New Delhi, Mar 6 (UNI) The cracks in the snout of Gangotri Glacier is because of the recession of the majority of Himalayan glaciers due to high temperatures during summer months and sub-normal snowfall, a Geological Survey of India (GSI) report has said.
The development of cracks in the snout region of a glacier and its recession was 'quite natural' and the process related to a phenomenon known as calving of snout region, the GSI told the Mining Ministry.
The causative factors for the receding Himalayan glaciers may be subnormal snowfall, higher temperature during summer, less severe winter and a combination of all of these factors, the GSI said.
If the present scenario of receding glaciers is accelerated, there may be some reduction in the river discharge. However, the major part of the discharge is contributed by snow fall and precipitation which is likely to go up with global warming.
The contiguous retreat of glaciers may lead to marginal shortage of water in the Himalayan rivers, However, a major part of the glacier melt runoff is released during June-September period which is the time for monsoon activity. Thus marginal decrease in glacier contribution may be compensated by increased monsoon activity, the report has opined.
The report also felt that the recession can be checked to a very limited extent (site specific only) through artificial measures by spray of saw dust/chemicals over the surface of the glacier ice for limited period, Minister of State for Water Resources, Jai Prakash Narayan Yadav told Mr Abu Asim Azmi in Rajya Sabha.
UNI
The development of cracks in the snout region of a glacier and its recession was 'quite natural' and the process related to a phenomenon known as calving of snout region, the GSI told the Mining Ministry.
The causative factors for the receding Himalayan glaciers may be subnormal snowfall, higher temperature during summer, less severe winter and a combination of all of these factors, the GSI said.
If the present scenario of receding glaciers is accelerated, there may be some reduction in the river discharge. However, the major part of the discharge is contributed by snow fall and precipitation which is likely to go up with global warming.
The contiguous retreat of glaciers may lead to marginal shortage of water in the Himalayan rivers, However, a major part of the glacier melt runoff is released during June-September period which is the time for monsoon activity. Thus marginal decrease in glacier contribution may be compensated by increased monsoon activity, the report has opined.
The report also felt that the recession can be checked to a very limited extent (site specific only) through artificial measures by spray of saw dust/chemicals over the surface of the glacier ice for limited period, Minister of State for Water Resources, Jai Prakash Narayan Yadav told Mr Abu Asim Azmi in Rajya Sabha.
UNI
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