Short‐term spatial and temporal patterns of suspended sediment transfer in proglacial channels, small River Glacier, Canada

Abstract

Abstract:Alpine glacial basins are a significant source and storage area for sediment exposed by glacial retreat. Recent research has indicated that short-term storage and release of sediment in proglacial channels may control the pattern of suspended sediment transfer from these basins. Custom-built continuously recording turbidimeters installed on a network of nine gauging sites were used to characterize spatial and temporal variability in suspended sediment transfer patterns for the entire proglacial area at Small River Glacier, British Columbia, Canada. Discharge and suspended sediment concentration were measured at 5 min intervals over the ablation season of 2000. Differences in suspended sediment transfer patterns were then extracted using multivariate statistics (principal component and cluster analysis). Results showed that each gauging station was dominated c. 80% of days by diurnal sediment transfer patterns and 'low' suspended sediment concentrations. 'Irregular' transfer patterns were generally associated with 'high' sediment concentrations during snowmelt and rainfall events, resulting in the transfer of up to 70% of the total seasonal suspended sediment load at some gauging stations. Suspended sediment enrichment of up to 600% from channel storage release and extrachannel inputs occurred between the glacial front and distal proglacial boundary. However, these patterns differed significantly between gauging stations as determined by the location of the gauging station within the catchment and meteorological conditions. Overall, the proglacial area was the source for up to 80% of the total suspended sediment yield transferred from the Small River Glacier basin. These results confirmed that sediment stored and released in the proglacial area, in particular from proglacial channels, was controlling suspended sediment transfer patterns. To characterize this control accurately requires multiple gauging stations with high frequency monitoring of suspended sediment concentration. Accurate characterization of this proglacial control on suspended sediment transfer may therefore aid interpretation of suspended sediment yield patterns from glacierized basins.

Seasonal hydrological and suspended sediment transport dynamics in proglacial streams, James Ross Island, Antarctica

“…Clockwise hysteresis appears when peak SSC occurs before peak water discharge. It suggests very short distances of transported sediment (Orwin and Smart, 2004). Anticlockwise hysteresis is due to peak water discharge occurring before peak SSC and suggests more distant sources for sediment transport or that sediment transport is supply-limited (Stott and Mount, 2007).…”

Bedload transport in two creeks at the ice-free area of the Baranowski Glacier, King George Island, West Antarctica

“…Studies on the relationship between catchment hydrologic conditions and glacial sediment transport in polar regions have been concentrated mainly on glaciers located in the Arctic (Nicholas and Sambrook Smith 1998; Orwin and Smart 2004;Strzelecki 2007;Beylich and Kneisel 2009;Rachlewicz 2009;Orwin et al 2010) and focused on the calculation of sediment suspended concentration and dissolved matter in a stream of water. In contrast, measurements of bedload transport in glaciated catchments are limited to only several publications (Østrem 1975;Ashworth and Ferguson 1986;Pearce et al 2003;Bogen and Møen 2003;Kociuba et al 2010Kociuba et al , 2012Janicki 2014, 2015;Kociuba 2016a, b, in press).…”

Mass Transfers and Sedimentary Budgets in Geomorphologic Drainage Basin Studies

“…Geomorphic processes, operating within drainage basins, transferring sediments and changing landforms are highly dependent on climate, vegetation cover and human impact and will be significantly affected by climate change (e.g. Rapp, 1985;Barsch, 1993;Evans & Clague, 1994;Haeberli & Beniston, 1998;Lamoureux, 1999;Lamoureux et al, 2007;Slaymaker et al, 2003;Orwin & Smart, 2004;Beylich et al, 2006b;Beylich & Warburton, 2007;Beylich & Kneisel, 2009;Cockburn & Lamoureux, 2007;Slaymaker, 2008). An improved quantitative knowledge of mass transfers by sedimentary transfer processes operating in present-day climates is needed to model and determine the possible consequences of predicted climate change.…”