Glacio/hydro-ecological studies

The South Nahanni River headwaters contain the largest assemblage of glaciers in the Northwest Territory - glaciers that remain hereto unstudied in a comprehensive manner.  The majority of these are located in the Ragged Ranges of the Logan and Selwyn Mountains.  River flow from these headwaters plays an important but yet to be comprehensively defined role in the functioning of eco-systems related to the South Nahanni River and its tributary, the Flat River. 

The glaciers of the Ragged Ranges have yet to be formally delineated and defined from a glacio-climatic perspective.  Their size and situation (noted from 1:50,000 scale NTS map sheets) and 1st-order hypsometric scaling considerations suggest that they represent a significant source of runoff for the South Nahanni and Flat Rivers.  Moreover, the glaciers of the Ragged Ranges have long been considered a potential site towards an expanded national glacier-climate observing system, extending perspectives on surface energy balance and hydrological inputs northward from several observing sites in operation in the Rocky Mountains.  Specifically, monitoring glacier-climate parameters in this region would provide an additional pinning point for understanding the steering of storm tracks and moisture advection into western Canada by a modulation of the Pacific North American circulation pattern and its strong influence on decadal variations in glacier nourishment, snow pack and river flow.

Top of page

The purpose of these research activities is to provide databases and statements of importance describing the significance of glacier-derived flows from the headwaters of the South Nahanni and Flat Rivers, and their role in defining the eco-system integrity of the Park and the Greater Area of Interest, in particular.  This research aims to develop a glacier inventory meeting World Glacier Inventory and NSIDC standards, conduct glacier cover change detection, determine the role of perennial snow and ice in the Ragged Range on water quality and on streamflow regulation and variability and finally, to derive proxies of moisture availability and air temperature such that they can be examined in relationship with the onset and cessation of glacier margin fluctuations. 

Top of page

Legacy mapping, remote sensing and geobotanical data are being employed to compile an inventory of glaciers as well as detect changes.  Scientists are also currently using hydro-period analytical techniques and meteorological/synoptic climate analysis.

Top of page

This activity will (1) provide baseline knowledge on glacier-climate variability and change in a region of Heritage significance, (2) provide information that characterizes the adaptive capacity provided by glaciers in terms of ecosystem functioning and integrity, and (3) contribute to a broader understanding of climate change impacts through the public education activities of the major stakeholders.  Ultimately, this research will produce a GIS-based digital glacier inventory of the Ragged Ranges, a database describing modern and contemporary hydro-period shifts in relation to documented climate and glacier cover variations, and an operational modeling framework tailored to hydrological evaluations of the South Nahanni River System.  Results will be reported to Parks Canada – Parks Establishment Branch, describing the occurrence and significance of glaciers in NNPR and the Greater Area of Interest and a World Glacier Monitoring Service standard glacier monitoring site operated by Parks Canada will be established, with data made available to NRCan/ESS for analysis and interpretation.

Top of page