Vetle Supphellebreen glacier is shrinking
The glacier has retreated over 100 meters since 2011
On behalf of NVE (Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate), we perform front position measurements on several glaciers in the vicinity of Fjærland. Bøyabreen and Store Supphellebreen glaciers have been measured over many years, but due to major changes in the regenerated glaciers due to melting, we could no longer perform precise measurements.
That's why we started measuring the front of Vetle Supphellebreen in 2011. This glacier is located in Supphelledalen valley in Fjærland, opposite its slightly larger and better-known siblings Bøyabreen glacier (in the far west) and Store Supphellebreen glacier (in the middle). Due to leave, the glacier was not measured in 2022. Since 2021, the glacier has shrunk 73 meters. In comparison, the glacier "only" decreased by just over 30 meters from 2011 to 2021. Large changes in the last two years may be coincidental, but not surprising in an increasingly warmer climate.
Figure 1: Section of Jostedalsbreen south (Source: NVE's online glacier atlas).
Vetle Supphellebreen glacier has an area of just over 7 square kilometers. In comparison, Bøyabreen is 13.8 and Store Supphellebreen 12.7 square kilometers. Unlike its larger siblings, Vetle Supphellebreen has a front that is relatively easy to measure. Access, on the other hand, is more difficult, with a long hike into Supphelledalen valley before reaching the front at around 800 meters above sea level.
The front of Vetle Supphellebreen can be seen at the top left of the picture. Supphelleskaret, and the path towards Veitastrondi, is to the right (Photo: Pål Hage Kielland).
The fact that this glacier is shrinking is not unique today. NVE conducts and collects measurements from all over the country, and the trend has been negative for many years, especially since 2000. The first frontal position measurements on Norwegian glaciers started at the end of the 19th century and some glaciers have over 100 years of continuous measurements. Below we have made a comparison with the first image taken of Vetle Supphellebreen in 1884 and a more recent image from 2015. In the old days, the glacier covered the entire area south of Supphelleskaret. Measurements on the glacier started in 1899 by state geologist John B. Rekstad, and this continued until 1944. The glacier shrank about 450 meters during these years.
Comparison of Vetle Supphellebreen in 1884 (NGU/Steensrup) and 2015 (Kielland).
We saw starting up a measurement series for this glacier as an important contribution to the monitoring of Norwegian glaciers, in addition to our social mission of collecting, creating and disseminating knowledge about glaciers and climate. Norwegian Glacier Museum also measures the front position of Haugabreen glacier in Jølster, but this measurement has not yet been carried out in 2023 due to demanding access.
