Abstract
Alpine glaciers store considerable amounts of freshwater contributing to groundwater recharge in the warm season, but are rapidly retreating and many will disappear within 50 years. The Tsanfleuron-Sanetsch area in the Swiss Alps is an ideal site to study glacier-aquifer interactions; it consists of a vanishing glacier overlying a karst aquifer drained by a spring (Glarey) used for drinking water supply. Between the glacier and the moraine from 1855 (Little Ice Age), the karst surface is polished by ice flow; typical karrenfields are present below the moraine. Geologically, the area consists of folded Jurassic to Paleogene sedimentary rocks forming an anticlinorium limited by a narrow syncline. Relationships between stratigraphic and tectonic setting, recharge processes and aquifer drainage have been studied by means of tracer tests and hydrologic monitoring. The glacier’s geometry was investigated by geophysical surveys, using radiomagnetotelluric (RMT): The estimated ice volume is 1.0 × 108 m3, corresponding to 0.92 × 108 m3 freshwater. Meltwater production displays diurnal and seasonal variability influencing the shape of tracer breakthrough curves and, thus, flow and transport in the aquifer. A preliminary prognosis of water availability when the glacier will have disappeared has been established, predicting more available water in winter, but shortages in long dry summer and autumn periods, due to the absence of meltwater and less estival rainfall. Increased irrigation water demand will aggravate water shortage.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Benn DI (1998) Glaciers and Glaciation. Arnold Publishers, 760 p
Chandler D, Hubbard B, Hubbard A, Murray T, Rippin D (2008) Optimising ice flow law parameters using borehole deformation measurements and numerical modelling. Geophysical Research Letters, 35(12)
Goldscheider N (2005) Fold structure and underground drainage pattern in the alpine karst system Hochifen-Gottesacker. Eclogae Geologicae Helvetiae, 98(1): 1–17
Greene AM, Broecker WS, Rind D (1999) Swiss glacier recession since the Little Ice Age: Reconciliation with climate records. Geophysical Research Letters, 26(13): 1909–1912
Gremaud V, Goldscheider N, Savoy L, Favre G, Masson H (2009) Geological structure, recharge processes and underground drainage of a glacierised karst aquifer system, Tsanfleuron-Sanetsch, Swiss Alps. Hydrogeology Journal, 17(8): 1833–1848
Gremaud V, Goldscheider N (2010) Geometry and drainage of a retreating glacier overlying and recharging a karst aquifer, Tsanfleuron-Sanetsch, Swiss Alps. Acta Carsologica, submitted
Hubbard B (2002) Direct measurement of basal motion at a hard-bedded, temperate glacier: Glacier de Tsanfleuron, Switzerland. Journal of Glaciology, 48(160): 1–8
Hubbard B, Hubbard A (1998) Bedrock surface roughness and the distribution of subglacially precipitated carbonate deposits: Implications for formation at Glacier de Tsanfleuron, Switzerland. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 23(3): 261–270
Hubbard B, Tison JL, Janssens L, Spiro B (2000) Ice-core evidence of the thickness and character of clear-facies basal ice: Glacier de Tsanfleuron, Switzerland. Journal of Glaciology, 46(152): 140–150
Musy A, Higy C (2004) Hydrologie 1, une science de la nature. Presses polytechniques et universitaires romandes, Lausanne, 309 p
Paul F, Kaab A, Maisch M, Kellenberger T, Haeberli W (2004) Rapid disintegration of Alpine glaciers observed with satellite data. Geophysical Research Letters, 31(21)
Seidel K, Ehrler C, Martinec J (1998) Effects of climate change on water resources and runoff in an Alpine basin. Hydrological Processes, 12(10–11): 1659–1669
Sharp M, Gemmell JC, Tison JL (1989) Structure and stability of the former subglacial drainage system of the Glacier de Tsanfleuron, Switzerland. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 14(2): 119–134
Steck A, Epard JL, Escher A, Gouffon Y, Masson H (2001) Carte tectonique des Alpes de Suisse occidentale et des régions avoisinantes 1:100000. Notice explicative, Service géologique national, Bern
Swiss Glacier Monitoring Network (2009) http://glaciology.ethz.ch/messnetz/index.html
Viviroli D, Weingartner R (2004) The hydrological significance of mountains: from regional to global scale. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 8(6): 1016–1029
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2010 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Gremaud, V., Goldscheider, N. (2010). Climate Change Effects on Aquifer Recharge in a Glacierised Karst Aquifer System, Tsanfleuron-Sanetsch, Swiss Alps. In: Andreo, B., Carrasco, F., Durán, J., LaMoreaux, J. (eds) Advances in Research in Karst Media. Environmental Earth Sciences. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-12486-0_5
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-12486-0_5
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-12485-3
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-12486-0
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)