WHAT
WE DO
PROGRAMS & PROJECTS.
The Oregon Glaciers Institute has three main initiatives that are designed to benefit the State of Oregon and its Citizens:
1) determine past and present numbers of Oregon glaciers
2) measure changes in glacier health
3) project the future of Oregon's remaining glaciers
Glacier Numbers
Glacier Health
Glacier Future
A century ago, Oregon had 36 named glaciers and many more unnamed glaciers across 11 summits. OGI tracks the number of remaining glaciers and their size as the climate changes.
A glacier's health is determined by its mass balance: how much snow falls in the winter and how much ice melts in the summer. OGI makes detailed measurements of these variables to determine the annual health of glaciers in Oregon.
These observations allow projections of the fate of Oregon's remaining glaciers. How many will remain in 2050? 2100? What will be the attendant change to Oregon's ecosystems and economies? OGI answers these pressing questions.
WHERE WE WORK.
Our field areas are the volcanoes of the High Cascades and the Wallowa Mountains. We measure yearly changes in the dimensions of all of Oregon's remaining glaciers. In addition, we track the annual health on three glaciers on Mt. Hood (Eliot), North Sister (Collier) and Middle Sister (Hayden).
We utilize citizen scientists in our research projects. Photographs of glaciers always help grow our archives of glacier change. Field observations are invaluable for reconstructing glacier change. If you have Oregon glacier photos you would like to contribute, please click on this link HERE. Please contact us to see how you can get involved.