Coquitlam Glacier

Disappearing glaciers in B.C. put tourism, watersheds at risk: scientist

Disappearing glaciers in B.C. put tourism, watersheds at risk: scientist

An estimated 80 per cent of B.C.’s glaciers are forecast to completely disappear and the impacts will trickle well beyond less beautiful vistas for British Columbians to look at. But any action to fight climate change can nonetheless help save glaciers in B.C.’s northern coastal mountains, one expert says. Brian Menounos, professor of geography at the University of Northern British Columbia and a Canada Research Chair in Glacier Change, recently co-authored a study in publication Science, with research suggesting implications for tourism, watersheds and public safety.

Metro Vancouver's last remaining glacier is disappearing fast Social Sharing

Metro Vancouver's last remaining glacier is disappearing fast Social Sharing

Metro Vancouver's last surviving glacier, a source of local fresh water, will disappear in less than 30 years, scientists say. Scientists say climate change is accelerating the demise of the Coquitlam Glacier. The ice pack, located 40 kilometres north of Vancouver, sits on a mountain more than 1,400 metres high. During the warmer months, runoff from what's left of the glacier provides about two percent of the water in the Coquitlam Reservoir. Although not a significant source of water, for scientists surveying its decline, the glacier's disappearing act is a symptom of the stress climate change is putting on local sources of fresh water.