From a Glacier's Perspective

December 26, 2016

Samudra Tapu Glacier, India Accelerated Retreat 1998-2016

Landsat Comparison from 1998 and 2016 of Samudra Tapu Glacier, India. Red arrow is the 1998 terminus, yellow arrow the 2016 terminus, green arrow a subsidiary glacier tongue, red line and dots the snowline and pink arrow an area indicating a water level decline in the lake. Samudra Tapu Glacier is one of the largest in the Chenab Basin, India. Maanya et al (2016) indicate the glacier terminates at 4150 …

September 16, 2012

Malana Glacier Retreat, Himachal Pradesh, India

The Malana Glacier (top image) is at the headwaters of the Malana River in the Himachal Pradesh of India. The glacier feeds the Malana Hydropower Plant (second image) a 108 MW run of river hydropower plant, that lacks a significant reservoir. The Malana River than flows into the Parbati and Beas River. Malana Glacier runoff once in the Beas River feeds hydropower facilities at Larji (120MW: third image), which alters …

October 21, 2010

Sara Umaga (Tos) Glacier, India snowline rise and retreat-Hydropower

Sara Umaga Glacier drains into the Beas River in the Himachal Pradesh region of India. The glacier has retreated over 1600 meters since initial 1970. The glacier is also a key water source for hydropower, this will be detailed below. The glacier is 15 km long extending from 5600 m to 3900 m. The glacier has retreated at a rate of 44 meters/year from 1989-2004 (Kulkarni, 2005). The glacier is …

January 20, 2010

Gangotri Glacier Retreat Continues 2013 and Hydropower

In India the Gangotri Glacier is the largest glacier at the headwaters of the Bhagirathi River. The false-color image below provided by NASA shows the retreat of Gangotri Glacier, situated in the Uttarkashi District of Garhwal Himalaya. It is one of the larger glaciers in the Himalaya, and like all of the nearby Himalayan glaciers is retreating significantly. The Bharigrathi River has the Tehri Dam, a 2400 mw hydropower facility. …