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12-14 September, 2011, Lucknow - Earth Science India

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National Conference on <strong>Science</strong> of Climate Change and <strong>Earth</strong>’s Sustainability: Issues and Challenges ‘A Scientist-People Partnership’<br />

<strong>12</strong>-<strong>14</strong> <strong>September</strong>, <strong>2011</strong>, <strong>Lucknow</strong><br />

EVOLUTION OF SUBGLACIAL DRAINAGE SYSTEM IN<br />

HIMALAYAN GLACIERS DURING ABLATION SEASON-<br />

A CASE STUDY FROM BHAGIRATHI BASIN OF<br />

GLACIERS, GARHWAL HIMALAYA<br />

Amit Kumar 1 , Pratap Singh 2 and Naval Kishore 1<br />

1 Department of Geology, Panjab University, Chandigarh<br />

2 TAHAL <strong>India</strong>, 311, 3rd Floor, Ansal Bhawan 16, Kasturba Gandhi Marg, New Delhi – 110 001<br />

email: amithydrocoin@gmail.com<br />

Himalayan rivers are the continuous source of water because of having huge<br />

amount of snow and glacier covered areas. Runoff contribution from the glaciers to<br />

Himalayan rivers starts in the month of May after depletion of accumulated seasonal<br />

snow, depending upon the climatic conditions. Presently, Himalaya is under increasing<br />

pressure due to growing demand for fresh water in the country due to increasing<br />

population and industrial development. Hydrological investigations of Himalayan<br />

glaciers become inevitable because of their importance mainly as water resources, as<br />

well as in hydroelectric power generation. Number of projects like Bhakra at Satluj and<br />

Tehri at Bhagirathi and other Runoff river projects heavily depend on melt runoff<br />

generated from melting of snow and glaciers. Melt contribution from these glaciers<br />

continues till October. To understand melt generation processes from glaciated basins,<br />

two glaciers from Bhagirathi basin have been selected for the present study. Gangotri<br />

and Dokriani are well known glaciers from Garhwal Himalaya, dimensions of these two<br />

glaciers are different, so comparative results also suggest the general picture of melting<br />

processes. Analysis of discharge and air temperature suggested that melt-water<br />

generated from these glaciers come into sight as runoff with different time–lags during<br />

ablation season (May-Oct). In order to understand this, hourly temperature and<br />

discharge data were collected near the snout of the glaciers (3800 m.a.s.l) for the entire<br />

ablation period (May-Oct). In the early stages of advancement of ablation season, merge<br />

drainage network due to the seasonal snow cover resulted runoff with higher time lag at<br />

snout. The time-lag is reduced with the advancement in melt season because of the<br />

efficient and well developed drainage network. The channelized drainage system results<br />

due to the exposed ice surface, reduction of snow covered area and snow depth.<br />

<strong>12</strong>

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