Himalayan Glaciers

Aim: To be able to understand how and why glaciers prove useful to humans.

Glaciers are useful for a variety of reasons including; 

• Glacial Meltwater - especially for the Himalayas - this meltwater can provide the water supply to many, including those previously threatened in Asia. Half of the worlds population live here and below states why glaciers are important otherwise the region will be at risk 

• REGIONS AT RISK CASE STUDY: HIMALAYAN GLACIERS (WWF NEPAL PROGRAMME 2005)
  
  
  FACTS:
• Retreat since 1850.

• Feed seven of Asia’s great rivers: Ganga, Indus, Brahmaputra, Salween, Mekong, Yangtze and Huang He.

• Ensure a year round water supply to billions of people.

• Since mid 1970s the average air temperature in the Himalayan region rose by 1°C.

• New Scientist article “Flooded Out – Retreating Glaciers Spell Disaster for Valley Communities” 5^th June 1999 quoted Professor Syed Hasnain “most of the glaciers in the Himalayan region will vanish within 40 years as a result of global warming” and freshwater flow in rivers across South Asia will diminish and create shortages.

• Khumbu Glacier: a popular climbing route to the summit of Mt Everest has retreated over 5km since Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay set out to conquer the world’s highest mountain in 1953.

EFFECTS:

• FRESHWATER: Low flow contribution of Himalayan rivers during the dry season is from snow and glaciers melt. The runoff supplies communities with water for drinking, irrigation and industry and vital for river and riparian habitats. The accelerated melting of glaciers will cause an increase in river levels, leading to floods and landslides.

• HAZARDS: Frequency of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods will increase, costing lives, property and infrastructure. 1988 – outburst of Tam Pokhari in Nepal killed two, destroyed more than six bridges and washed away arable land. Loss worth over 150 million rupees (£1 300 000)

•  ECONOMIC: The implications for industry extend beyond ‘energy’: chemical, steel, paper and mining industries that rely directly on river/stream water supply would be seriously affected. Reduced irrigation would lower crop production which would lower available food and thus malnutrition.

 Figure 2: Map illustrating the location of the Himalayas (Qwickstep,2010)

Figure 3: Image illustrating a Himalayan glacier (Hoffman, 2009)