Cryosphere

International Forum on the Cryosphere and Society

Despite decades of research on mountain development and the cryosphere, knowledge building and its applications have often followed independent, if parallel, tracks. It has become increasingly apparent that an alternative framework may be needed that acknowledges the plurality, interactivity, intersectionality, and co-production in the cryosphere and of the communities in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH).

Monsoon expedition to Langtang Valley for river discharge measurement

A team comprising representatives from ICIMOD and the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DHM), Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation – Government of Nepal, will travel to Langtang Valley to conduct discharge measurement in Langtang Khola over two days. The team will use the tracer technique to catch the highest river runoff for Langtang Khola during monsoon. Information about river runoff is required for understanding water availability and calibrating and validating glacio-hydrological models, among other uses.

Fieldwork in the Karakoram

ICIMOD in collaboration with Karakoram International University (KIU) will conduct fieldwork in the Karakoram glaciers. Researchers from the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences (ITPCAS), and the Institute of International Rivers and Eco-Security, Yunnan University (IRES-YNU), are also expected to join this expedition.

Hydrological knowledge sharing for sustainable hydropower development

The cryosphere is an important component of the water cycle, especially in mountainous countries such as Norway and Nepal. In Nepal, meltwater from seasonal snow cover in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH), together with meltwater from glaciers, feeds into rivers and is particularly important during the dry season.

Stakeholder Consultation on Sediment Dynamics for Sustainable Hydropower Development

The rivers of Nepal are known for their high sediment-carrying capacity. The high sediment load being transported downstream leads to multiple challenges, including those to sustainable hydropower development. Many of the hydropower projects in Nepal have not been able to yield expected outputs because of limited understanding of erosion and sedimentation issues.

Spring cryosphere field expedition and scoping visit to Langtang Valley, Nepal

Researchers from the Cryosphere Initiative of the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) are scheduled to conduct research activities in various research sites in Langtang Valley this spring (28 April to 15 May 2019).

Training on Dam Breach and Risk/Impact Modelling

The training is being organized as part of a formulation exercise for the Global Climate Fund (GCF) project. It will bring together participants from the three organizations to collaborate, learn, and share knowledge to improve the project proposal. It will also strengthen stakeholders’ capacity on dam breach and risk/impact modelling.

Revisiting the SnowAMP Programme’s Results Framework

The Snow Accumulation and Melt Process (SnowAMP) programme, a collaborative effort initiated by the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE) and ICIMOD’s Cryosphere Initiative in 2013, is entering its second phase in 2019.

Meeting with partners in Nepal and Bhutan for cryosphere monitoring programme (CMP)

The Cryosphere Initiative at ICIMOD will be organizing a meeting with its implementing partners in Nepal and Bhutan. The meeting, which will be held at the ICIMOD headquarters in Kathmandu, will review the progress made by the Cryosphere Monitoring Programme (CMP) in the two countries and discuss the way forward for cryosphere monitoring through continued partnership.

International Consultative Workshop Bridging Boundaries: Strengthening Regional Cooperation Across Transboundary River Basins and Landscapes in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH Transboundary Cooperation – 2018)

The Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) is a region of rich cultural, aesthetic, biological, and geo-hydrological value. Some of the tallest peaks in the world are found here. Researchers and scientists have measured around 60,000 km2 of glaciers and 760,000 km2 of snow cover in the HKH, making it a massive store of freshwater.

HUC - IHCAP Glacier Monitoring Training 2018

ICIMOD has collaborated with partners to build capacity and establish glacier mass balance programmes in the HKH since 2011. The Universities of Fribourg and Zurich, Switzerland, maintain multiple monitoring programmes in the Alps. As a core competence, they have built capacity in Switzerland, and internationally with partners in India and several countries in the Andean and Central Asian region.

Expedition to Ponkar Glacier, Manang, Nepal

The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) will be joining one of its knowledge partners, Kathmandu University (KU), in a joint field expedition to the Ponkar Glacier in Manang, Nepal. Ponkar Glacier is a debris cover glacier located in Marsyangdi sub-basin of the Gandaki River basin.

Research Expedition to Rikha Samba Glacier, Nepal

The field activity is a part of the Cryosphere Initiative of the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), funded by the Government of Norway.

Joint Field Expedition 2018 to Glaciers of the Himalaya-Karakoram Mountains, Pakistan

The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) will be joining the Institute of International Rivers and Eco-Security (IRES), Yunnan University and Global Change Impact Studies Centre (GCISC) in Pakistan on a joint field expedition to the glaciers of the Himalaya-Karakoram Mountains in Pakistan.

Training on HEC-RAS Flood Modelling

The training will be a mix of lectures and hands-on exercises on understanding the Phochu River Basin, Bhutan and is a part of a capacity-building effort under the Cryosphere Monitoring Programme-Bhutan (CMP-B) project.

