Controls on the formation and sudden drainage of glacier-impounded lakes: implications for jökulhlaup characteristics

Abstract

Over the past few years there has been an increase in understanding of glacier-impounded or ‘ice-dammed’ lake behaviour. The spectacular jökulhlaup (catastrophic flood) from Grímsvötn, Iceland in November 1996 has both raised the profile of such events and emphasized the need for awareness of the processes involved. This review summarizes the extent of current knowledge of ice-dammed lakes, highlighting key developments and outlining areas of study still subject to difficulties. Controls on ice-dammed lake formation and persistence are identified, and cycles of jökulhlaup activity are related to glacier fluctuations. Ice-dammed lake drainage trigger mechanisms are reviewed and recent progress in the understanding of such mechanisms is emphasized. Controls on jökulhlaup routing and the development and character of jökulhlaup conduits are discussed and recent advances in jökulhlaup prediction, hydrograph modelling and peak discharge estimation are assessed. A process-based schematic model, drawing on published research, links ice-dammed lake occurrence and drainage to jökulhlaup characteristics. It is demonstrated that ice-dammed lake and ice-dam characteristics ultimately control seven key jökulhlaup attributes which determine the potential impact of jökulhlaups on both landscape and human activity in glaciated regions.