SCIENCE
The rapidly warming Arctic is causing Alaska's glaciers to thin and retreat at a rate four times
faster than the global average (Rantanen et al., 2022; Hugonnet et al., 2021). In Alaska,
hydropower accounts for approximately 25% of electrical generation, with the three largest
hydropower projects relying on glacier contributions (AEA, 2019). The Bradley Lake
Hydroelectric Project, the state's largest, generates 120 megawatts of electricity, powering
around 54,000 homes spanning from Homer to Fairbanks (AEA, 2019). The Alaska Energy
Authority (AEA), which owns the project, aims to augment the water supply to Bradley Lake by
utilizing meltwater from Dixon Glacier (Figure 1) to generate additional electricity equivalent to
powering 30,000 homes
In May of 2023 we placed weather stations on the Dixon Glacier and began the process of
gathering meteorological data for modeling climate impacts on the glacier.
Profile
Name: Daniel Dillehay, Undergraduate Student
Institution: Alaska Pacific University
Award: Summer Apprenticeship
Funding Period: 2023