MONITORING DIVERSE WATER RESOURCES IN A CHANGING CLIMATE
As climate change progresses, the park's small alpine glaciers are in danger of disappearing. Beginning in 2022 and continuing for the next several years, park scientists will explore new data collection methods and technology to expand the breadth and depth of understanding of multiple glaciers, including Teton, Falling Ice, Schoolroom, and Glacier Peak glaciers.
Larger glaciers—such as Middle Teton and Teton—could last centuries, but the uncertainty surrounding these predictions is large. Elevation surveys measure the volume of ice gained or lost over time—a critical metric helping scientists and park managers understand the health of glaciers and thus the overall hydrological system. To record these changes, the park's physical science staff and climbing rangers have been taking hundreds of GPS measurements on the surface of Schoolroom and Teton glaciers since 2015. Continuing this research will help park scientists quantify the rate of change and correlate that with implications for the ecosystem.