National Framework for Glacier Monitoring & Assessment National-scale Reference :

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1 National Framework for Glacier Monitoring & Assessment National-scale Reference : Western & Northern Cordillera High Arctic (Queen Elizabeth Islands) Low Arctic (Baffin Island) emphasis on long time series and evolving regional information and representativeness concerning freshwater fluxes and S-LC Enhanced Observing Periods: Western Cold Interior (CCRN) Canadian Rockies Hydrological Observatory (AE, Epcor,.) Columbia River Basin (CBT-Water, BC Hydro) emphasis on local & regional issues supporting NSERC & CFI initiatives that inform local and regional stakeholders

2 Reference Observing Network K An BBI MvS MIC W QEI GF D Ag PI B H I CI WI R seasonal & annual surface mass balance 5a-10a geodetic Cordillera Canadian Arctic Archipelago

3 Columbia Icefield CCRN Investigator Mike Demuth Chris DeBeer photograph

4 Background Primary rationale is to extend the regional mass balance studies in the Canadian Rocky Mountains; Maintain regional representation under impacts of strong glacier diminution/fragmentation Projects: Recent and Past-Century Volume, Mass and Morphometric Changes of the Columbia Icefield, Canada Columbia Icefield - Water for Life, The State and Evolution of Canada s Glaciers - Canada s Glacier-Climate Observing System

5 1951 Surface Elevation DTM Bryce & Castleguard South Glaciers

6 2010 Surface Elevation DTM WorldView 2 DEM and coincident lidar swath mission

7 Results: Saskatchewan Glacier Current work

8 Columbia R. Location within Rocky Mountains Athabasca R. Columbia Icefield N. Sask. R. Columbia Icefield Peyto Glacier, Wapta Icefield

9 Relevant Process Studies Establishment of mass balance measurements over Columbia Icefield and its major outlet glaciers Geodetic / mass flux divergence approach Basic surface stake measurements over the major outlet glaciers Accumulation studies above the equilibrium line Provides basic mass balance gradient to characterize regional climate component and supports glacier dynamic and hydrological modeling Glacier hydrology Sunwapta River discharge (measurements currently discontinued) may be used to examine glacier and climate influences on flow regime Gauging of North Saskatchewan River closer to Saskatchewan Glacier portal being considered

10 Marshall et al., 2011, CWRJ

11 Mass Balance and Snow Processes Efforts will support studies of blowing snow transport. In particular: Interaction between glacier and non-glacier regions Regional redistribution of SWE between and across basins Influence of mid-winter warming and melt Detailed examination of melt layer features on Snow Dome Relate to local (Jasper Park) meteorological records Relate to synoptic conditions that promote temperature inversions G-PR Neutron probe snow density profiling

12 Mt. Kitchener Mt. Snow Dome Mt. Andromeda Athabasca Glacier Landon Thompson photograph

13 Brintnell-Bologna Icefield CCRN Investigator Mike Demuth Margaret Demuth photograph

14 Background Joint research with Parks Canada (Nahanni National Park Reserve) Part of project: The State and Evolution of Canada s Glaciers Previous glacier inventory and morphology study Fractional area change ( ) analysis Demuth et al., 2013, GLIMS Book

15 Location within NT Brintnell-Bologna Icefield

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17 Relevant Process Studies Comparison of morphometric change detection with hydrometric and climatic variations Assess metrics of moisture availability, and identify periods of likely glacier mass gain and mass loss Examine relationship between temporal (proxy) mass balance variations and glacier margin changes Document and characterize hydrological regime shifts in relation to glacier decline (S. Nahanni River, Flat River)

18 Glacier Runoff Contributions Water sampling and isotopic analyses to fingerprint glacier melt water inputs in main stem and glacial/nival tributaries Investigation and enhanced understanding of end-member regime shifts (using CRHM modelling at the local scale, and isotopic data at the basin scale) Application and evaluation of new CRHM glacier hydrology algorithms glacierized non-glacierized

19 Glaciology ain t always pretty! Jocelyn Hirose photograph