Glacier Dynamics

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

2. 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

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

4. Areal ExtentAnthony 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

5. Southeast Alaska Network Inventory and Monitoring Program

6. Volume ChangeChris Larsen - UAF • Found negative glacier-wide mass balance rates with 5 exceptions. • Thinning was greatest on Grand Pacific 2001-2009 (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

7. Volume change by elevation What we’re learning 2000-2005 2000-2009 Southeast Alaska Network Inventory and Monitoring Program

8. Focus GlaciersMike 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

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

10. 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

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

12. 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

13. bruce_giffen@nps.gov 907.644.3572 Southeast Alaska Network Inventory and Monitoring Program