Bedload Dynamics in a Partially Glaciated Catchment: Insights from over One Decade of Measuring Bedload Transport Processes and Future Perspectives Under Climate Change

Glacial retreat is a widely recognised phenomenon, and yet the processes of glaciofluvial bedload in high-alpine river systems remain largely unobserved. This study investigates the impact of hydrological and climatic changes on bedload and water discharge dynamics in the Rofenache catchment in the Ötztal Alps over a 14-year period. Utilising high-resolution bedload data from plate geophones and direct calibration measurements, we analyse water discharge and bedload transport, focusing on hysteresis events influenced by temperature and precipitation. Our findings reveal that water discharge and bedload transport processes are non-linear, with counterclockwise hysteresis dominating; this is consistent with previous studies in glaciated catchment areas. The inclusion of temperature and precipitation data further highlights the significant influence of temperature on hysteresis events in the catchment area. This research provides insights into the bedload dynamics of a high-alpine river under the effects of climate change, emphasising the need for continued monitoring and analysis to understand the evolving interactions between hydrological and sedimentological processes and climatic factors in partially glaciated catchments.