North Kashmir Himalayas

Hydropower in the Himalayas: Potential and risks
Study highlights significant hydropower opportunities in the Hindu Kush Himalayan region. Posted on 21 Aug, 2019 11:01 PM

Worldwide, the demand for energy has risen significantly and quickly, leading to serious impacts on environmental sustainability and hindering global efforts to mitigate climate change. Hydropower, a leading renewable option has the additional benefits of water storage for agriculture and other uses.

Hydel project near Kullu (Image: Nadir Hashmi, Flickr Commons)
The inhospitable Indus
This photo essay illustrates how the historic river offers sustenance to the residents of the high Himalayas. Could 'development' end its age-old relationship with the people of Ladakh? Posted on 04 Nov, 2013 08:29 PM

Flowing through Tibet, northern India and Pakistan, the Indus is the western-most major river of the Indus-Ganga-Brahmaputra basin. This basin extends over most  of South Asia from the Himalayas to the Vindhyas, excluding Peninsular India, and carries the rain that falls in this region to the Indian Ocean.

The Indus between Domkhar and Skurbuchen
Fall in love with Tso Moriri
A monastery, a village, rare bird species and a high altitude lake in Ladakh - this is the beautiful setting of Tso Moriri. Posted on 01 Aug, 2013 07:59 AM

This brackish lake is located 4,595 metres above sea level, an altitude to tax the lungs of the most dedicated trekker. With two wetlands - the Nuro Sumdo on the North, and the Pare Chu on the South - the lake is a breeding ground for many rare bird species. It is a day's travel from Leh and a popular destination for the avid birdwatcher.

Tso Moriri during spring time
Construction empties Kashmir's rice bowl: How unplanned 'development' has led to a shortage of this staple crop
The rice fields of Kulgam district in Kashmir have provided the people of the state with sufficient harvest of this staple. However, illegal appropriation of farmland for construction has led to a state-wide rice shortage,says IndiaUnheard. Posted on 24 Feb, 2012 03:16 PM

Video courtesy: VideoVolunteers

Comparative management performance of government and farmer managed irrigation systems in Kashmir
This paper compares the management of irrigation systems by farmers and government in Kashmir. Posted on 04 Dec, 2011 11:49 AM

Kashmir was originally home to an elaborate network of farmer owned and managed canal based irrigation systems. Gradually, with the increase in planned development, several irrigation canals were taken under the control of the irrigation department. This paper compares the management of irrigation systems by farmers and government. 

Image of community desilting a canal

Assessing variability of water quality in a groundwater-fed perennial lake of Kashmir Himalayas using linear geostatistics – A paper in Journal of Earth System Science
This paper in Journal of Earth System Science presents a study on Manasbal lake, which is one of the high altitude lakes in the Kashmir Valley, India. Posted on 17 Jul, 2011 08:47 PM

The study of the hydrochemistry of the Manasbal lake was done to find out whether the lake water was fit for drinking, irrigation and other purposes.

A record of lake outburst in the Indus valley of Ladakh Himalaya: A paper in Current Science
This study in Current Science on lake outburst in the Indus valley of Ladakh Himalaya deals with the specific case of a paleolake record of outburst discovered at approximately 3245 metres above mean sea level in the Spituk–Leh valley of the Indus river, Ladakh Himalaya. Posted on 23 Jun, 2011 04:45 PM

Interdependence of glacial fluctuations to hydrometeorology and sediment transfer in the connected river basins is well recognized in the Himalayan region. Considering the increased rates of glacial recession during past few decades, possibility of creating new lake basins by glacial melt and damming of rivers followed by lake outbursts and related flash floods is likely to increase.

How climate change has affected Ladakh: The region has seen unusual floods in July 2005 and August 2006
Ladakh is known as the cold-desert and has severe conditions and is barren and arid. The region has seen unusual floods in July 2005 and August 2006. Posted on 26 Aug, 2009 03:36 PM

It is in Jammu Kashmir and is bordered by the Himalayas and the Karakoram mountain chains. Ladakh and its water sources are almost entirely dependent on the glaciers and snow-melts and changes in water systems can be directly attributed to changes in the glaciers and thus climate change.

Impact of climate change in India: An agro - ecological zone level analysis
A detailed look at the possible impacts of climate change on the different agro - ecological zones demarcated in India Posted on 20 Aug, 2009 06:04 PM

India is gifted with heterogeneous landforms and variety of climatic conditions such as the lofty mountains, the raverine deltas, high altitude forests, peninsular plateaus, variety of geological formations endowed with temperature varying from arctic cold to equatorial hot, and rainfall from extreme aridity with a few cms (<10 cm) to pre humid with world's maxim

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