| Citation |
Hirose, J.M.R. and Marshall, S.J. (2013) Glacier Meltwater Contributions and Glaciometeorological Regime of the Illecillewaet River Basin, British Columbia, Canada, Atmosphere-Ocean, 51(4):1–20 http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/07055900.2013.791614 |
| Abstract/Description or Keywords |
This study characterizes the meteorological parameters influencing glacier runoff and quantifies recent glacier contributions to streamflow in the Illecillewaet River basin, British Columbia. The Illecillewaet is a glacierized catchment that feeds the Columbia River, with terrain, glacial cover, and topographic relief that are typical of Columbia River headwaters basins in southwestern Canada. Meteorological and mass balance data collected on Illecillewaet Glacier are used to develop and constrain a distributed model for glacier melt, based on temperature and absorbed solar radiation. The melt model is applied to all of the glaciers in the Illecillewaet River basin for the summers of 2009 to 2011. Modelled glacier runoff for the three years has an average value of 112 Ī 12 _ 106 m3, approximately 10% of Illecillewaet River yields for 2009 to 2011. Glaciers contributed 25% to August flows for the three years. On average, 66% of modelled glacial discharge is derived from the seasonal snowpack, with the remaining 34% resulting from the melting of glacier ice and firn. For the lowest flow year in the basin, 2009, snow and ice melt from glaciers in the basin contributed 14% and 33%, respectively; 81% of the August glacier runoff is derived from glacier storage (ice and firn). Climate sensitivity studies for Illecillewaet Glacier indicate that the glacier mass balance is strongly influenced by summer temperature, with a net balance change of _0.6 metres of water equivalent (m w.e.) under a 1°C warming. A 30% increase in winter precipitation is needed to offset this. Our values are initial estimates, and long-term monitoring is essential to characterize glacier and climate variability in the region better, to refine estimates of glacier runoff, and to quantify the sensitivity of runoff to glacier retreat. glacier; mass balance; glacier melt; glacier runoff; headwaters; Illecillewaet; Columbia River basin |
