6. CONCLUSIONS
Applying a number of “standard” hydrogeological tools in a high alpine catchment allows the differentiation of multiple recharge sources for and subsequently delayed discharge from a shallow groundwater aquifer, i.e. an active rock glacier. Faster flow through the system is accomplished by suprapermafrost, whereas slower flow by subpermafrost; although intermediate flow paths are to be expected and indicate the complex internal structure of these landforms. Groundwater contribution does play an important role in rock glacier spring discharge, especially during the winter months or periods of little recharge. Ice melt contribution from cirque glaciers within the catchment of the rock glacier spring mask the potential – but likely still negligible - influence of permafrost ice melt during snow-free periods. A future scenario with vanished cirque glaciers, diminishing amounts of permafrost ice within the rock glacier and thereby increasing storage capacity of the shallow groundwater store within the rock glacier might suggest an increasing importance of these (ice-) debris accumulations in shaping the runoff pattern of alpine catchments.
The storage-discharge characteristics of the investigated active rock glacier catchment is an example of a shallow groundwater aquifer in alpine catchments that ought to be considered when analysing (future) river runoff characteristics in alpine catchments as these provide retarded runoff during periods with little to no recharge. The provided steady baseflow and delayed release of water within such an alpine catchment is crucial to understand and critical to sustain ecological diversity in the light of climate change.