Identification of glacial meltwater runoff in a karstic environment and its implication for present and future water availability

Finger, David Christian; Hugentobler, Andreas; Huss, M.; Voinesco, A.; Wernli, Hans Rudolf; Fischer, Daniela; Weber, E.; Jeannin, P.-Y.; Kauzlaric, Martina Catharina; Wirz, Andrea Corinne; Vennemann, T.; Hüsler, Fabia; Schädler, Bruno; Weingartner, Rolf (2013). Identification of glacial meltwater runoff in a karstic environment and its implication for present and future water availability. Hydrology and earth system sciences, 17(8), pp. 3261-3277. European Geosciences Union EGU 10.5194/hess-17-3261-2013

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Glaciers all over the world are expected to continue to retreat due to the global warming throughout the 21st century. Consequently, future seasonal water availability might become scarce once glacier areas have declined below a certain threshold affecting future water management strategies. Particular attention should be paid to glaciers located in a karstic environment, as parts of the meltwater can be drained by underlying karst systems, making it difficult to assess water availability. In this study tracer experiments, karst modeling and glacier melt modeling are combined in order to identify flow paths in a high alpine, glacierized, karstic environment (Glacier de la Plaine Morte, Switzerland) and to investigate current and predict future downstream water availability. Flow paths through the karst underground were determined with natural and fluorescent tracers. Subsequently, geologic information and the findings from tracer experiments were assembled in a karst model. Finally, glacier melt projections driven with a climate scenario were performed to discuss future water availability in the area surrounding the glacier. The results suggest that during late summer glacier meltwater is rapidly drained through well-developed channels at the glacier bottom to the north of the glacier, while during low flow season meltwater enters into the karst and is drained to the south. Climate change projections with the glacier melt model reveal that by the end of the century glacier melt will be significantly reduced in the summer, jeopardizing water availability in glacier-fed karst springs.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

08 Faculty of Science > Institute of Geography > Physical Geography > Unit Hydrology
10 Strategic Research Centers > Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research (OCCR) > MobiLab
08 Faculty of Science > Institute of Geography > Physical Geography > Unit Remote Sensing
10 Strategic Research Centers > Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research (OCCR)
08 Faculty of Science > Institute of Geography

UniBE Contributor:

Finger, David Christian, Wernli, Hans Rudolf, Fischer, Daniela, Kauzlaric, Martina Catharina, Hüsler, Fabia, Schädler, Bruno, Weingartner, Rolf

Subjects:

900 History > 910 Geography & travel
500 Science

ISSN:

1027-5606

Publisher:

European Geosciences Union EGU

Language:

English

Submitter:

Monika Wälti-Stampfli

Date Deposited:

11 Dec 2013 16:37

Last Modified:

16 Feb 2023 10:37

Publisher DOI:

10.5194/hess-17-3261-2013

BORIS DOI:

10.7892/boris.39444

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/39444

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