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Sciences in Cold and Arid Regions ›› 2016, Vol. 8 ›› Issue (3): 227-240.doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1226.2016.00227

• ARTICLES • Previous Articles    

The impacts of climate change on hydrology in a typical glacier region-A case study in Hailuo Creek watershed of Mt.Gongga in China

GuoFeng Zhu1,2, YuanQing He2, DaHe Qin2, HongKai Gao3, Tao Pu2, DongDong Chen1, Kai Wang1   

  1. 1. College of Geography and Environment Science of Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730070, China;
    2. The State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, China;
    3. Water Resources Section, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands
  • Received:2015-10-05 Revised:2016-02-25 Published:2018-11-23
  • Contact: GuoFeng Zhu,Postdoctor of Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute,Chinese Academy of Sciences.No.320,West Donggang Road,Lanzhou,Gansu 730000,China.E-mail:gfzhu@lzb.ac.cn E-mail:gfzhu@lzb.ac.cn
  • Supported by:
    This research was funded by the Chinese Postdoctoral Science Foundation (No.2015M570864),the Open-Ended Fund of the State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences,Chinese Academy of Sciences (No.SKLCS-OP-2014-11),a project of the Northwest Normal University Young Teachers Scientific Research Ability Promotion Plan (No.NWNU-LKQN-13-10),a project of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos.41273010,41271133),and a project of the Major National Research Projects of China (No.2013CBA01808).

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Abstract: The glaciers of the Hengduan Mountains play an important role in the hydrology processes of this region.In this study,the HBV Light model,which relies on a degree-day model to simulate glacier melting,was employed to simulate both glacier runoff and total runoff.The daily temperature and precipitation at the Hailuo Creek No.1 Glacier from 1952 to 2009 were obtained from daily meteorological observed data at the glacier and from six national meteorological stations near the Hailuo Creek Basin.The daily air temperature,precipitation,runoff depth,and monthly potential evaporation in 1995,1996,and 2002 were used to obtain a set of optimal parameters,and the annual total runoff and glacier runoff of the Hailuo Creek Glacier (1952-2009) were calculated using the HBV Light model.Results showed the average annual runoff in the Hailuo Creek Basin was 2,114 mm from 1952 to 2009,of which glacial melting accounted for about 1,078 mm.The river runoff in the Hailuo Creek catchment increased as a result of increased glacier runoff.Glacier runoff accounted for 51.1% of the Hailuo Creek stream flow in 1994 and increased to 72.6% in 2006.About 95% of the increased stream flow derived from the increased glacier runoff.

Key words: HBV Light model, runoff depth, glacier runoff, Hailuo Creek Basin, glacier mass balance