Presenter(s): Annalee Nock − English
Faculty Mentor(s): Dave Sutherland
Poster 174
Research Area: Earth Science
Dynamic breakup of river ice cover and subsequent ice jamming, or damming, can cause flooding with socio-economic and ecological impacts. Breakup processes are sensitive to weather conditions, so changing climatic patterns engender concern over their potential impacts. Understanding how to predict ice jamming events could both mitigate destruction and offer insight toward climate’s effect on river ice. Usually, breakup and flooding happen in the spring, but occasionally perturbations in winter temperatures invoke mid-winter ‘thaws’. These are influenced by rainfall, augmented river flow, and ice decay. By synthesizing hydroclimatic studies on mid-winter breakup and ice jams, my research shows these mid-winter events have repercussions on ensuing spring breakup. This demonstrates the magnitude of even slight warming on river ice. With more high-resolution data and quantifying research, cryologists can look at mid-winter breakup as both a predictor for spring events and an easily-perceptible representation of climate change.