Short-term bathymetric changes in an ice-contact proglacial lake

In about 1939 the Briksdalsbreen glacier of south-west Norway began its retreat from the hollow which now hosts a small (4.53 ha), ice-contact proglacial lake. Recording echo-sounder surveys show the lake to exceed 20 m in depth near the present ice front but to shelve sharply towards its river exit. In the interval between surveys in September 1979 and July 1982 a 60 m advance of the glacier occurred followed by a 30 m retreat. During this period an estimated 12,000 m3 of sediment accumulated, partly as submerged ice-front parallel ridges.