Hubbard Glacier Near-Realtime Monitoring and Ice Dam Stability Research

As an approach to examining the threat that Hubbard Glacier poses to the community of Yakutat Alaska, the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers (USACE), Engineering Research and Development Center (ERDC) Cold Regions Research and Engineering Lab (CRREL) in cooperation with the USACE, Alaska district office, Anchorage and the United States Forest Service (USFS) are conducting investigations and scientific research into Hubbard Glaciers ongoing activity. This site focuses on the dissemination of information obtained during these studies such as: Near-realtime monitoring information of the terminus advance rates, Realtime climate information and other scientific activities such as Ice dam stability analysis and modeling efforts using NASAs Airborne Topographic Mapper LiDAR, a source of high-resolution topography (~5cm).

SUMMARY
A Sutron XPert Datalogger, running a software program written by Sutron, VP, Dr. Tom Keefer, uses a Reigl Laser Rangefinder to measure the distance to the glacier.  Every few hours, the program turns on the range finder and then operates a scanning motor that makes the range finder sweep across the glacier face.  Xpert samples the range as it sweeps.  By comparing consecutive scans, it can tell which parts of the glacier have flaked ("calved") into the sea. 

For more information, please contact Dr. Keefer at (703)406-2800 or tkeefer@sutron.com.

Cold Regions Research and Engineering Lab (CRREL)
Remote Sensing/GIS Center of Expertise
72 Lyme Rd
Hanover, NH 03755-1290
Daniel Lawson (Glacial Geologist) - 603.646.4344
David Finnegan (Research Geologist) - 603.646.4106

USDA Forest Service - Tongass National Forest
Sitka Supervisors Office
204 Siginaka Way
Sitka, Alaska 99835-7316
Dennis Rogers (Environmental Coordinator) - 907.747.4327
Robert Gubernick (Engineering Geologist) - 907.772.5840

Yakutat Ranger District
712 Ocean Cape Rd
Yakutat, Alaska 99689
Patricia OConnor (District Ranger) - 907.784.3457
Chris Grove (Resource Assistant, Forest Protection Officer)- 907.784.3457

US Army Corp of Engineers - Alaska District
PO Box 6898
Elmendorf AFB, Alaska 99506-0898
David Williams (Project Manager) - 907.753.5621