Observations on Ice-Dammed Summit Lake, British Columbia, Canada

• Published in: Journal of Glaciology
• Main Author: Gilbert, R.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 1971
• Subjects: Earth-Surface Processes; Canada; British Columbia; Journal of Glaciology
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000022048; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143000022048

Abstract Testing of a water-balance equation for the Summit Lake basin in July and August 1968 indicated that, 2½ months before its fourth known draining, there existed a leak through or under the damming glacier that may have been as large as 3–5 m 3/s . Lake temperatures recorded during the same period indicate water at 0.5–0.8°C near the ice dam and up to 2.6°C 4–5 km from the dam. These observations support the proposal of Liestøl (1956) and Mathews (in press) of tunnel enlargement by melting. It is calculated that lake water temperatures of 0.25, 0.9 and 0.15°C are required to account for the November 1965, September 1967 and November 1968 drainings, respectively.