Snow and Glacier Resources in the Western Himalayas

Abstract

The snow and glacier resources regulate the water flow in the major river systems in the Himalayan region and are therefore important for the sustainable economic development of the people living in the area. Besides serving as the source of fresh water for the domestic use, snow and glaciers provide water to the huge network of irrigation and hydropower generation schemes in the downstream areas. However, the frozen fresh water resources in the Himalayan region are in continuous state of recession due to changing climate and the subsequent response of the streamflows is a cause of concern. In the state of Jammu and Kashmir, the scenario is no different, and the glaciers in the Kashmir valley are losing mass at an accelerated rate. Pertinently, the streamflow pattern in the valley is changing significantly under the clear indications of the climate change. Despite the tremendous importance of the snow and glacier resources in the region, the Himalayas in general and the Kashmir valley in particular have lagged behind in cryosphere studies. The quantification of the status of the cryosphere, analysis of the changing climate, and the consequential impacts on the streamflow components are very important inputs for judicious management of the water resources in the region. This paper presents a review of the recent work carried out in the Himalayas particularly in the Kashmir valley to get insights into the understanding of the streamflow response to the changing climate.