Yosemite’s largest glaciers are shrinking.
The Mount Lyell glacier is one of the primary sources of year-round runoff in the Tuolumne River watershed and any decrease in runoff could have serious consequences for habitat in the Tuolumne area.
This project will combine traditional glacier measurements with new laser repeat scanning techniques to evaluate the health of these glaciers.
Study results will establish a database, predictive tools and computer models that will help scientists understand the cause and future extent of the decline. Additionally the results will help researchers understand the effect of climate change in Yosemite.