Water of the Pamir – Potential and Constraints

Abstract

High mountains in arid regions are known to act as water towers which generate runoff and redistribute it over time and space. Snow and glaciers play important roles as water storages but currently undergo changes in a warming climate. A recession of glacier area was observed in the Pamir during the last four decades of the twentieth century, while recent results indicate slight mass gains during the first decade of the twenty-first century. Fedchenko Glacier, the largest valley glacier in the Pamir, shows a continuous but small volume reduction over the past eight decades. After a period of peak flow will be passed in the near future, a further glacier wastage will reduce annual discharge and change seasonal water availability towards higher streamflow in spring and a runoff reduction in summer. These changes will cause water shortages during the main growing season and cause negative effects for agriculture which highly depends on irrigation.