GLACIAL LAKE OUTBURST FLOW ANALYSIS USING HYDRODYNAMIC MODELLING

Abstract

The Indian Himalayas stretches out for almost 2400 kms and has a breadth of around 400 kms. The stretch has approx. 10,000 glaciers in Indian Himalayan boundary which dynasties few thousands glacial lakes which are growing in terms of area and volume. The glaciers in high mountain region are unstable because of varying climatic conditions. Due to melting of glaciers new glacial lake of varying size take place, some of which are very willing to outburst flooding. The lakes are dammed by ice or moraines makes them unstable. The glacial lakes which are prone to outburst can damage nearby settlements cause loss of lives, infrastructure in downstream valleys. The recent Kedarnath tragedy in Uttarakhand Himalayas in the year 2013 which led to massive loss to life and livelihood in surrounding areas is an alarm to the ever-increasing threat from those store house of water. The study proposes an agenda for a first stage hazard assessment of glacial lakes using GIS techniques and a digital elevation model. It introduces a new dynamic flow runoff model in a glacial lake threat context