What happens when a glacier melts away?
Changes occurring due to glacier retreat have been observed in the Lewis Glacier Basin. The Lewis Glacier Basin had a total area of 0.2 km2, comprised of steep bedrock and ice covered areas in 1985. By 1990, the former ice-covered areas were exposed gravels and boulders. In August 1985, Lewis Glacier had an area of 0.09 km2 and released 0.15 x 106 m3 of runoff. By August 1990, Lewis Glacier had disappeared, runoff from the former glacier basin was 0.04 x 106 m3, only 27% of the glaciated flow, despite the presence of some relict glacier ice, and that total monthly precipitation was the same. Glacier retreat has been substantial in the Baker Lake drainage since 1980 (Table 1). This retreat represents a loss in glacier area that will be mapped in 2001 and 2002. The result is less late summer glacier runoff.
