Climate Number: 229 Trillion Gallons
Each year, rivers originating in the surrounding mountains and forests send an average of 229 trillion gallons of freshwater into the Gulf of Alaska. The amount of water flowing into the Gulf and when most of the flow occurs affects how salty the waters in the Gulf are. How salty these waters are affects the currents along the shore, which can impact local weather. Salinity variation has also been linked to primary production in the Gulf, which has implications for salmon populations – an important component of the regional economy. Glaciers cover about 30,000 square miles (18 percent) of the Gulf’s drainage area. Melt water from these glaciers currently accounts for about 47 percent of the freshwater discharge, a percentage that has been growing. Over the last few decades, these glaciers have been increasing their annual contribution to the Gulf waters by an average of one trillion gallons each year.
For comparison: 229 trillion gallons is about double the amount of water in Lake Erie.
Seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall
Source: Neal, EG et al. “Contribution of glacier runoff to freshwater discharge into the Gulf of Alaska.” Geophysical Research Letters 37 (2010): LO6404.
