Permeability of active layer sediments and groundwater runoff in Brattegg River catchment, SW Spitsbergen

Abstract

: This paper presents the permeability of the permafrost active layer determined in the Brattegg River catchment (SW Spitsbergen) for the 6-years interval of 2005–2010. The field permeability measurements technique of weathered rocks on various geomorphological forms allows to assess the value of their hydraulic conductivity ( k ). High variability of k values, ranging from 6.37 10 −9 to 4.0 10 −3 m s −1 , indicates the permeability of rocks from very low in clay to very high in gravel-rock rubble. Among the geomorphological forms, the best permeability was observed in boulder covers and rock debris, and the lowest one in patterned ground. The obtained results were used to determine the groundwater runoff ( q tot ), assuming the unit thickness of the active layer aquifer. The q tot value from the Brattegg River catchment was calculated at 130 L s −1 , which is from 15% to 47% of the average surface runoff.