Glacier stream
A glacier stream is a stream whose water comes from a glacier and whose water flow is therefore subject to strong seasonal and daily fluctuations.
The water flow is essentially shaped by the melting processes on the glacier, with a characteristic annual course of the runoff. In winter , the precipitation falls as snow in the catchment area of the stream and remains initially. The flow rate of the creek is therefore lowest at this time. Only when the snow melts in the high altitudes in late spring is the amount retained released. In addition, there is the melting of the ice on the glacier in the warm summer months. Both processes have the effect that in the months of June, July and August the maximum runoff occurs in such glacial streams. As the temperatures cool in autumn, the amount of water in the stream also decreases rapidly.
A glacier creek is also characterized by the regular fluctuations in the flow of water during the course of the day during periods of good weather in the spring and summer months. Due to strong sunlight and high temperatures, the melting of snow, firn and ice is most intense around noon. However, it will take some time for the meltwater to make its way into the valley.
Another characteristic of glacier streams is the yellowish-gray clouded water on warm days, the so-called glacier milk . The cloudiness is caused by the finest rock powder that comes from the ground moraine rubble under the glacier.
Examples of glacial streams
- in the Hohe Tauern National Park
- Isel , rises from the Umbalkees , see also Umbal Falls
- Krimmler Ache , rises from the Krimmlerkees , see also Krimmler waterfalls
- Möll , comes from the Pasterze
- Ladder , rises from the ladder kees
Example Iceland
In Iceland , glacial streams or rivers are called Jökulsá ; Examples are the Jökulsá á Fjöllum or the Jökulsá á Brú . The milky water (glacial milk , see above) in such rivers is called Fjallamjólk in Icelandic . If such rivers are too high to cross at a ford , you can wait until morning because the water level fluctuates depending on the amount of sunlight.
