Spring fieldwork in the Langtang catchment

About the fieldwork

As part of a bi-annual field research and data collection project carried out with our partners, a team of researchers are headed to Langtang valley to conduct glacier measurements, collect data, and carry out routine maintenance work on automatic weather stations. This field expedition will include three main activities:

1. Training on and participatory construction of a 3D model of the Langtang catchment

Upon the request of the Gosaikunda ward chair person, we are constructing a participatory 3D model of the Langtang catchment, which will be displayed at the ward office in Langtang. The model will portray various geographical features within the Langtang catchment and will provide information about the valley for tourists and the community. We will also train local community members in constructing such models.

2. Data collection on the impacts of cryosphere changes on ecosystems and society

As part of the participatory action research to understand the importance of ecosystems in cryosphere–society linkages in high-altitude areas, our team will interact with communities and visit Langtang National Park and its buffer zone to collect data on:

• High-altitude ecosystems at the interface of the cryosphere and society
• Impact of cryosphere changes on the biosphere (ecosystems and biodiversity) and feedbacks therein – both direct and indirect
• Vegetation shifts
• Impact of snow cover change on ecosystems

This research will recommend a community-based plan of action for enhancing socio-ecological resilience.

3. Glacio-meteorological field campaign

The major objectives of the field campaign are as follows:

• Conduct winter glacier mass balance measurement on Yala Glacier
• Carry out routine maintenance work and download data from multiple automatic weather stations in the Langtang valley
• Download ground surface temperature data from the several temperature loggers deployed in the vicinity of Yala Glacier to study the permafrost in the valley
• Check and download data from the multiple time-lapse cameras in the valley

About the organizers

This fieldwork in the Langtang catchment is being conducted by the Cryosphere Initiative under ICIMOD’s Regional Programme on River Basins and Cryosphere, in coordination with the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, Kathmandu University, and Tribhuvan University in Nepal; Utrecht University in the Netherlands; and the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE).

The Cryosphere Initiative is supported by the Government of Norway and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation.