scholarly journals Variation of Melt Water and Rainfall Runoff and Their Impacts on Streamflow Changes during Recent Decades in Two Tibetan Plateau Basins

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 3112
Author(s):  
Yueguan Zhang ◽  
Chong-Yu Xu ◽  
Zhenchun Hao ◽  
Leilei Zhang ◽  
Qin Ju ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tibetan Plateau ◽  
River Basin ◽  
Minor Role ◽  
Glacier Mass Balance ◽  
Rainfall Runoff ◽  
Snowmelt Runoff ◽  
Total Runoff ◽  
Recent Climate ◽  
Glacier Runoff ◽  
Melt Water

To fully understand potential changes in hydrological regime over the Lhasa River Basin (LRB) and the upstream of Niyang River Basin (UNRB) in Tibetan Plateau under global warming, the VIC-glacier model was employed to analyze the responses of rainfall runoff and melt water to recent climate change, and we also quantify their roles in controlling the trend of river streamflow during 1963–2012. The hydrological model was calibrated using the observed streamflow, glacier mass balance, and MODIS snow cover. The simulations indicate that there is a significant increasing trend in glacier runoff for both basins during 1963–2012, especially in the period of 2000s when it exhibits a large increment up to about 45% relative to baseline period. Rainfall runoff suggests a rising tendency whereas snowmelt runoff displays a general decreasing tendency. For both basins, increasing rainfall runoff was identified as the dominant driver for the upward trend in total runoff during 1963–2012. The role of glacier runoff in controlling the trend of total runoff is also obvious, especially in the more glaciated UNRB where increased glacier runoff accounts for up to 41% of the tendency in river discharge. Snowmelt runoff plays a minor role in affecting the trend of total runoff.

scholarly journals Response of melt water and rainfall runoff to climate change and their roles in controlling streamflow changes of the two upstream basins over the Tibetan Plateau

2019 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
pp. 272-289 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yueguan Zhang ◽  
Zhenchun Hao ◽  
Chong-Yu Xu ◽  
Xide Lai
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Tibetan Plateau ◽  
Dominant Factor ◽  
Model Parameters ◽  
Glacier Mass Balance ◽  
The Tibetan Plateau ◽  
Rainfall Runoff ◽  
Snowmelt Runoff ◽  
Infiltration Capacity ◽  
Total Runoff

Abstract Located in the Tibetan Plateau, the upstream regions of the Mekong River (UM) and the Salween River (US) are very sensitive to climate change. The ‘VIC-glacier‘ model, which links a degree-day glacier algorithm with variable infiltration capacity (VIC) model, was employed and the model parameters were calibrated on observed streamflow, glacier mass balance and MODIS snowcover data. Results indicate that: (1) glacier-melt runoff exhibits a significant increase in both areas by the Mann–Kendall test. Snowmelt runoff shows an increasing trend in the UM, while the US is characterized by a decreasing tendency. In the UM, the snowmelt runoff peak shifts from June in the baseline period 1964–1990 to May for both the 1990s and 2000s; (2) rainfall runoff was considered as the first dominant factor driving changes of river discharge, which could be responsible for over 84% in total runoff trend over the two regions. The glacial runoff illustrates the secondary influence on the total runoff tendency; (3) although the hydrological regime is rain dominated in these two basins, the glacier compensation effect in these regions is obvious, especially in dry years.

scholarly journals Glacier runoff variations since 1955 in the Maipo River basin, in the semiarid Andes of central Chile

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 2005-2027 ◽  
Author(s):  
Álvaro Ayala ◽  
David Farías-Barahona ◽  
Matthias Huss ◽  
Francesca Pellicciotti ◽  
James McPhee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mass Balance ◽  
River Basin ◽  
Climate Scenario ◽  
Glacier Mass Balance ◽  
Time Step ◽  
Ice Melt ◽  
Kinematic Approximation ◽  
Glacier Runoff ◽  
Drought Mitigation ◽  
Year 2000

Abstract. As glaciers adjust their size in response to climate variations, long-term changes in meltwater production can be expected, affecting the local availability of water resources. We investigate glacier runoff in the period 1955–2016 in the Maipo River basin (4843 km2, 33.0–34.3∘ S, 69.8–70.5∘ W), in the semiarid Andes of Chile. The basin contains more than 800 glaciers, which cover 378 km2 in total (inventoried in 2000). We model the mass balance and runoff contribution of 26 glaciers with the physically oriented and fully distributed TOPKAPI (Topographic Kinematic Approximation and Integration)-ETH glacio-hydrological model and extrapolate the results to the entire basin. TOPKAPI-ETH is run at a daily time step using several glaciological and meteorological datasets, and its results are evaluated against streamflow records, remotely sensed snow cover, and geodetic mass balances for the periods 1955–2000 and 2000–2013. Results show that in 1955–2016 glacier mass balance had a general decreasing trend as a basin average but also had differences between the main sub-catchments. Glacier volume decreased by one-fifth (from 18.6±4.5 to 14.9±2.9 km3). Runoff from the initially glacierized areas was 177±25 mm yr−1 (16±7 % of the total contributions to the basin), but it shows a decreasing sequence of maxima, which can be linked to the interplay between a decrease in precipitation since the 1980s and the reduction of ice melt. Glaciers in the Maipo River basin will continue retreating because they are not in equilibrium with the current climate. In a hypothetical constant climate scenario, glacier volume would reduce to 81±38 % of the year 2000 volume, and glacier runoff would be 78±30 % of the 1955–2016 average. This would considerably decrease the drought mitigation capacity of the basin.