Cryosphere Field Work in the Langtang Valley, Nepal

A team from the Cryosphere Initiative at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) will head to the Langtang valley and the Yala glacier for a spring field expedition. The expedition is part of a long-term field data collection project carried out in collaboration with Utrecht University, the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology Nepal at Kathmandu University, and the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate.

State of the Cryosphere in the Himalaya: Focus on Sikkim and the Eastern Himalaya—Gaps, Challenges, and Opportunities

The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) is co-organizing an upcoming conference, “State of the Cryosphere in the Himalaya: Focus on Sikkim and the Eastern Himalaya—Gaps, Challenges, and Opportunities”, set to be held in Gangtok, Sikkim, India.

Hydrometeorology and Snow Accumulation and Melt Process (SnowAMP) Fieldwork in Langtang Valley, Nepal

A team of researchers from ICIMOD, Utrecht University, the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE), Norway, and the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DHM), Nepal are on their way to Langtang Valley, Nepal for Hydrometeorology and Snow Accumulation and Melt Process (SnowAMP) Fieldwork.

Rikha Samba Glacier Expedition in Nepal

A research team from the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) and the Kathmandu University will be heading to Rikha Samba Glacier in Lower Mustang, Nepal to carry out annual data collection activities.

Thana Glacier Expedition in Bhutan

The annual cryosphere research expedition to Thana Glacier in Bhutan will be carried out from 27 August–26 September 2017. An expert from the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) will join a team from the National Centre for Hydrology and Meteorology (NCHM)—formerly the Department of Hydro-Met Services.

International Workshop on Cryospheric Change and Sustainable Development

The workshop will focus on existing capabilities to model and assess these changes, mitigation and adaptability strategies in a rapidly changing cryosphere, eco-social sustainability, and the role of the cryosphere in the earth’s future.

Expedition to Rikha Samba Glacier, Nepal

ICIMOD and partners from the Cryosphere Monitoring Programme, Kathmandu University, will conduct an expedition to Rikha Samba Glacier in the Hidden Valley, Lower Mustang, Nepal, as a part of the Cryosphere Initiative funded by the Government of Norway.

Expedition to Yala Glacier, Nepal

ICIMOD and partners of the Cryosphere Monitoring Programme will conduct an expedition to Yala Glacier in the Langtang Valley, Rasuwa, Nepal, as part of the Cryosphere Initiative funded by the Government of Norway.

Langtang Hydromet and Snow Accumulation and Melt Process (snowAMP) Fieldwork

Researchers from ICIMOD’s Cryosphere Initiative, the University of Utrecht and Kathmandu University are conducting a research expedition to Langtang valley from 16 April to 4 May. The researchers will visit several sites to maintain automatic weather and hydrological stations, and conduct discharge measurements.

Training on the Application of Remote Sensing and Geographical Information Systems for the Mapping and Monitoring of Glaciers

The training is a regular annual activity conducted under the Cryosphere Monitoring Programme (CMP) of the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD). It aims to build the capacities of national partners on the use of Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for glacier mapping and monitoring.

Open side event 'Arctic - Hindu Kush Himalayan Science Policy Dialogue' during the Arctic Frontiers 2017

This side event is open to public and will bring together policy makers and researchers for a science and policy dialogue on regional collaborations in the Artic and the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH)

Expedition and Glacier Monitoring Training on Yala Glacier, Langtang, Nepal

ICIMOD and partners carry out an expedition to Yala Glacier in the Langtang Valley, Nepal, as part of the Cryosphere Monitoring Programme, which is part of the Cryosphere Monitoring Programme and is funded by the Norwegian government .

Theoretical Training on Glacier Mass Balance Monitoring, Kathmandu, Nepal

This training covers theoretical glacier mass balance monitoring which is part of the Cryosphere Monitoring Programme and is funded by the Norwegian government .

Training Course on Field Techniques and Data Tools for Monitoring Permafrost

The University of Zurich and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), the WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF), Kathmandu University, and Tribhuvan University conducted a training at Kathmandu University to introduce permafrost and related natural hazards, and to teach methods of modelling and monitoring high mountain environments to a group of 25 participants.

Permafrost Field Expedition to Yala, Langtang Valley, Nepal

Annual Research Expedition to Rikha Samba Glacier, 2016

The six expedition team members carried out annual glacier mass balance measurements, measured snow density, downloaded data and maintained the hydrological station.

Cryosphere Initiative Autumn Field Expeditions to Glaciers in Bhutan and Nepal

Fieldwork on glaciers is an integral part of the Cryosphere Initiative at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD). Researchers from the centre and partners in Bhutan and Nepal will once again head to the glaciers to carry out annual glacier mass balance measurements, routine maintenance on automatic weather stations, download data, and other glacier monitoring activities on benchmark glaciers.

