Late Quaternary hydrological changes inferred from lake level fluctuations of Nam Co (Tibetan Plateau, China)

AbstractWater level fluctuations of inland lakes are related to regional-scale climate changes, and reflect variations in evaporation, precipitation and glacier meltwater flowing into the lake area in its catchment. In this paper, Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat) altimeter data and Landsat imagery (2002-09) are used to estimate Nam Co lake (Nyainqentanglha range, Tibetan Plateau) water elevation changes during 2002-09. In 2003 Nam Co lake covered an area of ~1998.8 ± 4.2 km2 and was situated at 4723 m a.s.l. Over such inland water bodies, ICESat altimeter data offer both wide coverage and spatial and temporal accuracy. We combine remote-sensing and GIS technology to map and reconstruct lake area and increased volume changes during a 7 year time series. Nam Co lake water level increased by 2.4±0.12m (0.33ma–1) between 23 February 2003 and 1 October 2009, and lake volume increased by 4.9 ±0.5 km3. In the past 7 years, Nam Co lake area has increased from 1998.78 ±5.4 to 2023.8 ±3.4 km2, the glacier-covered area has decreased from 832.34 to 821.0 km2 and the drainage basin area has decreased from 201.1 ±4.2 to 196.1 ±2.3 km2. However, the most spectacular feature is the continual water level rise from 2003 to 2009 without an obvious associated increase in precipitation. Based on digital elevation models (DEMs) from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) DEM data and corrected ICESat elevation data, significant changes to glacier mass balance in the western Nyainqentanglha mountains are indicated. Nyainqentanglha mountain glacier surface elevations decreased by 8.39 ± 0.45 m during 2003-09. Over the same period, at least 1.01 km3 of glacial meltwater flowed into Nam Co lake, assuming a glacial runoff coefficient of 0.6. The mean glacier mass-balance value is -490mmw.e. over the corresponding period, indicating that glacier meltwater in the catchment contributes to lake level rise. The contribution rate of glacial meltwater to lake water volume rise is 20.75%. The temporal lake level fluctuation correlates with temperature variations over the same time span.

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The Effects of Late-Quaternary Climatic Changes and Glacioisostatic Rebound on Lake Level Fluctuations and Benthos of Lake Michigan

Palaios ◽

10.2307/3514622 ◽

1987 ◽

Vol 2 (5) ◽

pp. 514

Author(s):

Collette Dick Burke

Keyword(s):

Lake Level ◽

Lake Michigan ◽

Late Quaternary ◽

Climatic Changes ◽

Lake Level Fluctuations

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Alluvial deposition and lake-level fluctuations forced by Late Quaternary climate change: the Dead Sea case example

Sedimentary Geology ◽

10.1016/j.sedgeo.2003.07.001 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 162 (1-2) ◽

pp. 119-139 ◽

Cited By ~ 37

Author(s):

Y. Klinger ◽

J.P. Avouac ◽

D. Bourles ◽

N. Tisnerat

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Lake Level ◽

Late Quaternary ◽

Dead Sea ◽

Lake Level Fluctuations ◽

Quaternary Climate ◽

Alluvial Deposition ◽

The Dead

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Late Quaternary transition from lacustrine to a fluvio-lacustrine environment in the north-western Nam Co, Tibetan Plateau, China

Quaternary International ◽

10.1016/j.quaint.2009.05.009 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 218 (1-2) ◽

pp. 104-117 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Brigitta Schütt ◽

Jonas Berking ◽

Manfred Frechen ◽

Peter Frenzel ◽

Antje Schwalb ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tibetan Plateau ◽

Late Quaternary ◽

Nam Co ◽

Lacustrine Environment ◽

The North ◽

North Western

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Long-Term Changes of Lake Level and Water Budget in the Nam Co Lake Basin, Central Tibetan Plateau

Journal of Hydrometeorology ◽

10.1175/jhm-d-13-093.1 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 15 (3) ◽

pp. 1312-1322 ◽

Cited By ~ 39

Author(s):

Yanhong Wu ◽

Hongxing Zheng ◽

Bing Zhang ◽

Dongmei Chen ◽

Liping Lei

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Tibetan Plateau ◽

Water Budget ◽

Lake Level ◽

Lake Basin ◽

The Tibetan Plateau ◽

Nam Co ◽

Long Term Changes ◽

Nam Co Lake

Abstract Long-term changes in the water budget of lakes in the Tibetan Plateau due to climate change are of great interest not only for the importance of water management, but also for the critical challenge due to the lack of observations. In this paper, the water budget of Nam Co Lake during 1980–2010 is simulated using a dynamical monthly water balance model. The simulated lake level is in good agreement with field investigations and the remotely sensed lake level. The long-term hydrological simulation shows that from 1980 to 2010, lake level rose from 4718.34 to 4724.93 m, accompanied by an increase of lake water storage volume from 77.33 × 109 to 83.66 × 109 m3. For the net lake level rise (5.93 m) during the period 1980–2010, the proportional contributions of rainfall–runoff, glacier melt, precipitation on the lake, lake percolation, and evaporation are 104.7%, 56.6%, 41.7%, −22.2%, and −80.9%, respectively. A positive but diminishing annual water surplus is found in Nam Co Lake, implying a continuous but slowing rise in lake level as a hydrological consequence of climate change.

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