Two more glaciers gone from Glacier National Park

[babylonsister]

Two more glaciers gone from Glacier National Park
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By Matthew Brown, Associated Press


BILLINGS, Montana — Glacier National Park has lost two more of its glaciers to climate change and many of the rest may be gone by the end of the decade, a government researcher said Wednesday.

Warmer temperatures have reduced the number of named glaciers in the northwestern Montana park to 25, said Dan Fagre said, an ecologist with the U.S. Geological Survey.

"When we're measuring glacier margins, by the time we go home the glacier is already smaller than what we've measured," Fagre said.

From the Himalayas to Alaska, glacier melting has accelerated in recent decades as global temperatures increased. The meltoff shows the climate is changing, but does not show exactly what is causing temperatures to go up, Fagre said.

The park's glaciers have been slowly melting since about 1850, when the centuries-long Little Ice Age ended. They once numbered as many as 150, and 37 of those glaciers eventually were named.

A glacier needs to be 25 acres to qualify for the title.

more...

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/environment/2010-04-07-glacier-national-park_N.htm

[hatrack]

1. "Ladies & Gentlemen, I'd like to welcome you to The Park Formerly Known As Glacier . . . "

Tool Monkeys!!!!!!!!!

[catbyte]

2. That's terrible--and scary

My husband and I drove out there for our honeymoon in July 1984 (married on Bastille Day). We went out there again in July of 2004 for our 20th, and the change even then was easily noticeable. Why don't we stop doing this to our planet? I know, the Almighty Dollar, Euro, Yen, Yuan, etc. I'm glad we were never able to have children. At least they won't have to deal with the hell that will surely come.

:cry:

Diane

Anishnabe in MI

[ensho]

3. gone forever

nt

[pscot]

4. Like a lot of things

that nobody seems to miss.

[ensho]

5. oh but they will when drinking water runs out and water for crops

nt