RG-AlpCatch (DaFNE 101561; 2020-2023)

Foto: G. Winkler

In high alpine regions it is suggested that rock glaciers may be important shallow porous aquifers with a high storage capacity for groundwater. Moreover, the runoff of these landforms contributes to streamflow and especially baseflow in further downstream river systems.

The project will place emphasis on the impact of rock glaciers on downstream river systems. Therefore, in several test sites distributed over the Austrian Alps, the discharge of rock glacier springs and the downstream river systems will be monitored. The impact of the rock glacier catchment share to the discharge of the downstream rivers will be investigated for the present and a prediction for the near future is intended. For the rock glacier catchments in particular, we aim to identify and separate discharge components related to rainfall, snow melt, permafrost ice melt or longer stored groundwater of rock glaciers, as this will likely change in the future due to climate change.

This project will help to quantify the influence of rock glacier catchments on the water cycle in present and future times, as their hydro(geo)logical relevance might change over time.

Research cooperations: Karl Krainer (University of Innsbruck), Heike Brielmann (Umweltbundesamt), Michael Avian (ZAMG), Albrecht Leis (JR-AquaConSol), Elisabeth Fischer (BOKU), Markus Ribis (GeoZT GmbH)