Zanden Frederick
Zanden Frederick is a Physical Science Technician for the Alaska Science Center.
Science and Products
Glaciers and Landscape Change
Mountain glaciers are dynamic reservoirs of frozen water, deeply interconnected with their surrounding ecosystems. Glacier change in North America has major societal impacts, including to water resources, natural hazard risk, tourism disruption, fisheries, and global sea level change. Understanding and quantifying precise connections between changing glaciers, the surrounding landscape and climate...
Mass Balance Methods: Measuring Glacier Change
Nearly all of Earth's alpine glaciers are losing mass, with consequences for freshwater resources, landscape stability, regional ecosystems, and global sea level. Rates of glacier mass loss in Western North America and Alaska are among the highest on Earth (The GlaMBIE Team, 2025).
Additional Research Glaciers
The USGS Glacier Project has conducted research beyond the Benchmark Glaciers, both past and present. This work has focused on infrastructure hazards, rapid glacier change, landscape destabilization, and glacier dynamics and processes not captured by the Benchmark Glacier network. These glaciers include Black Rapids, Kahiltna, Kennicott, Columbia, Hubbard, and Taku.
Wolverine Glacier
Wolverine Glacier is located in the high-latitude maritime climate regime of Alaska’s Kenai Mountains. Glacier observations began at this site in 1966.
Gulkana Glacier
Gulkana Glacier is located in the high-latitude continental climate regime of Alaska’s Delta Mountains. Glacier observations began at this site in 1966 and continue through present as the northern most USGS Benchmark Glacier.
Lemon Creek Glacier
Lemon Creek Glacier is located in the high-latitude maritime region of Alaska, at the southernmost tip of the Juneau Icefield. Glacier observations began at this site in 1953.
2025 USGS Benchmark Glaciers Executive Summary
2025 Data Now Available: Explore how the USGS Benchmark Glaciers have changed in 2025
Science and Products
Glaciers and Landscape Change
Mountain glaciers are dynamic reservoirs of frozen water, deeply interconnected with their surrounding ecosystems. Glacier change in North America has major societal impacts, including to water resources, natural hazard risk, tourism disruption, fisheries, and global sea level change. Understanding and quantifying precise connections between changing glaciers, the surrounding landscape and climate...
Mass Balance Methods: Measuring Glacier Change
Nearly all of Earth's alpine glaciers are losing mass, with consequences for freshwater resources, landscape stability, regional ecosystems, and global sea level. Rates of glacier mass loss in Western North America and Alaska are among the highest on Earth (The GlaMBIE Team, 2025).
Additional Research Glaciers
The USGS Glacier Project has conducted research beyond the Benchmark Glaciers, both past and present. This work has focused on infrastructure hazards, rapid glacier change, landscape destabilization, and glacier dynamics and processes not captured by the Benchmark Glacier network. These glaciers include Black Rapids, Kahiltna, Kennicott, Columbia, Hubbard, and Taku.
Wolverine Glacier
Wolverine Glacier is located in the high-latitude maritime climate regime of Alaska’s Kenai Mountains. Glacier observations began at this site in 1966.
Gulkana Glacier
Gulkana Glacier is located in the high-latitude continental climate regime of Alaska’s Delta Mountains. Glacier observations began at this site in 1966 and continue through present as the northern most USGS Benchmark Glacier.
Lemon Creek Glacier
Lemon Creek Glacier is located in the high-latitude maritime region of Alaska, at the southernmost tip of the Juneau Icefield. Glacier observations began at this site in 1953.
2025 USGS Benchmark Glaciers Executive Summary
2025 Data Now Available: Explore how the USGS Benchmark Glaciers have changed in 2025