Publications

Singh, D; Zhu, Y; Liu, SY; Srivastava, PKK; Dharpure, JKK; Chatterjee, D; Sahu, R; Gagnon, ASS (2022). Exploring the links between variations in snow cover area and climatic variables in a Himalayan catchment using earth observations and CMIP6 climate change scenarios. JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY, 608, 127648.

Abstract
The spatial extent of the Snow Cover Area (SCA) of the Bhagirathi River Basin (BRB) has changed in recent decades, impacting the hydrology of the region. Previous studies examining variations in SCA in the region have yet been limited to the effects of terrain variables, namely elevation, slope and aspect, without considering the influence of climate variability. This study first investigates temporal changes in SCA and Terrestrial Water Storage (TWS) in the BRB during the period 2001-2019, which were calculated using satellite images from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE), respectively, and their linkages to variation in climatic variables, and then examines how future climate change could impact on the SCA of the basin and its implications for water resources.& nbsp;A trend analysis revealed an increase in the SCA during the study period, correlating with an increase in precipitation and TWS over the basin. Statistically significant positive correlation were detected between the post-monsoon (r = 0.49, p < 0.05) and winter (r = 0.54, p < 0.05) SCA and precipitation, while a negative correlation was identified between SCA and Tmax during the post-monsoon (r =-0.53, p < 0.05) and winter (r =-0.69, p < 0.05) seasons. Climate change scenarios, obtained from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) and downscaled over the study region, project an increase in both maximum and minimum temperature, and precipitation for the pre-monsoon and winter seasons in the 2030 s under two Shared Socioeconomic Pathway (SSP) greenhouse gas (GHG) emission scenarios: SSP245 and SSP585. These scenarios, together with a Multiple-Linear Regression (MLR) model developed on the basis of the relationships identified between variations in SCA and climatic variables, indicate a reduction in the SCA at 4000 + m altitudes in all seasons under both scenarios, thereby resulting a decline in the Bhagirathi river flow in spite of a projected increase in precipitation. This study demonstrates the impact of projected changes in climate on the SCA of a Himalayan catchment, and the potential implications for regions where snowmelt is important to streamflow regimes.& nbsp;

DOI:
10.1016/j.jhydrol.2022.127648

ISSN:
1879-2707