Analysis of hydrograph-recession curves from temperate catchments has frequently been directed towards identifying a linear-storage element with mean residence time Κ which characterizes the delayed-flow component. This paper presents the results of applying such an analysis to recession curves from 11 years of discharge records from a glacier basin. Four reservoirs are identified but their estimated recession coefficients (K values) are found to vary with discharge and with time in the ablation season. This implies that the reservoirs are non-linear. Whilst it may be helpful for the interpretation of glacier-hydrological processes to identify several reservoirs, it appears that a single non-linear reservoir may provide an adequate representation of the glacier for operational forecasting purposes.

Direct measurements of the properties of subglacial water are necessary for understanding water flow beneath glaciers. In this paper we describe the construction, calibration and field usage of two instruments—one that measures turbidity and the other that measures electrical conductivity of subglacial water. The sensors are inexpensive and reliable. To demonstrate the potential usefulness of these devices, we present samples of data obtained from beneath Trapridge Glacier, Yukon Territory, Canada.