Hubbard Glacier, Alaska: the 2002 closure of Russell Fiord and the potential for future closures and dam stability
Motyka RJ, Truffer M, Trabant D. Hubbard Glacier, Alaska: the 2002 closure of Russell Fiord and the potential for future closures and dam stability
The second largest outburst of a glacier dammed lake in recorded history occurred on August 14, 2002 when Russell Lake breached a moraine and ice dam formed by the advance of Hubbard Glacier. Three cubic kilometers of water gushed through a 100-m wide gap over a period of 30 hours. Hubbard Glacier, the largest tidewater glacier in North America, has been relentlessly advancing since at least 1895 AD. This advance has put the terminus in proximity of Gilbert Point at the entrance to 60-km long Russell Fiord. Two glacier-dam closures of Russell Fiord have occurred in historic times: 1986 and 2002. Here we provide an overview on the evolution and destruction of the 2002 dam, examine the aftermath of the outburst, compare it to 1986 events, and provide an assessment of future closures and dam stability. We also report on the radical changes in ice flow and fiord bathymetry in the vicinity of the ice dam during and after the damming event.
- Type
- Unpublished Report
- Authors
- Motyka, Roman; Truffer, Martin; Trabant, Dennis
- Units
- WRST
- Keywords
- Hubbard Glacier, Russell Fiord, UAF