Table 1. Basic characteristics of the three catchments.

Catchment	Val Roseg	Loetschental	Macun
Coordinates	9°53′53′′E, 46°29′24′′N	07°49'03''E, 46°25'08''N	10°07'31''E, 46°43'51''N
Altitude [m a.s.l.]	1766–4049	1375–3200	2616–3046
Catchment area [km2], (% glaciated)	66.5 (30.1)	77.8 (36.5)	3.6 (18.8)*
Annual precipitation [m]	1.6	1.1	0.9
Mean discharge [m3 s−1]	28.5	37.2	ND
Mean water temperature of main channel [°C] (range)	3.6 (1–12)	4 (0.1–10.9)	2.9 (0.1–19.2)
Interconnected lakes	No	No	Yes
Geology, dominating minerals	Crystalline bedrock, diorite, granite	Crystalline bedrock, amphibolite, gneiss	Crystalline bedrock, ortho-gneiss

Abbreviation: ND, no data; *rock glaciers.