Development of multiple taliks near settlements on Svalbard – a new source of drinking water for the High Arctic?

Type Article
Acceptance Date 2023-12-18 IN PRESS
Language English
Author(s) Sinitsyn Anatoly O.1, Bazin SaraORCID2, Benestad Rasmus3, Etzelmüller BerndORCID4, Isaksen KetilORCID3, Kvitsand Hanne1, Lutz JuliaORCID3, Popp Andrea L.ORCID4, 5, Rubensdotter Lena6, 7, Westermann Sebastian4
Affiliation(s) 1 : Sintef AS, S.P. Andersens veg 3, Trondheim, N-7031, Norway
2 : Univ Brest, CNRS, Ifremer, IUEM, UMR6538 Geo-Ocean F-29280 Plouzané, France
3 : The Norwegian Meteorological Institute, Oslo, Norway
4 : Department of Geosciences, The University of Oslo, Oslo, norway
5 : Hydrology Research, Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute, Norrköping, Sweden
6 : The Geological Survey of Norway, NGU, Trondheim, N-7491, Norway
7 : The University Centre in Svalbard, UNIS, Longyearbyen, N-9171, Norway
Source EGUSphere (Copernicus GmbH) In Press
DOI 10.5194/egusphere-2023-2950
Keyword(s) talik, water security, groundwater, permafrost, Arctic, Svalbard, climate change
Abstract

This article presents a comprehensive documentation and analysis of long-term observations of year-round groundwater occurrences in rivers and various types of taliks under continuous permafrost conditions on Svalbard. Previously thought to be nonexistent, the existence of these taliks has been confirmed through rigorous field observations, geotechnical investigations, and extensive data collection. This discovery holds pivotal implications for our current understanding of permafrost conditions in central Svalbard. The research reveals the presence of several year-round taliks in close proximity to the settlements in Longyearbyen, Pyramiden, and Ny-Ålesund. Importantly, these findings open up opportunities for using these taliks as groundwater reservoirs for extraction of drinking water, either in natural state or with appropriate engineering modifications. Furthermore, climate change may the possibilities in future by expanding the size of these talik reservoirs due to rising air temperatures and increased inflow of fresh water over prolonged summer . The results underscore the importance of including river taliks in continuous permafrost areas in water management strategies for Svalbard and similar Arctic regions. This research not only challenges prior assumptions but also offers valuable insights for sustainable water resource utilization in a changing climate context.

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How to cite 

Sinitsyn Anatoly O., Bazin Sara, Benestad Rasmus, Etzelmüller Bernd, Isaksen Ketil, Kvitsand Hanne, Lutz Julia, Popp Andrea L., Rubensdotter Lena, Westermann Sebastian. Development of multiple taliks near settlements on Svalbard – a new source of drinking water for the High Arctic? EGUSphere IN PRESS. Publisher's official version : https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2950 , Open Access version : https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00869/98132/