Locating Bulk Water within the Tête Rousse Glacier (French Alps) Using the MRS Method

Under mountain conditions accumulation of water in high reservoirs may present a natural hazard for local population and infrastructures. One of the possible water sources could be glaciers with melting ice. Examples of water accumulation that caused catastrophe events are known in history. The main objective of our study was to investigate the possibility of accumulation of non-frozen water within the Tête Rousse glacier (Massif of Mont Blanc, altitude of 3200 m). The fieldwork was carried out in September, 2009. For detecting bulk water we applied the Magnetic Resonance Sounding method (MRS) selectively sensitive to groundwater. We performed nine soundings with 80×80 m2 square loop that covered the major part of the glacier. MRS measurements allowed us to detect bulk water with a high degree of reliability and to locate the principal water storage area. The total volume of the water was estimated with MRS between 60000 and 70000 m3. This result will be verified during the summer 2010 by using additional geophysical measurements and boreholes.