scholarly journals A Test of Snowmelt-Runoff Model for a Major River Basin in Western Himalayas

1989 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 167-178 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Dey ◽  
V. K. Sharma ◽  
A. Rango
Keyword(s):  
River Basin ◽  
Lapse Rate ◽  
Western Himalayas ◽  
Rainfall Runoff ◽  
Snowmelt Runoff ◽  
Major River ◽  
Updating Procedure ◽  
Runoff Model ◽  
Kabul River

In the Snowmelt-Runoff Model (SRM), the estimate of discharge volume is based on temperature condition in the form of degree days which are used to melt the snowpack in the area of the basin covered by snow as observed from satellites. Precipitation input is used to add any rainfall runoff to the snowmelt component. When SRM was applied to the large, international Kabul River basin, initial simulations were much above the observed stream flow values. Close inspection revealed several problems in the application of SRM to the Kabul Basin that were easily corrected. Foremost among the corrections were determination of an appropriate lapse rate, substitution of a more representative mean elevation for extrapolation of temperature data, and use of an automatic streamflow updating procedure. These improvements led to a simulation for 1976 that was comparable to other simulations on large, inaccessible basins. As SRM is applied to more basins similar to the Kabul River, the determination of suitable parameters for new basin will be enhanced. Additional improvements in simulations would result from installation of climate stations at the mean elevation of basins and work to assure delivery of timely and reliable satellite snow cover data.

Simulation and analysis of glacier runoff and mass balance in the Nam Co basin, southern Tibetan Plateau

2015 ◽  
Vol 61 (227) ◽  
pp. 447-460 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gao Tanguang ◽  
Kang Shichang ◽  
Lan Cuo ◽  
Zhang Tingjun ◽  
Zhang Guoshuai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tibetan Plateau ◽  
Water Balance ◽  
Mass Balance ◽  
Glacier Mass Balance ◽  
The Tibetan Plateau ◽  
Distributed Hydrological Model ◽  
Index Method ◽  
Glacier Melt ◽  
Glacier Runoff ◽  
Southern Tibetan Plateau

AbstractRunoff estimation in high-altitude glacierized basins is an important issue on the Tibetan Plateau. To investigate glacier mass balance, runoff and water balance in the Qugaqie basin and Zhadang sub-basin in the southern Tibetan Plateau, two glacier models and three snow models were integrated into the spatially distributed hydrological model JAMS/J2K. The results showed that the temperature index method simulated glacier runoff better than the degree-day factor method. The simulated glacier melt volume in the Qugaqie basin in 2006, 2007 and 2008 contributed 58%, 50% and 41%, respectively, to its total runoff. In the Zhadang basin, the glacier melt volume contributed 78% and 66% to its runoff during 2007 and 2008, respectively. Compared with the observation results, the simulated glacier mass balance showed similar variations with slightly higher values, indicating an underestimation of glacier melt volume. The water balance simulation in the upstream areas (705–874 mm) was comparable to that in the downstream areas (1051–1502 mm) and generally lower than the observed results. In both basins, the glacier mass-balance simulation was relatively accurate in the melt season compared to the other seasons.

scholarly journals Estimation of glacial melt contributions to the Bow River, Alberta, Canada, using a radiation-temperature melt model

2014 ◽  
Vol 55 (66) ◽  
pp. 138-152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eleanor A. Bash ◽  
Shawn J. Marshall
Keyword(s):  
River Basin ◽  
Surface Air Temperature ◽  
Late Summer ◽  
Radiation Temperature ◽  
Glacier Mass Balance ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Ice Melt ◽  
Southern Alberta ◽  
Glacier Runoff ◽  
Glacier Ice

