Effects of ice‐front collapse and flood generation on a proglacial river channel near kangerlussuaq (Søndre Strømfjord), west greenland

Andrew J. Russell*, Frank G.M. Van Tatenhove, Roderik S.W. Van De Wal

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

River discharge measurements downstream of the Russell Glacier, near Kangerlussuaq (Søndre Strømfjord), West Greenland revealed the occurrence of short‐term discharge fluctuations during the 1991 melt season. Frontal ice‐cliff collapse results in temporary river damming, producing initial decreases in discharge and subsequent sudden flood peaks on dam failure. Fluctuations are less than two hours in duration, with a maximum discharge fluctuation magnitude of 50m3s−1, double that of normal ablation‐controlled diurnal fluctuations. As such, these events are exceeded in magnitude only by periodic jökulhlaups resulting from the drainage of an ice‐dammed lake further up‐glacier. The concentration of discharge fluctuations at the beginning of the melt season, the large number of ice blocks within the flow and the confinement of flows between ice block levees all add to the effectiveness of these events in terms of channel erosion and sediment transport.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)213-226
Number of pages14
JournalHydrological Processes
Volume9
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1995

Keywords

  • flood generation
  • Greenland
  • ice‐front collapse
  • Søndre Strømfjord

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