228-1 Hydrochemistry of the White River Headwaters at Mt. Rainier WA

Session: Advances in Mountain Hydrology: Connecting Cryosphere, Surface, and Subsurface Processes (Posters)

Presenting Author:

Authors:

Abstract:

We collected turbidity, electrical conductivity, water temperature, pH, and water depth measurements at the terminus of Emmons Glacier at Mount Rainier, WA using a multiparameter probe and pressure transducer over three 48-hour periods in July 2025. Emmons Glacier is a debris-covered glacier located on the northeastern face of the volcano, within the Puyallup watershed; it supplies the White River, a major tributary to the Puyallup River. Preliminary results show a diurnal cycle with lower pH and conductivity occurring during daily peaks in water depth. These results will be compared to past data collected at the glacier terminus during summer months since 2016, and measurements made at a site three miles downstream of the terminus during July 2025. USGS stream gauge records located at lower elevations along the White River will also be used to determine the extent to which the variability we observe is reflected in the lower watershed. Because conductivity, pH, and temperature can vary significantly with local weather and site conditions at the time of collection, we will compare our results to archived weather observations during our data collection periods. Our evaluation of past and contemporary glacier meltwater data will identify seasonal and interannual variability in glacial meltwater hydrochemistry at Emmons Glacier.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Program. Vol. 57, No. 6, 2025

doi: 10.1130/abs/2025AM-7780

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