2025-08-13 マサチューセッツ大学アマースト校
＜関連情報＞
- https://www.umass.edu/news/article/umass-amherst-led-team-finds-rapidly-changing-river-patterns-high-mountain-asia-pose
- https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2024AV001586
高地アジアにおける河川流量の増加 Accelerating River Discharge in High Mountain Asia
J. A. Flores, C. J. Gleason, C. Brown, N. Vergopolan, M. M. Lummus, L. A. Stearns, D. Li, L. C. Andrews, D. Basnyat, C. B. Brinkerhoff, R. Ducusin, D. Feng, E. Friedmann, X. He, M. Girotto …
AGU Advances Published:13 August 2025
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/2024AV001586
Abstract
High Mountain Asia (HMA) plays a crucial role in Asian hydrology—its vast snow and glacier-covered landscape significantly influences downstream river water supply for billions of people. Understanding the spatiotemporal pattern of river discharge in HMA aids effective water resource management and infrastructure planning. In this study, we used a combination of hydrologic modeling and assimilation of remotely sensed discharge from Landsat and PlanetScope imagery to investigate how daily river discharge has changed for more than 114,000 reaches across HMA between 2004 and 2019. We observed significant increasing trends in river discharge for 11,113 reaches (∼10%), particularly in smaller rivers of the Syr Darya, Indus, Yangtze, and Yellow River basins. The ratio of total glacial melt and precipitation received by individual river reach showed an average significant increase of 2.2% per year, particularly in the Syr Darya, Amu Darya and Western Indus rivers. Across HMA, our results also indicate that 8% of river reaches with either planned and existing hydropower plants or dams experienced a statistically significant average increase of 2.9% per year in stream power. These findings illustrate the rapidly changing patterns of river discharge and stream power in HMA.
Key Points
- River discharge is accelerating in approximately 10% of all rivers in High Mountain Asia (HMA)
- Changes in the ratio of glacier melt and precipitation have spatially heterogenous impacts on HMA rivers
- Hydropower plants and dams in HMA are experiencing increasing stream power
Plain Language Summary
High Mountain Asia (HMA) is a critical region for water supply in Asia, as its snow and glacier-covered landscapes supply water to billions of people. We examined how river flow and stream power (the energy rivers exert on their banks) have changed across over 114,000 rivers in HMA from 2004 to 2019. Using computer models and satellite observations, we found that river flow is increasing in many areas of the Syr Darya, Amu Darya, Indus, Yangtze, and Yellow River basins. Further, we observed increasing trends in stream power for rivers with existing or planned hydropower plants, which could impact infrastructure and downstream ecosystems. These trends show that melting glaciers and changing precipitation contributes to the changing river dynamics in HMA, affecting water resources, hydropower, and flood risks. This research helps water managers better plan for reliable water supply, energy generation, and the protection of natural habitats.
