zone Muir –Formerly tidewater with spectacular retreat history Nourse –Outside park, moraine-dammed threatens infrastructure Southeast Alaska Network Inventory and Monitoring Program

What we’re learning Southeast Alaska Network Inventory and Monitoring Program Ability to tell a more complete story Drawing multiple partners together

Southeast Alaska Network Inventory and Monitoring Program May 6,