Mapping of Ganga River Basin
Recently, the Ministry of Jal Shakti has released the Glacial Lake Atlas of the Ganges River Basin.
In this, the Ganges river basin is divided into 11 sub-basins on the basis of the confluence of the major rivers that contribute to it.
The atlas has been developed under the National Hydrology Project (NHP) using hydrological studies of the National Remote Sensing Centre, ISRO.
Key findings:
- A total of 4,707 glacial lakes in the Ganges river basin have been mapped and each has been assigned a unique Glacial Lake Identification Number.
- There are glacial lakes in only 6 sub-basins, mainly located in the Kosi and Ghaghra sub-basins.
- The minimum number of glacial lakes exists in the Yamuna sub-basin.
- Uttarakhand accounts for 50 percent of the number of lakes, followed by Himachal Pradesh at 8.50 percent.
Expected utility of the atlas:
- Provides an authentic database to monitor regular or periodic changes (expansion/contraction) in spatial extent and the formation of new lakes.
- Significant glacial lakes and consequent glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) risk identification and disaster management.
- Will be helpful in preparation of detailed project report for new hydropower/multipurpose project.
About National Hydrology Project (NHP)
- The NHP, initiated by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, aims to improve the dissemination, quality and accessibility of water resource information and strengthen the capacity of targeted water resource management institutions in India.
- As part of this, a comprehensive glacial lake inventory, glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) risk prioritization and glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) simulation for selected lakes covering the Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra river basins were undertaken. It is used for the entire catchment of Himalayan rivers.
Source – PIB
