Glaciolocioal research in Canada received new impetus in 1965 with the organization of the International Hydrological Decade. One of the immediate requirements of research was for a small-scale map showing the distribution of glaciers in Canada, with indication of source of information. This type of map is essential in the selection of areas for further study and in the preparation of a glacer inventory. To meet this requirement, a series of seven maps was produced at scale 1 : 1 000 000. Three of the maps cover the Canadian Cordillera while the other four cover the Arctic islands and northern Labrador. The first map of the series, “Glacier map of southern British Columbia and Alberta”, was published in 1965 (Reference Falconer, Falconer, Henoch and ØstremFalconer and others, 1966) and the series was completed in 1969.
For the first two maps covering part of the Cordillera in British Columbia, Alberta and south-eastern Alaska the projection is Lambert conformai conic with standard parallels lat. 49° N. and 77° N. For the remainder of the glacier maps, Lambert conformai conic projections with two standard parallels have been drafted for each map.
Hydrography was compiled from an enlarged version of the map of British Columbia (of the MCR 3 series of six maps of Canada) published at scale 1 : 2000000 in 1962. Where necessary the shorelines and the hydrography were modified using 1 : 250000 and 1 : 500000 topographical map series. Shore outline and hydrography of the remaining sheets of the glacier maps have been compiled from 1 : 1 000 000 aeronautical charts and from 1 : 250000 and 1 : 500000 topographical map series.
To compile the series, all glaciers shown on the best available topographic maps were outlined with heavy ink lines. The maps were photographically reduced and the glaciers replotted at the scale of 1 : 1 000 000.
On the glacier maps of the Canadian Cordillera, glaciers are shown in purple on a white background. On the glacier maps of the Queen Elizabeth Islands, Baffin Island and northern Labrador, the land is shown in brown and the glaciers in white, giving a more realistic impression without sacrificing the accuracy of glacier information.
On each map, the Canadian National Topographic System grid has been superimposed to aid reference to source maps. The date and the scale of all source maps are listed on the reverse of the map. Where available, dates of air photographs used in preparation of the source maps are given.
All maps show the location of meteorological stations and snow courses and the glacier map of northern British Columbia and south-eastern Alaska and the glacier map of Yukon Territory and District of Mackenzie show the position of stream measurement stations. The sources of information pertaining to the snow courses, meteorological stations and stream measurement stations are indicated in the map legend.
As an example of the map series the glacier map of northern Baffin Island is enclosed with this issue of the Journal of Glaciology. Copies of the series may be obtained at 50 cents each from the Map Distribution Office, Department of Energy, Mines and Resources, Ottawa, Canada.
