Mass Balance Factsheet for Griesgletscher, Alps
Griesgletscher is a temperate valley glacier located in the central Swiss Alps at the border to Italy. The glacier covers an area of 4.6 km2 (2017) with a north-eastern exposure and spans an elevation range from 3,330 to 2,430 m a.s.l. Griesgletscher currently has a length of 5.3 km and different ice thickness measurement campaigns indicate a present ice volume of 0.24 km3 corresponding to a mean ice thickness of 52 m (Grab et al., 2021). The average annual and summer air temperature (1981–2010) at the equilibrium line is around –3 °C and +4 °C, respectively, and mean annual precipitation at the valley station Ulrichen (7 km from the
glacier terminus) is 1,370 mm.
Detailed mass-balance measurements were started in 1961 in connection with the construction of a reservoir for hydro-power production. Between 1970 and 1984 measurements at up to 80 stakes were performed. Subsequently, the network was reduced to about 20 stakes. Since 1993, also winter mass balance has been determined continuously, resolving the seasonal components of glacier mass change. The evolution of surface topography is documented by more than a dozen digital elevation models at decadal intervals and volumetric changes have been determined over the period 1884 to 2019 (Bauder et al., 2007). This data indicates that over the last 130 years, Griesgletscher has lost three quarters of its ice volume. The wastage of Griesgletscher is particularly rapid in comparison to neighbouring glaciers with annual thickness losses often being substantially higher.
Mass balance measurements are performed in the frame of the programme GLAMOS (Glacier Monitoring Switzerland, www.glamos.ch). For additional information on the status of the glacier and on data relating to annual mass balance and other measurements, visit the WGMS Fluctuations of Glaciers Browser.
FACTS:
- Political unit: CH
- WGMS ID: 359
- Latitude: 46.44°N
- Longitude: 8.33°E
- Height min: 2430 m a.s.l.
- Height max: 3330 m a.s.l.
- Measurement types: MASS BALANCE, THICKNESS CHANGE & FRONT VARIATION
- Current Principal Investigator: Matthias Huss & Colleagues
- Current Sponsoring Agency: LABORATORY OF HYDRAULICS, HYDROLOGY AND GLACIOLOGY, VAW – ETH ZURICH (ZURICH, CH)
Griesgletscher and its proglacial area in 2020 (photo by M. Huss in September 2020)
Terrestrial and satellite map of Griesgletscher (Google Maps)
Griesgletscher Annual Mass Balance (WGMS)
Continuous Mass Balance (MB) measurements since 1961/62:
Additional data available: Front Variation (FV), Thickness Change (TC) and Glacier Outlines:
Selected references:
Bauder, A., Funk, M. & M. Huss (2007): Ice volume changes of selected glaciers in the Swiss Alps since the end of the 19th century. Annals of Glaciology, 46: 145–150.
Grab, M., Mattea, E., Bauder, B., Huss, M., Rabenstein, L., Hodel, E., Linsbauer, A., Hellmann, S., Church, G., Langhammer, L., Schmid, L., Deleze, K, Schaer, P., Lathion, P., Farinotti, D. & H. Maurer (2021): Ice thickness distribution of all Swiss glaciers based on extended ground-penetrating radar data and glaciological modeling. Journal of Glaciology 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2021.55
GLAMOS 1881-2023, The Swiss Glaciers 1880-2022/23, Glaciological Reports No 1-142, Yearbooks of the Cryospheric Commission of the Swiss Academy of Sciences (SCNAT), published since 1964 by VAW / ETH Zurich, doi:10.18752/glrep_series