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Hubbard Glacier north of Yakutat crept to within 100
yards of Gilbert Point in June of 2007. George Kalli of the US Army
Corp of Engineers took this photo in May 2007. |
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7 Jun 11 - "Haven't heard any news about the largest tidewater
glacier in North America this year," says reader Phil Peterson. "I
was able to check after not being able to access the site for many
months."
"Three months ago Hubbard glacier was about 410 meters away from
Gilbert point, says Peterson. "It is now about 120 meters away from
blocking the entrance to Russell Fjord."
You won't hear this in the main stream media. (a large advancing
glacier)
Thanks for your website and all the info you provide! You are doing
a
great service for the country.
Phil Peterson
Chalfont, PA |
Confirmed:
Largest tidewater glacier in North America
advancing 10 feet per day
After I received this email from Phil, I decided to check it out.
Phil is absolutely correct. The largest tidewater glacier in North
America is advancing 10 feet (3.1 meters) per day - and not a peep from
the main-stream media.
Three months ago Hubbard glacier was about 410 meters away from Gilbert
point. It is now about 120 meters away - the length for a football field
- from blocking the entrance to Russell Fjord.
And it has
been advancing for a long time.
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Chart
from US Army Cold Regions Research & Engineering Lab -
http://glacierresearch.org/
The measuring instruments are not at the very edge of Gilbert Point.
Therefore, when the
glacier reaches the red line on the chart, that's when it will close
Russell Fjord. |
According to
the Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska Fairbanks,
Hubbard Glacier has been thickening and advancing since scientists
first measured it in 1895.
It has also dammed Russell Fjord before.
"After
the glacier dammed the fiord in 1986, the new Russell Lake rose 83 feet
above sea level before the ice-and-gravel dam broke," says science
writer Ned Rozell.
It damned it again in
2002.
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In 2002, Russell Lake reached 49 feet above sea level before the dam
burst and the water rejoined the ocean with a flood 30 percent
greater than the largest measured flow of the Mississippi River at
Baton Rouge, says Rozell.
In the photo at right, a narrow trickle of water flows from the channel
between Hubbard Glacier (on left) and the base of Gilbert Point
(right). Disenchantment Bay is in the foreground.
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US Forest Service photo, 2002 |
Could create a huge glacial lake
"'When'
and 'if' the
Hubbard Glacier eventually closes the Russell Fjord, the fjord will
fill with fresh water, becoming a 30-mile-long lake creating a new
40,000-cubic-feet-per-second river system," says climatologist Cliff
Harris. "This will have an extremely 'negative' economic impact on
Yakutat and the surrounding regions."
This would be like a modern-day Glacial Lake Missoula, but on a smaller
scale.
According to the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, the new Russell Lake would
overtop at about 132 feet, whereas Glacial Lake Missoula filled to a
depth of about 1100 feet and contained as much water as Lake Erie and
Lake Ontario combined.
So let me say it again.
The largest tidewater glacier in North America is advancing 10 feet (3.1
meters) per day.
At
that rate it could close Russell Fjord this summer.
And not a peep from the main-stream media.
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To
check the rates of advance for yourself, go to:
http://glacierresearch.org/
Go
to: real time data, Hubbard Glacier, monitoring data, - in the window
for 'Number of Days' type 90. Reload the chart and check out the advance
rate since March 5th.!!!
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