Context
The Department of Water Resources, River Development, and Ganga Rejuvenation (DoWR, RD & GR) released theGlacial Lake Atlas of Ganga Basin.
- The NHP –Bhuvan portal was also launched.
About the Glacial Lake Atlas
- The study portion of the Ganga River basin covers part of India and the transboundary region both.
- The atlas is prepared with the efforts of the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), ISRO under the National Hydrogen Project (NHP).
- National Hydrogen Project (NHP) is a Central Sector Scheme implemented by the Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation (DOWR, RD & GR).
- It is a step for effective water resource development and management.
- National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), ISRO, is one of the Implementing Agencies under the National Hydrology Project (NHP).
- In the present study, glacial lakes with a water spread area greater than 0.25 ha have been mapped using Resourcesat-2 (RS-2) Linear Imaging Self Scanning Sensor-IV (LISS-IV) satellite data using visual interpretation techniques.
- Outcomes: Based on its process of lake formation, location, and type of damming material, glacial lakes are identified in nine different types, majorly grouped into four categories.
- A total of 4,707 glacial lakes have been mapped in the Ganga River basin with a total lake water spread area of 20,685 ha.
NHP-Bhuvan Portal
- The NHP –Bhuvan portal is launched by theNational Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC).
- NHP-Bhuvan Portal is a repository of information on the initiatives undertaken by NRSC under NHP with a facility to download the reports and knowledge products being developed by NRSC.
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- Earlier exercise:Under this activity, an updated inventory of glacial lakes using high-resolution satellite data was prepared for the Indus River basin and published in December 2020, and currently an updated inventory of glacial lakes has been prepared for the Ganga River basin.
Glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF)
- It is a type of outburst flood which is caused by the failure of a dam containing a glacial lake.
- A similar event to a GLOF, where is called a jökulhlaup, in which a body of water contained by a glacier melts or overflows the glacier.
- The Failure can happen due to erosion, a buildup of water pressure, an avalanche of rock or heavy snow, an earthquake or cryoseism, volcanic eruptions under the ice, or massive displacement of water in a glacial lake when a large portion of an adjacent glacier collapses into it.
- Increasing glacial melting because of climate change and other environmental impacts see increased flooding risks from GLOFs.
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