IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/nathaz/v115y2023i3d10.1007_s11069-022-05661-9.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Assessment of climate change impacts on glacio-hydrological processes and their variations within critical zone

Author

Listed:
  • Muhammad Shafeeque

    (University of Bremen
    Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Northwest A&F University
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Yi Luo

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
    CAS Research Center for Ecology and Environment of Central Asia)

  • Arfan Arshad

    (Oklahoma State University)

  • Sher Muhammad

    (International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD))

  • Muhammad Ashraf

    (Khawaja Fareed University of Engineering and Information Technology)

  • Quoc Bao Pham

    (Thu Dau Mot University)

Abstract

The quantitative assessment of glacier changes and freshwater availability under future climate change is inevitable for sustainable water resources management and preventing natural disasters. Limiting the uncertainties in glacio-hydrological modeling and exploring spatiotemporal distributions of runoff and its components along the vertical profile are critical for such investigations. The present study quantifies glacio-hydrological changes using the Spatial Processes in HYdrology (SPHY) model forced by CMIP6 climate data (shared socioeconomic pathways: SSP126, SSP245, and SSP585) in the Upper Indus Basin (UIB) over twenty-first century. The model was calibrated based on in situ glacier changes, snow cover changes, and streamflow records to avoid the risk of equifinality. Variations in vertical distribution of runoff components and their impact on glacio-hydrology were investigated using the critical zone approach. The projected remaining glacier area is 55 ± 10%, 32 ± 17%, and 15 ± 5%, and freshwater availability is reduced by − 12 ± 5%, − 30 ± 7%, and − 36 ± 6% in 2100, compared with 2005–2014, under SSP126, SSP245, and SSP585, respectively. The average changes in snowmelt, glacier melt, baseflow, and rain-runoff contributions to total runoff under SSP245 are projected as 25 ± 15%, − 30 ± 11%, − 20 ± 16%, and 242 ± 71%, respectively. The critical zone (3500 – 5500 masl) contributes 63% of total runoff during the reference period, with a significant reduction (51–81%) in the projected period, indicating a diminishing influence of glacier runoff (with 50% reduction) in future hydrology compared with historical period. In turn, low flows (October–March) are projected to increase (9 − 58%), and high flows (April–September) will likely decrease (− 2 to − 13%). Warming temperature was identified as the dominant driver for the glacier area changes (r = − 0.85*) and total runoff (r = − 0.75*) at 0.05 level of significance. Our findings indicate a rainfall-runoff-dominant hydrological regime in future, highlighting critical freshwater availability conditions and associated socioeconomic risks in terms of agricultural applications and natural disasters. We recommend building infrastructure for water storage and conveyance in the Indus basin to prevent the adverse impacts of future climate change.