AbstractAlberta’s Bow River has its headwaters in the glaciated eastern slopes of the Canadian Rockies and is a major source of water in southern Alberta. Glacial retreat, declining snowpacks and increased water demand are all expected in the coming century, yet there are relatively few studies focusing on quantifying glacial meltwater in the Bow River. We develop a new radiation-temperature melt model for modelling distributed glacier mass balance and runoff in the Bow River basin. The model reflects physical processes through the incorporation of near-surface air temperature and absorbed radiation, while avoiding problems of collinearity through the use of a radiation-decorrelated temperature index. The model is calibrated at Haig Glacier in the southern portion of the basin and validated at Haig and Peyto Glaciers. Application of the model to the entire Bow River basin for 2000-09 shows glacier ice melt is equivalent to 3% of annual discharge in Calgary on average. Modelled ice melt in August is equal to 8-20% of the August Bow River discharge in Calgary. This emphasizes the importance of glacier runoff to late-summer streamflow in the region, particularly in warm, dry years.

scholarly journals Glacier runoff variations since 1955 in the Maipo River Basin, semiarid Andes of central Chile

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Álvaro Ayala ◽  
David Farías-Barahona ◽  
Matthias Huss ◽  
Francesca Pellicciotti ◽  
James McPhee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mass Balance ◽  
River Basin ◽  
Glacier Mass Balance ◽  
Climate Variations ◽  
Central Chile ◽  
Ice Melt ◽  
Glacier Runoff ◽  
Drought Mitigation ◽  
Year 2000

Abstract. As glaciers adjust their size in response to climate variations, long-term changes in meltwater production can be expected, affecting the local availability of water resources. We investigate glacier runoff in the period 1955–2016 in the Maipo River Basin (4 843 km2), semiarid Andes of Chile. The basin contains more than 800 glaciers covering 378 km2 (inventoried in 2000). We model the mass balance and runoff contribution of 26 glaciers with the physically-oriented and fully-distributed TOPKAPI-ETH glacio-hydrological model, and extrapolate the results to the entire basin. TOPKAPI-ETH is run using several glaciological and meteorological datasets, and its results are evaluated against streamflow records, remotely-sensed snow cover and geodetic mass balances for the periods 1955–2000 and 2000–2013. Results show that glacier mass balance had a general decreasing trend as a basin average, but with differences between the main sub-catchments. Glacier volume decreased by one fifth (from 18.6 ± 4.5 to 14.9 ± 2.9 km3). Runoff from the initially glacierized areas was 186 ± 27 mm yr−1 (17 ± 7 % of the total contributions to the basin), but it shows a decreasing sequence of maxima, which can be linked to the interplay between a decrease in precipitation since the 1980s and the reduction of ice melt. If glaciers in the basin were in equilibrium with the climate of the last two decades, their volume would be reduced to 81 ± 38 % of the year 2000 volume, and glacier runoff during dry periods would be 61 ± 24 % of its maximum contribution in the period 1955–2016, considerably decreasing the drought mitigation capacity of the basin.

scholarly journals Glacier runoff and its impact in a highly glacierized catchment in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau: past and future trends

2015 ◽  
Vol 61 (228) ◽  
pp. 713-730 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yong Zhang ◽  
Yukiko Hirabayashi ◽  
Qiao Liu ◽  
Shiyin Liu
Keyword(s):  
Tibetan Plateau ◽  
Climate Models ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Global Climate Models ◽  
Future Trends ◽  
Catchment Scale ◽  
Southeastern Tibetan Plateau ◽  
Total Runoff ◽  
Glacier Runoff ◽  
Debris Cover

AbstractWe investigate past and future trends in glacier runoff and the associated hydrological impacts on river runoff in the Hailuogou catchment, a highly glacierized catchment with extensive debris cover in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau, using a catchment-scale glacio-hydrological model. Past trends in various runoff components of the catchment indicate that glacier runoff has been a large component of total runoff, contributing ∼53.4% of total runoff during the period 1952–2013. Future changes in runoff calculated using the outputs of ten global climate models for representative concentration pathway (RCP) 4.5 and RCP8.5 reveal that glacier runoff plays different roles in the water supply of the catchment for the two RCPs, and the discrepancies between the two RCPs increase in the second half of this century, leading to a considerable difference in the hydrological regime of the catchment. In particular, changes are more remarkable under RCP8.5, under which all glaciers are projected to retreat dramatically and total runoff to decrease slightly by the end of this century. An experimental analysis, in which no debris cover is assumed on glacier ablation zones, indicates that excess meltwater from the debris-covered area provides an 8.1% increase in total runoff relative to the no-debris assumption case.

Simulation of snowmelt runoff and sensitivity analysis in the Nyang River Basin, southeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, China

2019 ◽  
Vol 99 (2) ◽  
pp. 931-950 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haoyu Jin ◽  
Qin Ju ◽  
Zhongbo Yu ◽  
Jie Hao ◽  
Huanghe Gu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sensitivity Analysis ◽  
Tibetan Plateau ◽  
River Basin ◽  
Snowmelt Runoff
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document