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July 7, 2015
Otemma Glacier Retreat & Snowline Rise, Switzerland
Otemma Glacier is in the Upper Rhone River watershed and feeds Lac de Mauvoisin. Climate change is altering this glacier, with terminus change not being the main story it is the rising snowline and separation from tributaries. The lake fed by the glacier is impounded by Mauvoisin Dam one of the 10 largest concrete arch dams in the world. The reservoir can store 200 million cubic meters of water. The …
May 18, 2014
Mittelaletsch Glacier Retreat, Switzerland
Mittelaletsch Glacier was a tributary to the Alps largest glacier Grosser Aletsch, until separation in 1990. The map of the glacier represents changes in the glacier from 1926 to 1957, indicating the connection of the two glaciers at that time. By 1970 Mittel had separated from Grosser, and experienced 420 m of retreat from 1970 to 2000 as noted by the Swiss Glacier Monitoring Network. Map showing 1957 glacier extent …
October 14, 2010
Ried Glacier Rapid Glacier loss, Switzerland
Ried Glacier is beneath the Durrenhorn in the Pennine Alps of Switzerland. The glacier was 6.3 km long in 1973. In 2010 the glacier is 5.1 km long. From the Swiss Glacier Monitoring Network annual measurements, Ried Glacier retreated 300 m from 1955-1990, 8 meters/year. From 1990-2008 retreated an additional 300 m, 30 m/year. Than in 2009 the glacier retreated 500 m. A comparison of a 2004 image taken by …