Regional Mountain Conference

Vernagtferner in the Ötztal Alps is one of approximately 3900 glaciers in the Alps strongly affected by climate change. The first geodetic survey of the glacier was conducted in 1889 and observations intensified in the early 1970s with the construction of a hydro-meteorological observatory in the glacier forefield. Thus, time series of more than 50 years are available for seasonal glacier mass balance, meteorological conditions and runoff. The glacier is one of about 60 reference glaciers of the World Glacier Monitoring Service. The gauging station (2640 m) on its proglacial stream about 2 km downstream of the glacier tongue is probably the highest permanently-operated discharge gauge in the Alps.

These long-term observations document the continued glacier decline mainly due to increased summer ablation caused by rising temperatures. Years of extremely negative mass balance, like 2003 and 2022, seem to significantly change the melt conditions, with lasting consequences for subsequent years. The increase in summer melt also influences the characteristics and magnitude of runoff. The combined analysis of the variety of hydro-meteorological observations available at this site provides a comprehensive evaluation of the state and evolution of this high-alpine glacierized catchment.