In May 2022, the Ministry of Public Works, through its General Water Authority (DGA), published the Inventario Público de Glaciares 2022 [2022 Public Glacier Inventory]. In this report, 26,169 glaciers in Chile were recorded, covering an area of 21,009.79 km², which represents approximately 2.8% of the national territory (excluding the Chilean Antarctic). These glaciers contained an estimated 2,710.7 km³ of ice, equivalent to 2,301.5 km³ of water.
This latest iteration of the inventory, developed between 2019 and 2022, stands out for its refined methodological approach. A major advancement was the use of higher-resolution satellite imagery, a factor that allowed researchers to identify hundreds of glaciers missed in previous studies and to rectify the classification of snow patches that were formerly mistaken for glaciers in the first survey.
Fundación Glaciares Chilenos had the opportunity to interview Alexis Segovia Rocha—a professional from the Division of Hydrology, Glaciology, and Snow at the General Water Authority (DGA) of the Ministry of Public Works and a professor at the University of Chile. During this interview, he addressed essential questions to better understand the impact of the Public Glacier Inventory (IPG), covering topics such as the process of creating this survey, its importance for decision-making by authorities, environmental protection, and scientific research.
To fully grasp the significance of the Public Glacier Inventory (IPG), it’s essential to explore its fundamental definition, its primary objective, and its evolution over time.
“The Public Glacier Inventory (IPG) is an effort to record as much of the ice in the country as possible—both in terms of number and glacial surface area—and to generate highly relevant information about the Chilean cryosphere, so that we can conduct studies and see the relevance of these ice bodies and examine the characteristics of the country’s different macro-regions,” explains Alexis Segovia.
“The first national glacier inventory was conducted between 2008 and 2014 by the General Water Authority (DGA), (…) and this effort was repeated in 2019 and completed in 2022, marking the second National Glacier Inventory.”
Below, some of the most relevant data from the 2022 Public Glacier Inventory will be presented.
Distribution of glacier surface area (km²) by region according to the 2022 Public Glacier Inventory (IPG). The chart illustrates that the Magallanes and Aysén regions account for the vast majority of the country’s glaciated territory in terms of total area.
Segovia points out that “Both inventories were developed nearly 100% using satellite imagery (…) with 96% comprising Landsat 8 imagery at 15 meters and Sentinel 2 imagery at 10 meters. Regarding rock glaciers, imagery ranging from Google Earth to the PlanetScope satellite—which offers 3-meter resolution—was utilized. (…) These images must meet certain criteria; specifically, they must be cloud-free, otherwise the glaciers cannot be seen, and secondly, they should ideally be from the end of the summer season (…) in this inventory, it’s evident that many glaciers are larger than in the previous one because the improved imagery (2022) allowed for the mapping and recording of debris-covered zones with higher resolution, which weren’t considered in the previous inventory.”
Alexis Segovia, glaciologist at the General Water Authority of the Ministry of Public Works, and professor at the University of Chile. Photo taken at the El Tapado glacier, Coquimbo Region. Photo by Daniela Carrión.
*The Aysén Region has the largest number of glaciers in the country, but it doesn’t have the largest total glacier area; that distinction belongs to the Magallanes and Chilean Antarctic Region.
A common question is: What is the significance of the Public Glacier Inventory? Alexis explains: “Knowing the quantity of glaciers and the ice surface area allows us to estimate the volume of ice stored in the mountains, and this volume can be translated into the equivalent amount of water stored there (…) therefore, knowing the volume of water stored in the mountains is crucial information regarding the water crisis. Additionally, knowing the percentage of glaciation within certain basins allows us to estimate the true contribution of the glacier to those basins based on total water levels. (…) From an ecosystem perspective, it helps us conduct estimates within protected wild areas, which harbor a significant number of glaciers. It is estimated that between 83% and 86% of the ice surface area is within the National System of Protected Wild Areas (SNASPE).”
*It should be noted that the largest glacier in Chile is the Pío XI glacier; however, the IPG2022 doesn’t include the surface area within the zone pending demarcation, as established by the “Agreement between the Republic of Chile and the Argentine Republic to specify the boundary line from Mount Fitz Roy to Mount Daudet” of December 1998.
Pío XI glacier, Magallanes Region, Chile. Photo: Adam Spencer.
Within the context of the importance of the Public Glacier Inventory (IPG) of Chile, it’s fundamental to understand how the data they provide is used and how various institutions—both national and international—are involved in its development and implementation.
The data provided by the inventory is used primarily by “research centers, universities, companies involved in environmental consulting, the Ministry of the Environment, and law projects that have been discussed in some time. All of these use the data of the Public Glacier Inventory.”
The DGA bases its glacier inventory methodology on the UNESCO standard regarding glacier mapping (…) as well as glacier classification standards—whether it’s a mountain glacier, a valley glacier, a glacieret, a rock glacier, and so on. We also take into consideration other institutions, such as the IPA (International Permafrost Association), whose guidelines we follow for the mapping of rock glaciers.”
Comparison with the 2014 Inventory
The survey reports an increase of 2,055 glaciers (about 8%) compared to the first inventory in 2014; this is mainly because, over the past 15 years, many have fragmented into smaller ice bodies. On the other hand, there has been an approximate 8% loss in ice surface area due to glacial melting.
Alexis adds: “While it’s true that, given the inexperience we had in 2014, certain methodologies have since been improved—thanks to technology and better imagery—so the two glacier inventories are not strictly comparable.”
Final conclusions
The relevance of the Public Glacier Inventory in Chile is essential for understanding and addressing the environmental challenges we face. This detailed survey provides specific information about the quantity, location, and characteristics of the glaciers, which is fundamental for the sustainable management of our water resources and for adapting to climate change.
As Alexis says: “The main conclusions of this inventory are that there has been a retreat or loss of glacier area in the country, and that many glaciers that were single bodies 15 years ago have fragmented—a global trend (…) it must be noted that the fact that we have more glaciers doesn’t mean that new glaciers have formed over the last 15 years; instead, it’s a result of the shrinkage of these ice bodies as they fragment.”
The inventory has become an invaluable tool for political decision-making, environmental planning, and scientific research related to the Chilean cryosphere. Furthermore, it allows us to understand the impact of the glacier retreat and its relation to the water shortage in the country.
This inventory represents a significant advancement compared to the 2014 edition; for instance: “The debris-covered portions of glaciers that were previously unmapped were included, representing a greater effort to incorporate both these sections and entirely new glaciers (…) in fact, over 1,200 rock glaciers were detected that hadn’t been mapped in 2014, as the technology at the time made it extremely difficult.”
Alexis highlights an important detail: “This new inventory underwent a peer review process; that is, when the 2022 inventory was nearly finalized, it was sent to 60 individuals and organizations—including institutions, foundations, NGOs, and universities—with expertise in glaciology for comments and observations. These contributions make this inventory far more robust than the 2014 version, as it had the opportunity to be reviewed by subject matter experts. We evaluated and corrected every observation received and subsequently followed up with the person or institution that provided the feedback.”
As Fundación Glaciares Chilenos, we believe that glacier conservation and environmental protection are urgent tasks that cannot be postponed. It’s everyone’s responsibility to unite in the defense of our natural resources and take effective action to preserve them for future generations.
O’Higgins glacier, Aysén Region, Chile. Photo: Richard Bezzaza.
Links of Interest
- 2022 Public Glacier Inventory: Link
- Complete interview with Alexis Segovia Rocha: Link
- Types of glaciers: Link
Featured Image:
San Quintín glacier, Magallanes Region, Chile / ©NasaEarth
