Streamflow Response to Glacier Mass Loss Varies With Basin Precipitation Across Alaska
Abstract Diminishing glaciers affect streamflow, and given the extent of glaciers in Alaska and adjacent Canada, continued glacier mass loss is likely to have profound effects on ecosystems sensitive to runoff. The effects of glacier mass loss on streamflow are likely to vary across the wide ranges...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Water Resources Research |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2024WR037859 |
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| author | Janet H. Curran Brianna Rick Jeremy S. Littell Louis C. Sass |
| author_facet | Janet H. Curran Brianna Rick Jeremy S. Littell Louis C. Sass |
| author_sort | Janet H. Curran |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Diminishing glaciers affect streamflow, and given the extent of glaciers in Alaska and adjacent Canada, continued glacier mass loss is likely to have profound effects on ecosystems sensitive to runoff. The effects of glacier mass loss on streamflow are likely to vary across the wide ranges of basin size, glacier cover, and precipitation in this region. In this study, we use U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) streamflow data with satellite‐based glacier volume change estimates to quantify how glacier mass loss subsidized streamflow over the 2000–2019 period for 116 glacierized basins. We examine interannual variability in that subsidy at three USGS‐monitored glaciers to explore the ability of the subsidy to buffer streamflow derived solely from precipitation. We found the relative importance of percent glacier cover on streamflow magnitude increases in drier basins. In the driest basins, glaciers produced 40 times greater percent glacier mass loss subsidies to streamflow for the percent glacier cover compared to the wettest basins. While the subsidy from glacier mass loss buffers interannual variability in streamflow to varying degrees, it can also increase streamflow variability. Smaller amounts of percent glacier cover are needed to produce summer‐melt‐dominated seasonal flow regimes in drier basins than in wetter basins. Decreasing glacier cover will eventually decrease summer streamflow, increasing spring streamflow in drier basins, and attenuating seasonality with increasing spring and autumnal streamflow in wetter basins. Quantifying the downstream effects of continued glacier mass loss without the computational expense of a hydrological model is broadly applicable in this changing climate. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-2e1f53c0b14c47549ef44fb52ba6e27e |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 0043-1397 1944-7973 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
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| series | Water Resources Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-2e1f53c0b14c47549ef44fb52ba6e27e2025-08-20T02:36:42ZengWileyWater Resources Research0043-13971944-79732025-04-01614n/an/a10.1029/2024WR037859Streamflow Response to Glacier Mass Loss Varies With Basin Precipitation Across AlaskaJanet H. Curran0Brianna Rick1Jeremy S. Littell2Louis C. Sass3U.S. Geological Survey Alaska Science Center Anchorage AK USAU.S. Geological Survey Alaska Climate Adaptation Science Center University of Alaska Fairbanks AK USAU.S. Geological Survey Alaska Climate Adaptation Science Center Anchorage AK USAU.S. Geological Survey Alaska Science Center Anchorage AK USAAbstract Diminishing glaciers affect streamflow, and given the extent of glaciers in Alaska and adjacent Canada, continued glacier mass loss is likely to have profound effects on ecosystems sensitive to runoff. The effects of glacier mass loss on streamflow are likely to vary across the wide ranges of basin size, glacier cover, and precipitation in this region. In this study, we use U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) streamflow data with satellite‐based glacier volume change estimates to quantify how glacier mass loss subsidized streamflow over the 2000–2019 period for 116 glacierized basins. We examine interannual variability in that subsidy at three USGS‐monitored glaciers to explore the ability of the subsidy to buffer streamflow derived solely from precipitation. We found the relative importance of percent glacier cover on streamflow magnitude increases in drier basins. In the driest basins, glaciers produced 40 times greater percent glacier mass loss subsidies to streamflow for the percent glacier cover compared to the wettest basins. While the subsidy from glacier mass loss buffers interannual variability in streamflow to varying degrees, it can also increase streamflow variability. Smaller amounts of percent glacier cover are needed to produce summer‐melt‐dominated seasonal flow regimes in drier basins than in wetter basins. Decreasing glacier cover will eventually decrease summer streamflow, increasing spring streamflow in drier basins, and attenuating seasonality with increasing spring and autumnal streamflow in wetter basins. Quantifying the downstream effects of continued glacier mass loss without the computational expense of a hydrological model is broadly applicable in this changing climate.https://doi.org/10.1029/2024WR037859glacier mass lossclimate changeglacier subsidystreamflow bufferingstreamflow seasonalityglacier streamflow |
| spellingShingle | Janet H. Curran Brianna Rick Jeremy S. Littell Louis C. Sass Streamflow Response to Glacier Mass Loss Varies With Basin Precipitation Across Alaska Water Resources Research glacier mass loss climate change glacier subsidy streamflow buffering streamflow seasonality glacier streamflow |
| title | Streamflow Response to Glacier Mass Loss Varies With Basin Precipitation Across Alaska |
| title_full | Streamflow Response to Glacier Mass Loss Varies With Basin Precipitation Across Alaska |
| title_fullStr | Streamflow Response to Glacier Mass Loss Varies With Basin Precipitation Across Alaska |
| title_full_unstemmed | Streamflow Response to Glacier Mass Loss Varies With Basin Precipitation Across Alaska |
| title_short | Streamflow Response to Glacier Mass Loss Varies With Basin Precipitation Across Alaska |
| title_sort | streamflow response to glacier mass loss varies with basin precipitation across alaska |
| topic | glacier mass loss climate change glacier subsidy streamflow buffering streamflow seasonality glacier streamflow |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2024WR037859 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT janethcurran streamflowresponsetoglaciermasslossvarieswithbasinprecipitationacrossalaska AT briannarick streamflowresponsetoglaciermasslossvarieswithbasinprecipitationacrossalaska AT jeremyslittell streamflowresponsetoglaciermasslossvarieswithbasinprecipitationacrossalaska AT louiscsass streamflowresponsetoglaciermasslossvarieswithbasinprecipitationacrossalaska |