DST-Centre for Excellence in Climate Change, Divecha Centre for Climate Change, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, 560 012, India.
Environ Monit Assess. 2022 Jul 13;194(8):583. doi: 10.1007/s10661-022-10261-y.
Water requirements of the mountain communities living in the Himalaya are supported by snow and glacier melt. The availability of water from the source depends on numerous climatic and glacier parameters. One key parameter is mass balance, which helps to assess the glacier health and future water availability. We have used the improved accumulation area ratio (IAAR) method to estimate mass balance in Alaknanda and Bhagirathi basins, constituting 1055 glaciers covering ~1609 km. The mean Equilibrium Line Altitude (ELA) of the Alaknanda and Bhagirathi basins are estimated as 6147 ± 130 and 5985 ± 130 m.a.s.l, respectively. The mass balance is estimated using the accumulation area ratio (AAR)-mass balance relationship. The mean specific mass balance of the Alaknanda and Bhagirathi for 2001-2013 is estimated as -1.1 ± 0.03 m.w.e.a and -1.01 ± 0.07 m.w.e.a, respectively. Total mass loss from the study area is calculated as ~21.4 ± 1.1Gt during this period. The loss of glaciers in the mountain area will increase the vulnerability of communities living in the region. It suggests a need for better adaptation strategies to improve the resilience of high mountain communities.
生活在喜马拉雅山的山区社区的水资源需求由雪和冰川融化提供。水源的可用性取决于众多气候和冰川参数。一个关键参数是质量平衡，它有助于评估冰川的健康状况和未来的水资源可用性。我们使用改进的积累区比率 (IAAR) 方法来估计阿拉克南达和巴格里亚蒂流域的质量平衡，这些流域包含了 1055 条覆盖约 1609 公里的冰川。阿拉克南达和巴格里亚蒂流域的平均平衡线高度 (ELA) 分别估计为 6147±130 和 5985±130 m.a.s.l。质量平衡是通过积累区比率 (AAR) - 质量平衡关系来估计的。阿拉克南达和巴格里亚蒂在 2001-2013 年的平均特定质量平衡分别估计为-1.1±0.03 m.w.e.a 和-1.01±0.07 m.w.e.a。在此期间，研究区的总质量损失计算为约 21.4±1.1Gt。山区冰川的消融会增加该地区居民的脆弱性。这表明需要更好的适应策略来提高高山社区的适应能力。
