Identifying spatial and temporal dynamics of proglacial groundwater-surface-water exchange using combined temperature-tracing methods

The effect of proglacial groundwater systems on surface hydrology and ecology in cold regions often is neglected when assessing the ecohydrological implications of climate change. We present a novel approach in which we combined 2 temperature-tracing techniques to assess the spatial patterns and short-term temporal dynamics of groundwater-surface-water exchange in the proglacial zone of Skaftafellsjokull, a retreating glacier in southeastern Iceland. Our study focuses on localized groundwater discharge to a surface-water environment, where high temporal- and spatial-resolution mapping of sediment surface and subsurface temperatures (10-15 cm depth) were obtained by Fiber-Optic Distributed Temperature Sensing (FO-DTS). The FO-DTS survey identified temporally consistent locations of temperature anomalies at the sediment-water interface, indicating distinct zones of cooler groundwater upwelling. The high-resolution FO-DTS surveys were combined with calculations of 1-dimensional groundwater seepage fluxes based on 3 vertical sediment temperature profiles, covering depths of 10, 25, and 40 cm below the lake bed. The calculated groundwater seepage rates ranged between 1.02 to 6.10 m/d. We used the combined techniques successfully to identify substantial temporal and spatial heterogeneities in groundwater-surface exchange fluxes that have relevance for the ecohydrological functioning of the investigated system and its potential resilience to environmental change.