{"id":11898,"date":"2021-07-01T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-07-01T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/current_affairs\/uncategorized\/01-07-2021\/glacial-lake-atlas-of-ganga-river-basin\/"},"modified":"2024-05-06T18:24:50","modified_gmt":"2024-05-06T12:54:50","slug":"glacial-lake-atlas-of-ganga-river-basin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/01-07-2021\/glacial-lake-atlas-of-ganga-river-basin","title":{"rendered":"Glacial Lake Atlas of Ganga River Basin"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif;\"><strong><u>In News<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif;\">Recently, Glacial Lake Atlas of Ganga Basin was released in a virtual event.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif;\"><strong><u>About the Report<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif;\">The atlas is based on the <strong>inventoried glacial lakes in part of the Ganga River basin<\/strong> from its origin to the foothills of the Himalayas covering a catchment area of 2,47,109 sq. km. <\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif;\">The study portion of the Ganga River basin covers part of India and the transboundary region.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif;\"><strong><u>Major Highlights<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif;\">The present atlas is the first of its kind depicting the <strong>spatial distribution of glacial lakes<\/strong> of size \u2265 0.25 ha in the Ganga River basin mapped using high-resolution satellite data<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif;\">The atlas provides the details of all the glacial lakes in the entire catchment of the <strong>Ganga River basin<\/strong>, both within the Indian and transboundary region<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif;\">The atlas contains details of area range-wise glacial lakes along with 9 categories of types. Further, the atlas presents the distribution of glacial lakes in terms of area vs. type, elevation, area vs. elevation and type vs. elevation, at the basin, subbasin, administrative and transboundary regions<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif;\">The atlas also provides a comprehensive list of all glacial lakes with<strong> unique ID<\/strong> considering hydrological, geometrical, geographical, topographical attribute information.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif;\"><strong><u>Significance<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif;\">The possible uses of the Glacial Lake Atlas for the water resources professionals, researchers, disaster management authorities and other stakeholders <\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif;\">for managing the glacial lakes <\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif;\">to mitigate the possible adverse impacts of<strong><u><span style=\"color: #1155cc;\"> Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOF)<\/span><\/u><\/strong> and climate change. <\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif;\">In the context of climate change impact analysis, the atlas can be used as reference data for carrying out change analysis, both with respect to historical and future time periods<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif;\">The atlas also provides authentic database for regular or periodic monitoring changes in spatial extent (expansion\/shrinkage) and formation of new lakes<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif;\">The atlas can also be used in conjunction with glacier information for their retreat and climate impact studies.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif;\">The information on glacial lakes like their type, hydrological, topographical, and associated glaciers are useful in identifying the potential critical glacial lakes and consequent GLOF risk.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif;\">Central and State Disaster Management Authorities can make use of the atlas for disaster mitigation planning and related programs.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif;\"><strong><u>Conclusion<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif;\">This initiative under National Hydrology Project (NHP) is a <strong>st<\/strong>ep forward for <strong>facilitating the acquisition of reliable information<\/strong> and putting the same in the public domain.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif;\">It would pave the way for<strong> effective water resource development and management<\/strong>.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<table class=\"Table\" style=\"border-collapse: collapse; border: none; width: 624px;\" cellspacing=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color: #ffe599; vertical-align: top; width: 624px; border: 1px solid black;\">\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif;\"><strong><u>National Hydrology Project (NHP)<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif;\">It is a <strong>Central Sector scheme<\/strong> sponsored by the <strong>Ministry of Jal Shakti<\/strong>, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Govt. of India.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif;\">Financial aid from the <strong>World Bank<\/strong>. <\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif;\">The objective of the project is:<\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif;\">to improve the extent and accessibility of water resources information and <\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif;\">strengthen institutional capacity to enable improved water resources planning and management across India.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif;\">The project comprises <strong>four broad components<\/strong>:<\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif;\"><strong>Improving In Situ Monitoring System (IMS)\u2013<\/strong><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif;\">To expand and upgrade water resources monitoring systems, bolster database population and maintenance, develop community-based data collection and water management, and conduct site-specific surveys to the states in the Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra Basins and in North-East India.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif;\"><strong>Improving Spatial Information System (SIS) \u2013<\/strong><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif;\">To strengthen and make available remote sensing and spatial information data to water managers and stakeholders through providing and processing of spatial data sets, creating tools for tailor-made processing of spatial data, and developing web-based portals for public access to information.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif;\"><strong>Promoting Water Resources Operation and Management Applications (WROMA) \u2013<\/strong><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif;\">To ensure the usefulness of the WRMS and WRIS data sets through decision support systems (DSS) for river basin planning, water balance assessments, climate risk assessments, water quality management, scenario analysis for investment planning, and tools for community-based water management. <\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif;\">It will develop short-term and seasonal flow forecasts, establish multiple flood\/flow forecasting systems important for the operation of reservoirs and flood management, and introduce on pilot basis operation and water distribution systems for irrigation systems.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif;\"><strong>Strengthening Water Resources Institutions and Capacity Building (WRICB):<\/strong><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif;\">To strengthen and build capacity in the participating Implementing Agencies (Water Resources Institutions) through establishing Water Resources Knowledge Centers and providing infrastructure and communication equipment, capacity building and extensive training programs, supporting project management through Technical Assistance and Management Consultancies, and funding of incremental staff. In particular, the project will support the establishment of a National Water Information Center (upgraded version of India-WRIS) and Centers of Excellence at national and state levels.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif;\"><strong><u>Glacial Lake<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif;\">A glacial lake is a body of water with origins from glacier activity. <\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif;\">They are formed when a glacier erodes the land, and then melts, filling the depression created by the glacier.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,sans-serif;\"><strong>Sources<\/strong>: <a style=\"color: blue; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/pib.gov.in\/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1731154\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color: #1155cc;\">PIB<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In News Recently, Glacial Lake Atlas of Ganga Basin was released in a virtual event. About the Report The atlas is based on the inventoried glacial lakes in part of the Ganga River basin from its origin to the foothills of the Himalayas covering a catchment area of 2,47,109 sq. km. The study portion of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11899,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[48,26,25,45,42],"class_list":["post-11898","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-current-affairs","tag-disaster-management","tag-gs-3","tag-gs1","tag-important-geophysical-phenomena","tag-literature"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2023\/07\/7690029current-affairs.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11898","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11898"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11898\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24355,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11898\/revisions\/24355"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11899"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11898"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11898"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11898"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}