Articles | Volume 25, issue 11
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-5879-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-5879-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
11 Nov 2021
Research article |
| 11 Nov 2021
| 11 Nov 2021
Changes in glacial lakes in the Poiqu River basin in the central Himalayas
Pengcheng Su
Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
Key Laboratory of Mountain Hazards and Surface Process,Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
School of Engineering Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
Jingjing Liu
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
Key Laboratory of Mountain Hazards and Surface Process,Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
School of Engineering Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
Key Laboratory of Mountain Hazards and Surface Process,Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
School of Engineering Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
Wei Liu
Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
Key Laboratory of Mountain Hazards and Surface Process,Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
School of Engineering Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
Yang Wang
Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
Key Laboratory of Mountain Hazards and Surface Process,Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
Chun Ma
Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
Key Laboratory of Mountain Hazards and Surface Process,Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
School of Engineering Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
Qimin Li
Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
Key Laboratory of Mountain Hazards and Surface Process,Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
School of Engineering Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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Cited
18 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Climate change traces on Lhonak Glacier using geospatial tools J. Tripathi et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.qsa.2022.100065
- Risk perception and vulnerability of communities in Nepal to transboundary glacial lake outburst floods from Tibet, China N. Khadka et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2024.104476
- Glacial lake outburst floods threaten China-Nepal connectivity: Synergistic study of remote sensing, GIS and hydrodynamic modeling with regional implications N. Khadka et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174701
- The evolution of glacial lake and glaciers and their potential impact on glacial debris flow activity in the Palong Zangbu catchment in Southeastern Tibet L. Yang et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2023.1265852
- Analysis of Glacial Morphological Characteristics in Ányêmaqên Mountains Using Multi-Source Time-Series High-Resolution Remote Sensing Imagery W. Xu et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/w17182749
- Reconstructing glacial lake outburst floods in the Poiqu River basin, central Himalaya X. Wang et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2024.109063
- Spaciotemporal distribution characteristics of glacial lakes and the factors influencing the Southeast Tibetan Plateau from 1993 to 2023 Y. Mingwei et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-86546-2
- Integrating machine learning and numerical methods for enhanced landslide susceptibility and hazard mapping in the Bhotekoshi watershed, central Nepal B. Gurung et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-025-9951-2
- Glacier lake outburst floods (GLOF) susceptibility in the Boqu Basin in Tibetan Plateau S. Xu et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-024-9049-2
- A new approach automatically calculating the outlet and upper catchment area of alpine glacial lakes Y. Wu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2024.132591
- Quantitative assessment of the GLOF risk along China-Nepal transboundary basins by integrating remote sensing, machine learning, and hydrodynamic model M. Gouli et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2025.105231
- ‘Monsoon mobilities’: moving beyond the binary of migration and ‘trapped populations’ in a vulnerable mountain community in Nepal R. Abbing et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-026-02618-7
- Refined identification and expansion mechanisms of glacier-fed lakes in high mountain Asia B. Cao et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/17538947.2025.2591977
- Characterization of Long-Time Series Variation of Glacial Lakes in Southwestern Tibet: A Case Study in the Nyalam County G. Qu et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs14194688
- The Impact of Climate Change on the State of Moraine Lakes in Northern Tian Shan: Case Study on Four Moraine Lakes N. Sydyk et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/w17172533
- Improved Process Management of Glacial Lake Outburst Flood Hazards by Integrating Modular Monitoring, Assessment, and Simulation X. Wang et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-022-03146-9
- Combined use of multi-source satellite imagery and deep learning for automated mapping of glacial lakes in the Bhutan Himalaya X. Xu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.srs.2024.100157
- Improving the accuracy of glacial lake volume estimation: A case study in the Poiqu basin, central Himalayas M. Qi et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2022.127973
18 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Climate change traces on Lhonak Glacier using geospatial tools J. Tripathi et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.qsa.2022.100065
- Risk perception and vulnerability of communities in Nepal to transboundary glacial lake outburst floods from Tibet, China N. Khadka et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2024.104476
- Glacial lake outburst floods threaten China-Nepal connectivity: Synergistic study of remote sensing, GIS and hydrodynamic modeling with regional implications N. Khadka et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174701
- The evolution of glacial lake and glaciers and their potential impact on glacial debris flow activity in the Palong Zangbu catchment in Southeastern Tibet L. Yang et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2023.1265852
- Analysis of Glacial Morphological Characteristics in Ányêmaqên Mountains Using Multi-Source Time-Series High-Resolution Remote Sensing Imagery W. Xu et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/w17182749
- Reconstructing glacial lake outburst floods in the Poiqu River basin, central Himalaya X. Wang et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2024.109063
- Spaciotemporal distribution characteristics of glacial lakes and the factors influencing the Southeast Tibetan Plateau from 1993 to 2023 Y. Mingwei et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-86546-2
- Integrating machine learning and numerical methods for enhanced landslide susceptibility and hazard mapping in the Bhotekoshi watershed, central Nepal B. Gurung et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-025-9951-2
- Glacier lake outburst floods (GLOF) susceptibility in the Boqu Basin in Tibetan Plateau S. Xu et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-024-9049-2
- A new approach automatically calculating the outlet and upper catchment area of alpine glacial lakes Y. Wu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2024.132591
- Quantitative assessment of the GLOF risk along China-Nepal transboundary basins by integrating remote sensing, machine learning, and hydrodynamic model M. Gouli et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2025.105231
- ‘Monsoon mobilities’: moving beyond the binary of migration and ‘trapped populations’ in a vulnerable mountain community in Nepal R. Abbing et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-026-02618-7
- Refined identification and expansion mechanisms of glacier-fed lakes in high mountain Asia B. Cao et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/17538947.2025.2591977
- Characterization of Long-Time Series Variation of Glacial Lakes in Southwestern Tibet: A Case Study in the Nyalam County G. Qu et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs14194688
- The Impact of Climate Change on the State of Moraine Lakes in Northern Tian Shan: Case Study on Four Moraine Lakes N. Sydyk et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/w17172533
- Improved Process Management of Glacial Lake Outburst Flood Hazards by Integrating Modular Monitoring, Assessment, and Simulation X. Wang et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-022-03146-9
- Combined use of multi-source satellite imagery and deep learning for automated mapping of glacial lakes in the Bhutan Himalaya X. Xu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.srs.2024.100157
- Improving the accuracy of glacial lake volume estimation: A case study in the Poiqu basin, central Himalayas M. Qi et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2022.127973
Saved (final revised paper)
Discussed (final revised paper)
Latest update: 28 Oct 2026
Short summary
We identified ± 150 glacial lakes in the Poiqu River basin (central Himalayas), and we explore the changes in five lakes over the last few decades based on remote sensing images, field surveys, and satellite photos. We reconstruct the lake basin topography, calculate the water capacity, and propose a water balance equation (WBE) to explain glacial lake evolution in response to local weather conditions. The WBE also provides a framework for the water balance in rivers from glacierized sources.
We identified ± 150 glacial lakes in the Poiqu River basin (central Himalayas), and we explore...
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