Calving retreat and proglacial lake growth at Hooker Glacier, Southern Alps, New Zealand

Abstract

Hooker Glacier in the central Southern Alps of New Zealand has undergone significant downwasting and recession (∼2.14km) during the last two centuries. High retreat rates (51ma-1 1986-2001, 43ma-1 2001-2011) have produced a large (1.22km2) proglacial lake. We present a retreat scenario for Hooker Glacier. A retreat scenario predicts that the glacier terminus will stabilise >3km up-valley of the current lake outlet after 2028 when ice velocity equals calving rate. © 2013 The Authors. New Zealand Geographer © 2013 New Zealand Geographical Society.