Jokulhlaups and sediment transport in Watson River, Kangerlussuaq, West Greenland

• Published in: Hydrology Research
• Main Authors: Mikkelsen, A. B., Hasholt, Bent, Knudsen, N. T., Nielsen, Morten Holtegaard
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2013
• Subjects: Greenland Nearctic region; Kangerlussuaq Nearctic region; Russells Gletscher Nearctic region; Watson River Nearctic region; englacial drainage condition; jokulhlaups transport; maximum discharge; sediment transport; 52803; Soil science - Genesis; morphology; classification; geology; Environmental Sciences; Greenland; Kangerlussuaq
• Online Access: https://orbit.dtu.dk/en/publications/a8c341d7-c372-4ec3-9240-7cf53bde7183; https://doi.org/10.2166/nh.2012.165

For 3 years, during a 4-year observation period (2007-2010), jokulhlaups were observed from a lake at the northern margin of Russells Gletscher. At a gauging station located on a bedrock sill near the outlet of Watson River into Sdr Stromfjord, discharge and sediment transport was monitored during the jokulhlaups. The stage rose up to 5.3 m and a maximum discharge of 1,430 m(3) s(-1) was recorded. The jokulhlaups were very different, indicating varying influences of weather and englacial drainage conditions. Although the jokulhlaups caused high discharge and sediment transport rates, their share of the annual discharge and sediment transport were less than 2%.