Abstract
Most of the temperature-based studies in the Himalayan basins used a constant value of 0.65 °C/100 m as the near-surface lapse rate parameter. However, studies on lapse rate have established that it varies with location as well as with the time of the year. In this study, three scenarios were tested: (i) constant lapse rate of 0.65 °C/100 m; (ii) constant lapse rate specific to Eastern Himalayas; and (iii) monthly varying lapse rate specific to Eastern Himalayas. It was found that the snowmelt model WinSRM captured the observed hydrograph more efficiently when constant lapse rate of 0.5 °C/100 m (specifically determined for Eastern Himalayas from observed temperature data) was used compared to monthly varied lapse rate or constant lapse rate of 0.65 °C/100 m. Based on the results obtained, a constant near-surface lapse rate of 0.5 °C/100 m is recommended for the temperature-index based snowmelt models in the Eastern Himalayas.
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