5.5% Increase in Rivers in Northwest China Contributed by Glacial Melting
Translated from www.xinhuanet.com 14th, August
Global warming leads to melting of glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau, contributing to 5.5% increase in rivers in Northwest China in last decade.
Prof. Yao Tandong, director of ITP said in the Fourth International Symposium on the Tibetan Plateau held in Lahsa recently. He also pointed out that in the past forty years, glaciers in high Asia region have been reduced by 7% in size, esp. since 1980s, when a large amount of forwarding or stable glaciers turned to back down under the influence of global warming. Meanwhile, the runoff of some rivers shows an obvious increase. This claim can be confirmed by Tianshan No.1 glacier, the source for Wulumuqi River. In 1962, this glacier consisted of two branch glaciers joint together. But because of the backing down of glaciers, their joint part has become thinner and narrower in the past few years.
His studies show that in the past decade, Kunlun Mountain, Kalakunlun Mountain and Tianshan which are the major river sources in Northwest China have undergone the most intense backing down, adding up to 5.5% of the total runoff to rivers there, thus provided a large amount of water to Northwest China.
