www.altarum.org

BLM-USGS Bering Glacier System Program: BLM-USGS Bering Glacier System Program: A Scientific Approach to Understanding a A Scientific Approach to Understanding a

Unique Natural EnvironmentUnique Natural Environment

Authors: Presenter:John Payne John PayneScott GuyerChris Noyles

Background

Participants

Scientific Highlights

Examples

Summary

OutlineOutline

Bering Glacier BackgroundBering Glacier Background

Largest and longest glacier in continental North America (area 5,175 km2 / length 190 km)

6% area of glacier ice in Alaska (15-20% of total ice in Alaska)

Largest surging glacier in America (last surge 1993-95)

Rapid ongoing retreat of the glacier and expansion of Vitus Lake has established new flora and fauna habitats

Post surge retreat of glacier has createda dynamic landscape of reticulated andfluted surfaces with subtidal invertebratefossils, lake sediments, and previousoverrun forests.

Given current climate change scenarios,Bering may undergo a dramatic retreat,giving a dramatically different landscape.

Bering Glacier IssuesBering Glacier Issues

Bering Glacier region is biologically and environmentally significant

Last 100 years have brought significant changes to human access to the glacier– Early 1900’s subsistence hunters, fisherman, trappers, and miners– WWII and Cold War brought airstrips to Cordova and Yakutat– 1960’s brought oil development– 1990’s – big game hunting and fishing– 2000 – public cabins and eco-tourism access

1971 Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act gave mineral rights near Berg Lake to local native corporation who sold rights to Asian corporation

New land use plan under development by BLM Glennallen District for Bering Glacier

Application is pending for Bering Glacier region to become Research Natural Area

Bering Glacier InvestigatorsBering Glacier Investigators

Title Organizations Activities

Bering Glacier HydrologyUSGS, BLM, Altarum University of Michigan

Vitus and Berg Lake oceanographic measures; Seal River hydrology; glacier dynamics; glacier ablation; glacier lakes water quality

Fish Population SurveyUniversity of Alaska, Anchorage

Fish population studies and basic water quality measurements

Seal Population EstimatesUniversity of Alaska, Anchorage

Population studies; migration and diet analysis

Remote Sensing and GIS BLM, USGS and AltarumSatellite remote sensing analyses and GIS data integration

Tectonic Boundaries Under Bering Glacier

University of UtahGlacier bed mapping and remote sensing

Flora Distribution StudiesUniversity of Alaska and volunteers

Complete mapping of vegetation ecosystems within region

Geology and GeomorphologyUniversity of Alaska, Anchorage

Moraine deposits, examination of thermokarsts, and sediment studies

Historical Sea Level MappingUniversity of Durham, England

Diatom sediment studies

Bering Glacier Scientific HighlightsBering Glacier Scientific Highlights BLM investigators represent federal, state, academic, and NGO

organizations

Scientific disciplines include:– Bering Glacier observations (terminus, ice movement, ablation, thickness,

berg calving rate, ice depth, and sub-glacial geology)– Bering Glacier System Hydrological Studies (river flow rates, tidal actions,

and rainfall)– Vegetation studies (mapping flora (species) communities surrounding

glacier)– Water properties of Vitus, Berg and other Bering Glacier lakes (bathymetry,

CTD DO, pH, turbidity, ORP, salinity, and total dissolved solids)– Paleontology and Paleoseismology (fossil and plant analysis in estuarine,

lake and glacial outwash areas)– Geology, geomorphology, and sea level studies (moraine deposits,

examination of thermokarsts, and coastal and lake sediments)– Seal population studies (count, behavior and food source)– Fish population (species, count and size)– Remote sensing (mapping) of the Bering Glacier area– Hazard modeling and mitigation– Environmental monitoring

Remote Sensing Analysis ofRemote Sensing Analysis ofPost-surge Terminus DynamicsPost-surge Terminus Dynamics

Only 5-months lapsed between2002 and 2003 observations,mostly spanning the winter months.

Glacier Ablation SensorsGlacier Ablation SensorsBerg Lake Site #1Berg Lake Site #1

Wind Speed

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Near TerminusAbandon River

CTD Water Quality Transect ProfilingCTD Water Quality Transect Profiling

A B C D E

Biological SamplingBiological Sampling

The diversity of flora and fauna in thearea are representative of the highlydynamic environment

Botanical Sampling– 65 families

– 175 genera

– 334 species

– This represents 21% of Alaskanvascular plant species

Harbor Seal PopulationDynamics– Estimates show an increasing

population

– Current summer population is ~2,000

Dwarf Firweed(Epolibium latifolium)

Arctic Lupine(Lupinus arcticus)

Bering Glacier SummaryBering Glacier Summary

BLM Bering field camp is a good example of leveraging resources– Logistics support covered by BLM

– Invited investigators are responsible for their own salary, equipment, analysis and reporting funds

Web site (www.beringglacier.org) provides interactive collaborative environment

GIS framework insures data capture and archive capability

Remote sensing lessons learned by BLM are applicable to other sites such as North Slope and Hubbard Glacier

The Bering Glacier public/private partnership is also applicable to other areas such as the North Slope.

Concluding RemarksConcluding Remarks

Continued coordination with BLM’s resource and science programs is essential

Success and full benefit requirescontinuation and continuity overmany years to establish trendsand conditions

BLM Management support isessential for success

Need to increase publicawareness of Bering Glacierprogram