International Workshop ‘Himalayan Permafrost under the Changing Climate’ with Field Trip to Ladakh

In many parts of the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region, people live near permafrost or in areas potentially affected by changes in permafrost. Permafrost is ground material (rock or soil) at or below 0 degrees C for two or more years. The surface layer thaws during the warm season and is called an ‘active layer’. Rock glaciers are also classified as permafrost features and there are many in the Himalayan region.

Spring Field Expedition to Langtang Valley and Yala Glacier

Researchers from the Cryosphere Initiative of the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) leave for Langtang Valley and Yala Glacier this spring for routine maintenance of meteorological stations, data collection, and mass balance measurements in selected research areas. Langtang Valley is a core research area for ICIMOD.

Field Expedition to Ngozumpa Glacier in Khumbu

Cryosphere researchers from ICIMOD will join a team of scientists from institutes in Nepal and Europe for an extensive field campaign to Ngozumpa glacier in the Khumbu region of Nepal in the months of March and April 2016. The team will conduct geophysical surveys on the debris covered glacier making ground penetrating radar measurements of the ice and debris thicknesses.

Training on Application of Remote Sensing and Geographical Information Systems for Mapping and Monitoring of Glaciers.

Alpine eco-systems are sensitive to global temperature rise and have been a focus of climate change research. As resources of fresh water, the cryosphere as a whole, and glaciers in particular, have drawn much interest from the scientific community.

Training on High Altitude Mountain Medicine

Glacier hydrologists, glaciologists and other experts working in related fields at ICIMOD and its partner institutes work regularly at high altitudes (between 4,000 to 6,000 meters) to collect data on glacier mass balance, snow, weather and hydrological conditions in the region.

Introduction to Data Analysis with R

Big data. Small data. Spatial data. Socio-economic data. Time-series data. Data in the cloud. Data on the ground. No matter what data you collect or what field you work in, if you have data it will require analysis. This four-day training will introduce you to the open access software R, a powerful data analysis tool.

Sustainability of Hydropower in the Hindu Kush Himalaya

The climate, cryosphere and hydrology of the Hindu Kush Himalaya region have been changing in the past and will change in the future. Warming of the climate system is unequivocal. The atmosphere and ocean have warmed, the amounts of snow and ice have diminished...

Second Regional Training on “Glacio-Hydrological Modelling using the SPHY Model”

Indus Initiative in collaboration with Future Water is organising its second regional training on ‘Spatial Process on Hydrology (SPHY) model’ from 14 to 18 December 2015. SPHY model is developed using the best available components of existing models resulting in a simulation model...

Training on Glacier Monitoring and Expedition to Yala Glacier, Nepal

From 18 November to 03 December 2015, ICIMOD and partners will carry out an expedition to Yala Glacier in the Langtang Valley, Nepal. The expedition is part of the Cryosphere Monitoring Programme, funded by the Government of Norway...

Training on Glacier Mass Balance Monitoring

The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) is implementing the project ‘Monitoring and assessment of changes in glaciers, snow and glacio-hydrology in the Hindu Kush Himalayas with a special focus on strengthening the capacity of Nepalese organizations' (the HKH Cryosphere Monitoring Programme) in collaboration with partners...

Stations Repair in Langthang Valley

Based on the observations of a rapid field visit in June, a team of scientists from ICIMOD will make its way into Langtang Valley 14 – 30 October 2015 to repair benchmark stations damaged by the Nepal Earthquake and subsequent avalanches...

Expedition to Rikha Samba Glacier, Nepal

ICIMOD and the partners of the Cryosphere Monitoring Programme will conduct an expedition to Rikha Samba Glacier in the Hidden Valley, Lower Mustang, Nepal, as part of the Cryosphere Initiative, funded by the Government of Norway...

Workshop on ‘Glacier Monitoring in the Himalayas using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles’ (To be Followed by a Demonstration of the UAV in the Field)

This workshop aims to explore the uses of UAVs in glacier research and other possible applications related to (but not limited to) natural hazards and risks (landslide mapping, GLOF risk assessments), urban planning, road construction, animal tracking, and forestry monitoring.

Training on Glacier Monitoring and Expedition to Yala Glacier

Training on Glacier Mass Balance Measurements

Training on Debris-Covered Glaciers

Second International Conference on Cryosphere of the HKH: State of the Knowledge and Hindu Kush Himalayan Cryosphere Data Sharing Policy Workshop

Workshop on Geodetic Glacier Mass Balance Assessments

Scoping workshop for a Cryosphere Monitoring Programme in Bhutan

Training on Glacier Monitoring and Expedition to Yala Glacier, Nepal

Training on Glacier Mass Balance Measurements, Kathmandu, Nepal

Remote Sensing Based Monitoring and Assessment of Cryosphere (Snow & Glacier) Training

Study tour to NVE Glacier Monitoring Sites in Norway