Groundwater–glacier meltwater interaction in proglacial aquifers
Groundwater plays a significant role in glacial hydrology and can buffer changes to the timing and magnitude of flows in meltwater rivers. However, proglacial aquifer characteristics or groundwater dynamics in glacial catchments are rarely studied directly. We provide direct evidence of proglacial g...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:44f70125b998416ebc1a4e7104a3de3a 2023-05-15T16:21:43+02:00 Groundwater–glacier meltwater interaction in proglacial aquifers B. É. Ó Dochartaigh A. M. MacDonald A. R. Black J. Everest P. Wilson W. G. Darling L. Jones M. Raines 2019-11-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-4527-2019 https://doaj.org/article/44f70125b998416ebc1a4e7104a3de3a EN eng Copernicus Publications https://www.hydrol-earth-syst-sci.net/23/4527/2019/hess-23-4527-2019.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1027-5606 https://doaj.org/toc/1607-7938 doi:10.5194/hess-23-4527-2019 1027-5606 1607-7938 https://doaj.org/article/44f70125b998416ebc1a4e7104a3de3a Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, Vol 23, Pp 4527-4539 (2019) Technology T Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering TD1-1066 Geography. Anthropology. Recreation G Environmental sciences GE1-350 article 2019 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-4527-2019 2022-12-31T14:02:44Z Groundwater plays a significant role in glacial hydrology and can buffer changes to the timing and magnitude of flows in meltwater rivers. However, proglacial aquifer characteristics or groundwater dynamics in glacial catchments are rarely studied directly. We provide direct evidence of proglacial groundwater storage, and quantify multi-year groundwater–meltwater dynamics, through detailed aquifer characterisation and intensive high-resolution monitoring of the proglacial system of a rapidly retreating glacier, Virkisjökull, in south-eastern Iceland. Proglacial unconsolidated glaciofluvial sediments comprise a highly permeable aquifer (25–40 m d −1 ) in which groundwater flow in the shallowest 20–40 m of the aquifer is equivalent to 4.5 % (2.6 %–5.8 %) of mean river flow, and 9.7 % (5.8 %–12.3 %) of winter flow. Estimated annual groundwater flow through the entire aquifer thickness is 10 % (4 %–22 %) the magnitude of annual river flow. Groundwater in the aquifer is actively recharged by glacier meltwater and local precipitation, both rainfall and snowmelt, and strongly influenced by individual precipitation events. Local precipitation represents the highest proportion of recharge across the aquifer. However, significant glacial meltwater influence on groundwater within the aquifer occurs in a 50–500 m river zone within which there are complex groundwater–river exchanges. Stable isotopes, groundwater dynamics and temperature data demonstrate active recharge from river losses, especially in the summer melt season, with more than 25 % and often >50 % of groundwater in the near-river aquifer zone sourced from glacier meltwater. Proglacial aquifers such as these are common globally, and future changes in glacier coverage and precipitation are likely to increase the significance of groundwater storage within them. The scale of proglacial groundwater flow and storage has important implications for measuring meltwater flux, for predicting future river flows, and for providing strategic water supplies in de-glaciating ... Article in Journal/Newspaper glacier Iceland Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Hydrology and Earth System Sciences 23 11 4527 4539 |
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English |
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Technology T Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering TD1-1066 Geography. Anthropology. Recreation G Environmental sciences GE1-350 |
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Technology T Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering TD1-1066 Geography. Anthropology. Recreation G Environmental sciences GE1-350 B. É. Ó Dochartaigh A. M. MacDonald A. R. Black J. Everest P. Wilson W. G. Darling L. Jones M. Raines Groundwater–glacier meltwater interaction in proglacial aquifers |
topic_facet |
Technology T Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering TD1-1066 Geography. Anthropology. Recreation G Environmental sciences GE1-350 |
description |
Groundwater plays a significant role in glacial hydrology and can buffer changes to the timing and magnitude of flows in meltwater rivers. However, proglacial aquifer characteristics or groundwater dynamics in glacial catchments are rarely studied directly. We provide direct evidence of proglacial groundwater storage, and quantify multi-year groundwater–meltwater dynamics, through detailed aquifer characterisation and intensive high-resolution monitoring of the proglacial system of a rapidly retreating glacier, Virkisjökull, in south-eastern Iceland. Proglacial unconsolidated glaciofluvial sediments comprise a highly permeable aquifer (25–40 m d −1 ) in which groundwater flow in the shallowest 20–40 m of the aquifer is equivalent to 4.5 % (2.6 %–5.8 %) of mean river flow, and 9.7 % (5.8 %–12.3 %) of winter flow. Estimated annual groundwater flow through the entire aquifer thickness is 10 % (4 %–22 %) the magnitude of annual river flow. Groundwater in the aquifer is actively recharged by glacier meltwater and local precipitation, both rainfall and snowmelt, and strongly influenced by individual precipitation events. Local precipitation represents the highest proportion of recharge across the aquifer. However, significant glacial meltwater influence on groundwater within the aquifer occurs in a 50–500 m river zone within which there are complex groundwater–river exchanges. Stable isotopes, groundwater dynamics and temperature data demonstrate active recharge from river losses, especially in the summer melt season, with more than 25 % and often >50 % of groundwater in the near-river aquifer zone sourced from glacier meltwater. Proglacial aquifers such as these are common globally, and future changes in glacier coverage and precipitation are likely to increase the significance of groundwater storage within them. The scale of proglacial groundwater flow and storage has important implications for measuring meltwater flux, for predicting future river flows, and for providing strategic water supplies in de-glaciating ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
B. É. Ó Dochartaigh A. M. MacDonald A. R. Black J. Everest P. Wilson W. G. Darling L. Jones M. Raines |
author_facet |
B. É. Ó Dochartaigh A. M. MacDonald A. R. Black J. Everest P. Wilson W. G. Darling L. Jones M. Raines |
author_sort |
B. É. Ó Dochartaigh |
title |
Groundwater–glacier meltwater interaction in proglacial aquifers |
title_short |
Groundwater–glacier meltwater interaction in proglacial aquifers |
title_full |
Groundwater–glacier meltwater interaction in proglacial aquifers |
title_fullStr |
Groundwater–glacier meltwater interaction in proglacial aquifers |
title_full_unstemmed |
Groundwater–glacier meltwater interaction in proglacial aquifers |
title_sort |
groundwater–glacier meltwater interaction in proglacial aquifers |
publisher |
Copernicus Publications |
publishDate |
2019 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-4527-2019 https://doaj.org/article/44f70125b998416ebc1a4e7104a3de3a |
genre |
glacier Iceland |
genre_facet |
glacier Iceland |
op_source |
Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, Vol 23, Pp 4527-4539 (2019) |
op_relation |
https://www.hydrol-earth-syst-sci.net/23/4527/2019/hess-23-4527-2019.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1027-5606 https://doaj.org/toc/1607-7938 doi:10.5194/hess-23-4527-2019 1027-5606 1607-7938 https://doaj.org/article/44f70125b998416ebc1a4e7104a3de3a |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-4527-2019 |
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Hydrology and Earth System Sciences |
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23 |
container_issue |
11 |
container_start_page |
4527 |
op_container_end_page |
4539 |
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1766009711287599104 |