Suggested Citation

  • Muhammad Shafeeque & Yi Luo & Arfan Arshad & Sher Muhammad & Muhammad Ashraf & Quoc Bao Pham, 2023. "Assessment of climate change impacts on glacio-hydrological processes and their variations within critical zone," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 115(3), pages 2721-2748, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:nathaz:v:115:y:2023:i:3:d:10.1007_s11069-022-05661-9
    DOI: 10.1007/s11069-022-05661-9
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11069-022-05661-9
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11069-022-05661-9?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Matthias Huss & Regine Hock, 2018. "Global-scale hydrological response to future glacier mass loss," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 8(2), pages 135-140, February.
    2. T. P. Barnett & J. C. Adam & D. P. Lettenmaier, 2005. "Potential impacts of a warming climate on water availability in snow-dominated regions," Nature, Nature, vol. 438(7066), pages 303-309, November.
    3. Daniel Farinotti & Vanessa Round & Matthias Huss & Loris Compagno & Harry Zekollari, 2019. "Large hydropower and water-storage potential in future glacier-free basins," Nature, Nature, vol. 575(7782), pages 341-344, November.
    4. Asim Jahangir Khan & Manfred Koch & Adnan Ahmad Tahir, 2020. "Impacts of Climate Change on the Water Availability, Seasonality and Extremes in the Upper Indus Basin (UIB)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-27, February.
    5. Andreas Kääb & Etienne Berthier & Christopher Nuth & Julie Gardelle & Yves Arnaud, 2012. "Contrasting patterns of early twenty-first-century glacier mass change in the Himalayas," Nature, Nature, vol. 488(7412), pages 495-498, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Wu, Hao & Xu, Min & Peng, Zhuoyue & Chen, Xiaoping, 2022. "Quantifying the potential impacts of meltwater on cotton yields in the Tarim River Basin, Central Asia," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 269(C).
    2. Haoyu Jin & Qin Ju & Zhongbo Yu & Jie Hao & Huanghe Gu & Henan Gu & Wei Li, 2019. "Simulation of snowmelt runoff and sensitivity analysis in the Nyang River Basin, southeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, China," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 99(2), pages 931-950, November.
    3. Hong Li & Chong-Yu Xu & Stein Beldring & Lena Merete Tallaksen & Sharad K. Jain, 2016. "Water Resources Under Climate Change in Himalayan Basins," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 30(2), pages 843-859, January.
    4. Jinglin Zhang & Wei Zhang & Shiwei Liu & Weiming Kong & Wei Zhang, 2022. "Cryosphere Services to Advance the National SDG Priorities in Himalaya-Karakoram Region," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-16, February.
    5. Yang Yang & Shiwei Liu & Cunde Xiao & Cuiyang Feng & Chenyu Li, 2021. "Evaluating Cryospheric Water Withdrawal and Virtual Water Flows in Tarim River Basin of China: An Input–Output Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-16, July.
    6. Michel Wortmann & Doris Duethmann & Christoph Menz & Tobias Bolch & Shaochun Huang & Jiang Tong & Zbigniew W. Kundzewicz & Valentina Krysanova, 2022. "Projected climate change and its impacts on glaciers and water resources in the headwaters of the Tarim River, NW China/Kyrgyzstan," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 171(3), pages 1-24, April.
    7. Hong Li & Chong-Yu Xu & Stein Beldring & Lena Tallaksen & Sharad Jain, 2016. "Water Resources Under Climate Change in Himalayan Basins," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 30(2), pages 843-859, January.
    8. Bo Su & Cunde Xiao & Deliang Chen & Dahe Qin & Yongjian Ding, 2019. "Cryosphere Services and Human Well-Being," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(16), pages 1-23, August.
    9. Molini, A. & Talkner, P. & Katul, G.G. & Porporato, A., 2011. "First passage time statistics of Brownian motion with purely time dependent drift and diffusion," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 390(11), pages 1841-1852.
    10. Xiuchen Wu & Hongyan Liu & Dali Guo & Oleg A Anenkhonov & Natalya K Badmaeva & Denis V Sandanov, 2012. "Growth Decline Linked to Warming-Induced Water Limitation in Hemi-Boreal Forests," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 7(8), pages 1-12, August.
    11. Hengzhou Xu & Chuanrong Zhang & Weidong Li & Wenjing Zhang & Hongchun Yin, 2018. "Economic growth and carbon emission in China:a spatial econometric Kuznets curve?," Zbornik radova Ekonomskog fakulteta u Rijeci/Proceedings of Rijeka Faculty of Economics, University of Rijeka, Faculty of Economics and Business, vol. 36(1), pages 11-28.
    12. S . K. Oni & F. Mieres & M. N. Futter & H. Laudon, 2017. "Soil temperature responses to climate change along a gradient of upland–riparian transect in boreal forest," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 143(1), pages 27-41, July.
    13. Dalei Hao & Gautam Bisht & Hailong Wang & Donghui Xu & Huilin Huang & Yun Qian & L. Ruby Leung, 2023. "A cleaner snow future mitigates Northern Hemisphere snowpack loss from warming," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.
    14. Diana R. Gergel & Bart Nijssen & John T. Abatzoglou & Dennis P. Lettenmaier & Matt R. Stumbaugh, 2017. "Effects of climate change on snowpack and fire potential in the western USA," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 141(2), pages 287-299, March.
    15. Alvaro Calzadilla & Katrin Rehdanz & Richard Betts & Pete Falloon & Andy Wiltshire & Richard Tol, 2013. "Climate change impacts on global agriculture," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 120(1), pages 357-374, September.
    16. Leiwen Jiang & Karen Hardee, 2011. "How do Recent Population Trends Matter to Climate Change?," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 30(2), pages 287-312, April.
    17. Schaefli, Bettina & Manso, Pedro & Fischer, Mauro & Huss, Matthias & Farinotti, Daniel, 2017. "The role of glacier retreat for Swiss hydropower production," Earth Arxiv 7z96d, Center for Open Science.
    18. Haiyan Fang & Zemeng Fan, 2021. "Impacts of climate and land use changes on water and sediment yields for the black soil region, northeastern China," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(4), pages 6259-6278, April.
    19. Manish Mehta & Vinit Kumar & Pankaj Kunmar & Kalachand Sain, 2023. "Response of the Thick and Thin Debris-Covered Glaciers between 1971 and 2019 in Ladakh Himalaya, India—A Case Study from Pensilungpa and Durung-Drung Glaciers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-21, February.
    20. Hanjra, Munir A. & Qureshi, M. Ejaz, 2010. "Global water crisis and future food security in an era of climate change," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(5), pages 365-377, October.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:nathaz:v:115:y:2023:i:3:d:10.1007_s11069-022-05661-9. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.