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The trajectory and fate of crevassed human waste on DenaliMichael G. Loso, Ph.D.Katelyn Goodwin, MSHaley Williams, BSRich Johnson, BSDustin English, BA*Alaska Pacific University
Matthias Braun, Ph.D.*University of Erlangen
Funded by Denali National Park and Preserve
Loso SS 7/23/2014
The trajectory and fate of crevassed human waste on DenaliMichael G. Loso, Ph.D.Katelyn Goodwin, MSHaley Williams, BSRich Johnson, BSDustin English, BA*Alaska Pacific University
Matthias Braun, Ph.D.*University of Erlangen
Funded by Denali National Park and Preserve
Loso SS 7/23/2014
Loso SS 7/23/2014
The ProblemKahiltna Glacier is the busiest “trail” in the Denali National Park
wilderness, and it has the least capacity to degrade human waste
Cumulative waste burial 1951-2012:
68 metric tons
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
2000
2010
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
Year
Num
ber
of c
limbi
ng a
ttem
pts
Esti
mat
ed a
nnua
l hum
an w
aste
(k
g)
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Our Questions
• Trajectory– Where will it emerge?– When?
• Fate– Bacterial survival in glacial environments?– Present in runoff?
• Solutions– Carbon and cost accounting– Weighing costs and risks
Burial
Emergence
Accumulation zone
Ablation zone
Equilibrium line
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Trajectory I: Glacier velocities
• Stake measurements and feature tracking
• Glacier-wide: 0-400 m/yr• Climbing route: 20-120
m/yr
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Trajectory II: Flowline velocities
Velocities
Elevations
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Trajectory III: Mass balance• ELA 1879 m• Ablation zone gradient 0.0031 m weq/m• Accumulation zone gradient 0.0008 m
weq/m
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Emergence predictions
• Expected first emergence 2025
• With errors, possible now• No evidence yet located
210 years
142 years
102 years71 years
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Effects of climatic warming
warmer / less snow
Emergence times shorten by 13-27% in response to a 10% rise (188 m) in ELA
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Bacterial survival I: Lab experiments
Kat
ie G
oodw
in p
hoto
s
• 150 day freezer experiments• Constant 0° C or modest
freeze-thaw• UV or no UV• Consistent results: no
detectable microbial mortality
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Bacterial survival II: Burial experiment
• One-year waste burial experiment at base camp
• Still biologically active
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Bacterial survival III: surface exposure
10 m
• fecal coliform and E. coli present in pee holes near camps
• Improper disposal common on summit day
• coliform and E. coli present in year old surface samples from 18,900’ and base camp
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Surface runoffContamination in eastern channel of Kahiltna River• E. coli and total coliform• Higher than drinking water
standards, but safe for “recreational waters”
• No contaminants elsewhere
• Consistent with findings of Whiteman et al. (Switzerland, 2005)
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Summary of findings
• Present management strategy mostly effective, along climbing route, in keeping glacier surface clean
• Waste will emerge on glacier surface within decades• Emergent waste will be intact and biologically active• Buried waste already contaminates Kahiltna River• Emergent waste will contaminate surface waters, too
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Solutions
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Carbon and cost accounting: 3 options1. Current Practice
• 1 CMC each• Crevasse-dumping• CMC’s flown off from Base
Camp by air taxis• Most waste remains on
mountain2. Intermediate
• 1 CMC each• No crevasse-dumping• Full CMC’s traded at 14,200
Camp for clean ones, flown off by helicopter
• All waste removed3. Full Packout
• 2 CMC’s each• No crevasse-dumping• All waste carried to Base
Camp, flown off by air taxis• All waste removed
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Carbon and cost accounting II
• Up-front costs dominated by purchase of CMCs
• Operating costs dominated by use (or not) of helicopter
• Up-front emissions dominated by shipping of CMCs from Kansas
• Operating emissions sensitive to use of helicopter and road-hauling to wastewater treatment plant
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Weighing costs and risks
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FINANCIAL SUPPORTDenali National Park and PreserveMurie Science and Learning CenterAlaska Pacific University
FIELD ASSISTANCENPS mountaineering rangers and patrol membersJill MichalakAnthony ArendtJoanna YoungJT Thomas
LAB AND LOGISTICAL SUPPORTRusty MyersJason GeckMatt HeavnerPaul BrusseauChad HultsLouis Sass
Thanks