| SOUTHERN CHILE GLACIAL LAKE DISAPPEARS (AGAIN) |
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| Written by Santiago Times Staff | |
| Monday, 13 October 2008 | |
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The Cachet 2 glacial lake, located in the southern Chilean region of Aysén (Region XI), disappeared last week for the second time in six months. The lake spilled into the nearby Baker River, possibly due to a phenomenon some say is related to global warming. Last Wednesday, Chile’s General Water Office (DGA) measured a 4.7-meter rise in the water level of the Baker, State-owned Chilean daily La Nación reported. The change, which occurred over the course of 20 hours, indicated that the volume of the river’s flow had risen from its normal 573 cubic meters of water per second to 3,007 cubic meters per second. A decrease in water temperature implied that the sudden surge involved glacial waters.The emptying of the lake caused flooding along a nearby road, prompting officials to dispatch a boat to rescue people and animals where necessary. This is the second time that Cachet 2 has drained this year. In April, the lake completely vanished in a matter of 12 hours, causing flooding in nearby towns and farming communities. The lake then filled up again. Experts attributed the April event to Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF), a phenomenon caused by a sudden increase in a lake’s volume. The volume increase can be due to one of a number of causes, including a volcanic eruption or part of a glacier falling into the lake. Although experts say GLOF can be a naturally occurring phenomenon, some point to global warming as a factor. “This type of event has its origin in glacial dynamics, but its frequency must increase in the presence of climate change, like that which is affecting the Aysén region,” said Andrés Rivera, with the Center of Scientific Studies (CECS). Rivera identified unusually high summer temperatures as one of the possible causes of the April disappearance of Cachet 2, saying the heat caused the lake to receive more runoff than usual from the nearby Colonia glacier. In April of 2008, CECS expressed concern over the increasing frequency with which glacial lakes were emptying, attributing it to climate change (ST, Apr. 10). SOURCES: EMOL, INVERTIA, LA NACIÓN By Santiago Times Staff |
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| Last Updated ( Monday, 13 October 2008 ) |
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