Abstract
Glaciers are characteristic features of mountain environments but are often not recognized for their strong influence on catchment runoff quantity and distribution. Such modification occurs with glacierization of only a few percent of the total catchment area, and affects adjacent lowlands far beyond the limits of mountain ranges. The main impact occurs because glaciers temporarily store water as snow and ice on many different time scales (Jansson et al. 2003), the release from storage being controlled by both climate and internal drainage mechanisms.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsPreview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Braithwaite, R. J., and Olesen, O. B. (1988). Effect of glaciers on annual run-off, Johan Dahl Land, south Greenland. Journal of Glaciology 34, 200–207.
Braithwaite, R. J., and Zhang, Y. (1999). Modelling changes in glacier mass balance that may occur as a result of climate changes. Geografiska Annaler 81A, 489–496.
Braun, L. N., Weber, M., and Schulz, M. (2000). Consequences of climate change for runoff from Alpine regions. Annals of Glaciology 31, 19–25.
Chen J., and Ohmura, A. (1990). On the influence of Alpine glaciers on runoff. In “Hydrology of mountainous regions I.” (H. Lang, and A. Musy, Eds.), Proceedings of two Lausanne Symposia, 1990: IAHS Publ. 193, 117–126.
Collins, D. N., and Taylor, D. P. (1990). Variability of runoff from partially-glacierised Alpine basins. In “Hydrology of mountainous regions I.” (H. Lang, and A. Musy, Eds.), Proceedings of two Lausanne Symposia, 1990: IAHS Publ. 193, 365–372.
Dyurgerov, M. (2002). “Glacier mass balance and regime: Data of measurements and analysis.” Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado. Occasional Paper No. 55.
Escher-Vetter, H., and Reinwarth, O. (1994). Two decades of runoff measurements (1974 to 1993) at the Pegelstation Vernagtbach/Oetztal Alps. Zeitschrift für Gletscherkunde und Glazialgeologie 30, 53–98.
Fountain, A., and Tangborn, W. (1985). The effect of glaciers on streamflow variations. Water Resources Research 21, 579–586.
Fountain, A. G., and Walder, J. S. (1998). Water flow through temperate glaciers. Reviews of Geophysics 36, 299–328.
Hagg, W., and Braun, L. N. (2003). The influence of glacier retreat on water yield from high mountain areas, comparison Alps — Central Asia. In “Climate and hydrology in mountain areas.” (C. De Jong, D. Collins, and R. Ranzi, Eds.), John Wiley and Sons, London (submitted).
Hock, R. (1998). “Modelling of glacier melt and discharge.” Zürcher Geographische Schriften 70, 140 pp.
Hock, R. (2003). Temperature index melt modelling in mountain regions. Journal of Hydrology (in press).
Holmlund, P., and Jansson, P. (1999). The Tarfala mass balance programme. Geografiska Annaler 81A, 621–631.
Hopkinson C., and Young, G. (1998). The effect of glacier wastage on the flow of the Bow river at Banff, Alberta, 1951–1993. Hydrological Processes 12, 1745–1762.
IPCC (2001). In “Climate Change 2001: The scientific basis”. (J. T. Houghton, Y Ding, D. J. Griggs, M. Noguer, P. J. Van der Linden, X. Dai, K. Maskell, and C. A. Johnson, Eds.). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
Jansson, P., Hock, R., and Schneider, T. (2003). The concept of glacier water storage: A review. Journal of Hydrology (in press).
Kuhn, M., and Batlogg, N. (1998). Glacier runoff in Alpine headwaters in a changing climate. In “Hydrology, water resources and ecology in headwaters.” (K. U. Kovar, N. Tappeiner, E. Peters, and R. G. Craig, Eds.), pp. 78–88. IAHS Publication 248.
Krimmel, R. (2001). “Water, ice, and meteorological measurements at South Cascade Glacier, Washington, 2000–01 balance years.” U.S. Geological Survey, Water-Resources Investigations Report 02–4165.
Lang, H., (1986). Forecasting meltwater runoff from snow-covered areas and from glacier basins. In “River flow modelling and forecasting.” (D. A. Kraijenhoff, and J. R. Moll, Eds.), pp. 99–127. D. Reidel Publishing, Dordrecht.
Meier, M. F., and Tangborn, W. V (1961). Distinctive characteristics of glacier runoff. U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 424-B, 14–16.
Meier, M. F. (1984). Contributions of small glaciers to global sea level. Science 226, 1418–1421.
Oerlemans, J. (1994). Quantifying global warming from the retreat of glaciers. Science 264, 243–245.
Singh, P., and Kumar, N. (1997). Impact assessment of climate change on the hydrological response of a snow and glacier melt runoff dominated Himalayan river. Journal of Hydrology 193, 316–350.
Stenborg, T. (1970). Delay of runoff from a glacier basin. Geografiska Annaler 52A, 1–30.
Willis, I. C., Anold, N. S., and Brock, B. W. (2002). Effect of snowpack removal on energy balance, melt and runoff in a small supraglacial catchment. Hydrological Processes 16, 2721–2749.
Zhenniang, Y., and Xiaogang, H. (1992). Study of glacier meltwater resources in China. Annals of Glaciology 16, 141–145.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2005 Springer
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Hock, R., Jansson, P., Braun, L.N. (2005). Modelling the Response of Mountain Glacier Discharge to Climate Warming. In: Huber, U.M., Bugmann, H.K.M., Reasoner, M.A. (eds) Global Change and Mountain Regions. Advances in Global Change Research, vol 23. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-3508-X_25
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-3508-X_25
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-1-4020-3507-4
Online ISBN: 978-1-4020-3508-1
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)