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