Articles | Volume 30, issue 6
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-30-1735-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-30-1735-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
31 Mar 2026
Research article |
| 31 Mar 2026
| 31 Mar 2026
Water flow timing, quantity, and sources in a fractured high mountain permafrost rock wall
Department of Natural Sciences, Open University of Israel, Ra'anana, Israel
Antoine Chabas
EDYTEM, Université Savoie Mont-Blanc,CNRS, Chambéry, France
Jean-Yves Josnin
EDYTEM, Université Savoie Mont-Blanc,CNRS, Chambéry, France
Josué Bock
EDYTEM, Université Savoie Mont-Blanc,CNRS, Chambéry, France
Emmanuel Malet
EDYTEM, Université Savoie Mont-Blanc,CNRS, Chambéry, France
Amaël Poulain
TRAQUA S.A., Namur, Belgium
Yves Perrette
EDYTEM, Université Savoie Mont-Blanc,CNRS, Chambéry, France
Florence Magnin
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
EDYTEM, Université Savoie Mont-Blanc,CNRS, Chambéry, France
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Short summary
We studied how water moves through fractured rock walls in a high mountain area in the Alps. Using sensors and tracers over two years, in a high-altitude site, we tracked where the water came from and when it flowed. Most of it came from melting snow, but some came from rain and older ice. The results show that heat and water flow can speed up the melting of frozen ground, which may affect mountain stability. This helps us understand how climate change influences these fragile environments.
We studied how water moves through fractured rock walls in a high mountain area in the Alps....
