Geologists Are Hunting for Camouflaged ‘Rock Glaciers’ Vital to Global Freshwater Supplies

Key Points:

• Researchers from the Utah Geological Survey and University of Utah have identified and catalogued 70 hidden ice deposits within "rock glaciers" on Mount Timpanogos, containing an estimated 396 million gallons of ice, equivalent to about 600 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
• These rock glaciers, covered by loose rock debris, protect the ice beneath, making them resilient natural freshwater storage sites that contribute significantly to Utah's water supply, which relies on mountain meltwater for over 95% of its freshwater.
• Using gravimetric measurements, the team determined that the ice within Timpanogos rock glaciers averages about 61.7 feet thick and consists of approximately 83% ice and 17% loose rock, highlighting a substantial hidden freshwater reserve.
• New modeling combining snow probe data, satellite observations, and climate reports revealed that some of this ice dates back to the Last Glacial Maximum about 20,000 years ago, with evidence that the rock glacier is still actively accumulating ice today.
• These findings suggest that rock glaciers could serve as climate-resilient freshwater sources, offering valuable insights for future water management and glacier protection strategies amid warming climates.