Swiss glaciers 1850–2100

The Grindelwald glacier lake

A lake on the collapsing tongue of the Lower Grindelwald Glacier drained suddenly in 2008. A tunnel through the rock now keeps it low.

Date2008-05-30
2008 volume≈ 800,000 m³
2009 volume≈ 1.7 million m³

From 2005, a lake formed on the tongue of the Lower Grindelwald Glacier, dammed by ice and by debris from rockfalls. In May 2008 it held about 800,000 m³ and then drained suddenly.

In spring 2009 the lake refilled quickly, to 1.7 million m³ by mid-May. An overflow tunnel was driven through the limestone flank in 2009 so that the lake is permanently drained and can no longer threaten Grindelwald.

The Lower Grindelwald Glacier reaching the valley, around 1700. Painting by Felix Meyer.
The Lower Grindelwald Glacier reaching the valley, around 1700. Painting by Felix Meyer. Felix Meyer · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
The glacier in 2003, retreating into its gorge.
The glacier in 2003, retreating into its gorge. Falk2 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Glaciers

Sources

Sources

  1. Werder et al. (2010). Hazard assessment investigations in connection with the formation of a lake on the tongue of Unterer Grindelwaldgletscher. NHESS 10. nhess.copernicus.org/articles/10/227/2010/
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