The effect of glacier wastage on the flow of the Bow River at Banff, Alberta, 1951–1993

Hopkinson, Chris; Young, G. J.

doi:10.1002/(sici)1099-1085(199808/09)12:10/11<1745::aid-hyp692>3.3.co;2-j

Cited by 27 publications

(63 citation statements)

References 0 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Glacier contributions to streamflow have been assessed in the southern Coast Mountains (e.g., Moore, 1993;Moore & Demuth, 2001) and on the eastern slopes of the Canadian Rocky Mountains (Comeau, Pietroniro, & Demuth, 2009;Demuth et al, 2008;Hopkinson & Young, 1998;Marshall et al, 2011). Hopkinson and Young (1998) conclude that ice-melt from glaciers contributed 1.8% of the average annual discharge in the Bow River in Banff from 1951 to 1993, but as much as 15% of annual runoff and 50% of August flow in 1970, an extremely negative mass balance year.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Hopkinson and Young (1998) conclude that ice-melt from glaciers contributed 1.8% of the average annual discharge in the Bow River in Banff from 1951 to 1993, but as much as 15% of annual runoff and 50% of August flow in 1970, an extremely negative mass balance year. Comeau et al (2009) apply a hydrological model to the glacierized headwater basins of the South and North Saskatchewan River systems and find that more than 60% of July to September streamflow is composed of glacial runoff in headwater catchments with over 10% glacier cover, but this study does not distinguish between meltwater runoff derived from seasonal snow and glacier ice.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Glacier Meltwater Contributions and Glaciometeorological Regime of the Illecillewaet River Basin, British Columbia, Canada

Hirose

Marshall

2013

Atmosphere-Ocean

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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 ± 12 × 10 6 m 3 , 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.RÉSUMÉ [Traduit par la rédaction] La présente étude caractérise les paramètres météorologiques qui influencent le ruissellement des glaciers et quantifie les contributions récentes des glaciers à l'écoulement fluvial dans le bassin de la rivière Illecillewaet, en Colombie-Britannique. L'Illecillewaet est un bassin hydrographique englacé qui alimente le fleuve Columbia, avec un terrain, une couverture de glace et des éléments topographiques caractéristiques des bassins du cours supérieur du fleuve Columbia dans le sud-ouest du Canada. Nous utilisons les données météorologiques et de bilan massique recueillies sur le glacier Illecillewaet pour mettre au point et contraindre un modèle distribué de fonte des glaciers, basé sur la température et le rayonnement solaire absorbé. Le modèle de fonte est appliqué à tous les glaciers situés dans le bassin de la rivière Illecillewaet pour les étés de 2009 à 2011. Le ruissellement modélisé des glaciers pour les trois années a une valeur moyenne de 112 ± 12 × 10 6 m 3 , approximativement 10% de l'écoulement de la rivière Illecillewaet pour 2009 à 2011. Les glaciers ont contribué pour 25% de l'écoulement en août les trois années. En moyenne, 66% du ruissellement modélisé ...

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Glacier Meltwater Contributions and Glaciometeorological Regime of the Illecillewaet River Basin, British Columbia, Canada

Hirose

Marshall

2013

Atmosphere-Ocean

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…A detailed study of the discharge of Peyto Creek (7 years of data, 50-60% glacier covered; Young, 1977) indicated that inputs from ice and firn melt contributed an average of ∼30% of the late summer (July-September) flow. Hopkinson and Young (1998) indicate that changes in the glacially derived contribution to flow (extrapolated from Peyto mass balance data) can be recognized in the record for the Bow River at Banff. Specifically, they found that the glacial contribution can vary a mean of 1.8% to a high of 13% of annual flow.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Downscaled GCM projections of winter and summer mass balance for Peyto Glacier, Alberta, Canada (2000–2100) from ensemble simulations with ECHAM5‐MPIOM

Matulla¹,

Watson²,

Wagner³

et al. 2008

Intl Journal of Climatology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

ABSTRACT:We apply a direct downscaling approach to generate ensembles of local-scale glacier mass balance projections from coarse-scale general circulation model (GCM) data. The general modes of the atmospheric circulation over a large geographical region are linked statistically to Peyto Glacier's winter and summer balance separately. Our study focuses on the generation of ensemble projections derived from simulations with ECHAM5-MPIOM forced with Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change -Special Report on Emission Scenarios (IPCC-SRES) A1B and B1. The resulting ensembles of mass balance projections show a moderate increase in winter balance and a steep decrease in summer balance. Together these results suggest continued frontal recession and downwasting of Peyto Glacier and a shift of the equilibrium line altitude by at least 100 m above that estimated for the 1966-2001 period suggesting that very little of the glacier will remain by 2100.

show abstract

“…Important measurement series are also available at Saentis (2502 m), however without snow measurements for the Jungfraujoch (3580 m) and with snow measurements only since 2007 at the Grosser St. Bernard (2472 m), all unanimously located in Switzerland (Marty and Meister, 2012 1919, 1927, 1913 and 1916, respectively (Fountain and Tangborn, 1985;Hopkinson and Young, 1998;IP3 Research Basins, 2012). In the USA, Nivot Ridge D-1 (3739 m) in the Rockies and Reynolds Creek Experimental Watershed (2097 m) with continuous measurements since 1950 and 1964 are amongst the most well-known measuring sites (Robins et al, 1965;Williams et al, 1996).…”

Section: Limitations Of Ict In Mountainsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…During some drought years this can contribute to more than 50 % of the flow (G. Young, personal communication, 2011). Long-term series since the 1950s of the Bow River at Banff (1200 m) show significant negative trends in mean and minimum flow for the transition to base flow period, thus August, September and October, defined as a period where glacier meltwater is nominally the most significant contributor to headwater streamflow (Demuth and Pietroniro, 2003;Hopkinson and Young, 1998).…”

Section: Limitations Of Ict In Mountainsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Linking ICT and society in early warning and adaptation to hydrological extremes in mountains

Jong¹

2013

Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The assessment of the societal impact of hydrological extremes is particularly important in mountain regions, since mountains can be considered both as the generators and victims of extreme events. ICT can provide a powerful tool for transmitting hydro-meteorological information to predict, prepare and adapt to such events. However, in remote regions, such as mountains, the poles, deserts and islands, preventive and adaptive measures are often restricted by data availability and lack and/or incoherence of data networks. This paper distinguishes between early warning of floods and droughts, emphasising the latter in particular in mountains and explores the possibilities of enhancing the role of society in data collection, the identification, activation and application of stakeholder knowledge and transferral of data from gauged to ungauged catchments

show abstract

The effect of glacier wastage on the flow of the Bow River at Banff, Alberta, 1951–1993

Cited by 27 publications

References 0 publications

Glacier Meltwater Contributions and Glaciometeorological Regime of the Illecillewaet River Basin, British Columbia, Canada

Glacier Meltwater Contributions and Glaciometeorological Regime of the Illecillewaet River Basin, British Columbia, Canada

Downscaled GCM projections of winter and summer mass balance for Peyto Glacier, Alberta, Canada (2000–2100) from ensemble simulations with ECHAM5‐MPIOM

Linking ICT and society in early warning and adaptation to hydrological extremes in mountains

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About