Watch a recording of “The Role of Alpine Glacial Melt in Mountain Block Recharge”, by Jordyn Miller
High alpine environments provide the hydrologic and biologic foundation for ecosystems and communities downstream. It’s known that the vast majority of mountain glaciers across the globe are in retreat due to climate change. What this means for the future of these fragile alpine ecosystems is still largely unknown. We do know that glacial melt supports streams, and studies have shown that meltwater recharges the shallow alluvial aquifer of glacial catchments, however we don’t know how much mountain recharge comes from glacial meltwater. Jordyn Miller, a PhD Candidate at Purdue University, talks about this recharge process, and plans for future work in this field.