Current:Home > ScamsAfter a glacial dam outburst destroyed homes in Alaska, a look at the risks of melting ice masses -EliteFunds
After a glacial dam outburst destroyed homes in Alaska, a look at the risks of melting ice masses
View
Date:2025-04-19 20:01:32
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — People in Alaska’s capital have lived for more than a decade with periodic glacial dam outbursts like the one that destroyed at least two homes over the weekend.
But the most recent flood was surprising for how quickly the water moved as the surging Mendenhall River devoured riverbanks, undermining and damaging homes, and prompted some residents to flee.
Here are some issues surrounding glaciers and the floods that result from the bursting of snow-and-ice dams.
WHAT CAUSED THE FLOODING IN JUNEAU?
The water came from a side basin of the spectacular but receding Mendenhall Glacier that is known as the Suicide Basin. The glacier acts as a dam for precipitation and melt from the nearby Suicide Glacier that collects in the basin during the spring and summer. Eventually the water gushes out from under the Mendenhall Glacier and into Mendenhall Lake, from which it flows down the Mendenhall River.
Such glacial dam outbursts have been occurring in the area since 2011, but often the water releases more slowly, typically over a few days, said Eran Hood, a University of Alaska Southeast professor of environmental science.
Lake and streamflow levels reached record highs during Saturday’s flooding in Juneau, which is home to about 30,000 people and has numerous homes and popular hiking trails near the meandering Mendenhall River.
IS CLIMATE CHANGE TO BLAME?
Climate change is melting glaciers. A study released this year suggested significant melting by the end of this century amid current climate change trends, and a separate report indicated that glaciers in parts of the Himalayas are melting at unprecedented rates.
But the relationship between the changing climate and glacial outburst floods like the one in Juneau is complicated, scientists say.
The basin where the rain and meltwater collect was formerly covered by Suicide Glacier, which used to contribute ice to the Mendenhall Glacier. Smaller glaciers, like Suicide Glacier, respond more rapidly to changes in climate and the retreat of Suicide Glacier exposed the basin, Hood said.
But the floods that occur “really have nothing to do with climate change and glacier melt directly,” he said.
“The phenomenon itself is caused by climate, but the individual floods don’t have anything to do with climate because they’re basically just the case where water is filling up a basin and then draining at some point during the summer,” he said.
HOW UNUSUAL ARE THESE FLOODS?
These events aren’t new and happen in places around the world, threatening about 15 million people globally, according to researchers. There’s an Icelandic term for them, jökuhlaups.
But they’re not something many in the U.S. think about — even in Alaska, which is home to the bulk of U.S. glaciers, many of them remote.
One challenge with glacial dam outbursts is that the severity and timing can vary from year to year, researchers said.
Celeste Labedz, an environmental seismologist at the University of Calgary, said glaciers are dynamic. For example, as the long-retreating Mendenhall Glacier continues to melt, a process aided by the warming climate, it’s possible it will someday no longer block the basin and flooding from that basin will no longer be a concern. But there’s also potential for new basins to form, she said.
“As a glacier is thinning and retreating and changing, you can see some floods are going to stop happening and new ones are going to start happening. It’s a variable system,” Labedz said.
WHAT HAPPENS AS GLACIERS MELT?
In addition to flooding risks, glacial loss can mean diminished water supplies in parts of the world and could affect such things as agriculture and tourism.
Alaska is a bucket-list destination for visitors drawn by wild landscapes such as mountains and craggy glaciers that spectacularly calve into lakes or the ocean.
Glaciers cover about 33,000 square miles (85,000 square kilometers) of the state, and annual ice loss from glaciers in Alaska would be enough to cover Texas in 4 inches (10 centimeters) of water, said Christian Zimmerman, director of the U.S. Geological Survey’s Alaska Science Center.
Retreat of glaciers can also affect ecosystems, including salmon habitat, something researchers are hoping to better understand.
veryGood! (79)
Related
- Pressure on a veteran and senator shows what’s next for those who oppose Trump
- Surprise! New 70% Off Styles Added to the Lilly Pulitzer Sunshine Sale—Hurry, They’re Selling Out Fast
- Tyreek Hill’s traffic stop shows interactions with police can be about survival for Black men
- McDonald's Crocs Happy Meals with mini keychains coming to US
- Jamie Foxx gets stitches after a glass is thrown at him during dinner in Beverly Hills
- Fewer than 400 households reject $600 million Ohio train derailment settlement
- Deshaun Watson, Daniel Jones among four quarterbacks under most pressure after Week 1
- Kentucky bourbon icon Jimmy Russell celebrates his 70th anniversary at Wild Turkey
- Buckingham Palace staff under investigation for 'bar brawl'
- Kyle Larson expected to return to Indianapolis 500 for another shot at ‘The Double’ in 2025
Ranking
- Jorge Ramos reveals his final day with 'Noticiero Univision': 'It's been quite a ride'
- NFL Week 1 overreactions: Can Jets figure it out? Browns, Bengals in trouble
- Barrel Jeans Are the New Denim Trend -- Shop the Best Deals from Madewell, Target & More, Starting at $8
- The reviews are in: Ryan Seacrest hosts first 'Wheel of Fortune' and fans share opinions
- Whoopi Goldberg is delightfully vile as Miss Hannigan in ‘Annie’ stage return
- West Virginia governor to call on lawmakers to consider child care and tax proposals this month
- Jon Snow's sword, Jaime Lannister's golden hand among 'Game of Thrones' items up for grabs
- Southwest Airlines under pressure from a big shareholder shakes up its board
Recommendation
Woman dies after Singapore family of 3 gets into accident in Taiwan
Linkin Park's New Singer Emily Armstrong Responds to Criticism Over Danny Masterson Support
These Designer Michael Kors Handbags Are on Sale & Too Good To Be True—Score an Extra 20% off Fall Styles
iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Pro, Airpods: What's rumored for 2024 Apple event Monday
Why we love Bear Pond Books, a ski town bookstore with a French bulldog 'Staff Pup'
Kentucky bourbon icon Jimmy Russell celebrates his 70th anniversary at Wild Turkey
Travis Kelce Reacts to Jason Kelce’s ESPN Debut Exactly as a Brother Would
Jury selection enters day 2 in the trial of 3 Memphis officers charged in Tyre Nichols’ death