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Glacial lakes are growing rapidly in Alaska, and research shows where growth will continue
https://warnercnr.source.colostate.edu/glacial-lakes-growing-forming-alaska/Jayme DeLoss
March 10, 2026
Key takeaways
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“Even though I am accustomed to seeing dramatic examples of glacier retreat, the changes in the past six years are staggering,” said lead author Dan McGrath, a CSU associate professor of geosciences.
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D. McGrath,L. Sass,W.H. Armstrong,C. Florentine, & S.W. McCoy, Rapid ice-marginal lake growth in Alaska driven by glacier retreat through bed overdeepenings, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 123 (12) e2513289123, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2513289123 (2026).March 10, 2026
Key takeaways
- From 2018 to 2024, glacial lakes in Alaska expanded 50% faster than they did during the previous decade and 120% faster than they did in the 1980s and ’90s.
- 80% of lake growth happened in basins carved by glaciers, called overdeepenings.
- By mapping glacier-bed overdeepenings, scientists were able to forecast where lakes could grow or form in the future.
…
“Even though I am accustomed to seeing dramatic examples of glacier retreat, the changes in the past six years are staggering,” said lead author Dan McGrath, a CSU associate professor of geosciences.
…