Southeast Alaska Network Inventory and Monitoring Program Glacier Dynamics Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park

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 Mike Loso - APU Demonstrate unique ways in which A) glaciers change in response to climate, and B) landscapes respond to glacier change. Focuses on interpretation and synthesis. Narratives, photos, maps will be presented as “vignettes”. Southeast Alaska Network Inventory and Monitoring Program

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

Logistics and Budget 10 year revisit schedule Current project –3 years, $400,000 statewide –Multiple investigators, minimal fieldwork –Methods and technology are feasible but developing rapidly –Dependent on quality of available remotely sensed data and DEMs 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 Program Delivery GIS data will be in PDS, and IRMA, and GLIMS, and GINA First progress report headed to IRMA Poster presented at SW AK Parks Symposium Reports and presentations are on W drive Protocol status = pending outcomes

Southeast Alaska Network Inventory and Monitoring Program