Regional flood information system and Cryosphere Monitoring

in the Hindu Kush Himalaya

Mandira Singh Shrestha

ICIMOD

South Asia Hydromet Forum, 18-21 September 2018

Geneva

Outline of presentation

• The Hindu Kush Himalayas floods and the key issues

• Good practices in flood risk reduction in the HKH region

• Achievements of HKH HYCOS -supporting

modernization of hydromet networks and

establishment of regional flood information system

• Use of hydromet data

• Cryosphere monitoring in the HKH region

• Lessons learnt

• Opportunities for cooperation

Himalayan glaciers are sources of freshwater reserves which provide headwaters for major river systems in Asia

8 countries of which 6-7

with substantial

cryosphere resources

240 million people in the

HKH

1.9 billion people living

in the mountains and

downstream

Floods in the HKH region

• Extreme flood events in

the HKH region has

increased

• 2013 floods in

Uttarakhand, India killed

more than 5000 people

• 2010 floods in Pakistan

killed 2,000 people and

left 20 million homeless,

with a financial loss of

USD 10 billion (FFC,

2010);

• 2007 floods in India and

Bangladesh killed more

than 3,000 people and left

millions homeless.

South Asia Floods 2017

Key issues in the HKH region

• There is a diversity of technical, scientific, and institutional capacity

• There is limited exchange of real-time data especially across national boundaries – increase lead time

• The integration of risk information into EWS is still weak

• Investment in FEWS is low and of less priority

• Opportunities for sharing knowledge, experiences and know-how

• Establishment of a Regional

Flood Information System in the

HKH-Region - Timely exchange

of flood data and information

through an accessible and user

friendly platform

The Hindu Kush Himalayan Hydrological Cycle Observing System (HKH – HYCOS)

Making information travel faster than flood waters

HYCOS is a vehicle for technology

transfer, training and capacity

building

• Advancement in technology : real-time data through sensors

• Data transmission through CDMA, GPRS/GSM, and satellite iridium

• ICT for risk communication

• Space based technology using earth observations are increasing the lead time, filling data gaps in flood modeling

Innovation in technologies for end to end flood early warning system

Modernization of observation network

• 38 hydrometeorological stations upgraded in four countries(Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan)

• Access to > 300 Global Telecommunication Stations of WMO

• Real time data acquisition

The Hindu Kush Himalayan Hydrological Cycle Observing System (HKH – HYCOS)

Regional flood outlook and information system

Enhancing user interface

• Assessment of the

communication of flood early

warning: formal and informal

mechanisms and gaps –

technical, institutional and

sociocultural

• Regional case studies on

best practices in

communicating flood early

warning

• Development of

communication products

• Capacity building and

training

Components of the early warning system (EWS)

CRYOSPHERE in the HKH

Seasonal snowup to 10% of total area

50,000glaciers

Permafrost area exceeding glacier area

Largest reserves of snowand ice outside the polar

region

Glacier extent in the HKH

HABITATRELIGIOUS BELIEFS

WATER STORAGE

FRESH WATER

MOUNTAIN TOURISM

IMPORTANCE OF CRYOSPHERE

AGRICULTURE

CARBON STORAGE

HAZARDS

CRYOSPHERE SERVICES

ALBEDO FEEDBACK

CLIMATIC INDICATOR

ENERGY

Policy influence

Cap

acit

y D

eve

lop

men

t

Kn

ow

led

ge M

an

age

me

nt

Imp

act

Cryosphere monitoring approach

by Global Terrestial Network for Glaciers GTN-G

Cryosphere Monitoring

In-situ measurements

ModellingRemote sensing

Field based long term monitoring

empower women in the field of cryospheric sciences in the HKH

region

Kathmandu

Yala Glacier

Lirung Glacier

Langtang Glacier

Rikha Samba Glacier

Mera Glacier

Pokalde Glacier

Changri Nup Glacier

NameCatchment /

locationType Since

Rikha SambaHidden

Valley/Dhaulagiri Clean/valley 2011

Yala Langtang Valley Clean/plateau 2011

Lirung Langtang Valley Debris/valley 2012

Langtang Langtang Valley Debris/valley 2012

MeraDudh

Koshi/EverestClean/valley 2007

Pokalde Khumbu/Everest Clean/valley 2009

Changri Nup Khumbu/Everest Clean / valley 2010

Glacier monitoring in Nepal

In collaboration with partners in Nepal (DHM, KU) and France

Understand the high mountain processes and address the data gaps

Sherpa et al. 2017

Annual glacier mass balances in Khumbu, Nepal

Bajracharya et al., 2015http://rds.icimod.org/

Remote sensing based

glacier mapping and monitoring

Modelling

Shea et al., 2015

Lessons Learnt

• Technology: flood information system at basin scale

• Limited networks in the region: high altitude – need further strengthening and sharing

• Utility of data and information for developing flood outlook demonstrated the value of real-time data: development of customized products

• Capacity building and training enhanced cooperation and partnerships: support to Glaciology program

• Flood forecasting and warning needs to be integrated with the disaster risk management activities for an effective end to end flood early warning system

• Efforts needed for risk communication, awareness, better preparedness and strengthen institutional mechanisms

Lessons Learnt

• Concerted efforts required for mainstreaming gender into programmes: by end of 2019 9 female glaciologist would have graduated and 5 doing PhD

• Collaboration between projects and various funding agencies multiply the success: in terms of building on, continuity

• Regional cooperation is a long term effort and requires building trust

Opportunities for regional collaboration

• Capacity building• Standardized methods

• Impact based flood forecasting and strengthening capacities

• Early warning and communication products

• Knowledge, Information and data

sharing• Cryosphere services• Transboundary issues

THANK YOU