meteorological parameters. Technical report submitted Tangri AK, Chandra R, Yadav SKS (2004). Temporal to Department of Science and Technology, Government monitoring of the snout, Equilibrium line and Ablation ASSESSMENT OF HYDROCHEMICAL PROPERTIES AND ANNUAL VARIATION of India. zone of Gangotri Glacierthrough remote sensing and IN MELTWATER OF GANGOTRI GLACIER SYSTEM GIS techniques: an attempt at deciphering the climatic Singh P, Haritashya UK, Kumar N (2008). Modelling and variability. Geological Survey of India (Special estimation of different components of stream flow for Publication), 80: 145-153. S. Sah*, H. Bisht, K. Kumar, A. Tiwari, M. Tewariand H. Joshi Gangotri Glacierbasin Himalayas. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 53:309-322. Thayyen RJ, Gergan JT, Dobhal DP (1999). Particle size G.B Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment and Sustainable Development Kosi-Katarmal, Almora, characteristics of suspended sediment and subglacial Uttarakhand, India Singh P, Haritashya UK, Kumar N, Singh Y (2006). hydrology of Dokriani Glacier, Garhwal Himalaya, Hydrological characteristics of the Gangotri Glacier, India. Hydrological Science Journal, 44(1): 47-61. *Correspondence: [email protected] central Himalayas, India. Journal of Hydrology, 327: 55- 67. Valdiya KS (1998). Dynamic Himalaya, Universities Press, Hyderabad, 1(2): 3-4. ABSTRACT Singh VB, Ramanathan AL, Sharma P, Pottakkal JG (2015). Dissolved ion chemistry and suspended sediment Vatne G, Etzelmuller B, Odegard R, Sollid JL (1992). The aim of this study is to analyze the physicochemical parameters of melt water draining from Gangotri glacier along characteristics of meltwater draining from Chhota Shigri Glaciofluvial sediment transfer of a subpolar glacier, Glacier, western Himalaya, India. Arabian Journal of Erikbreen, Svalbard. Stuttgater Geographische Studien, Baghirathi River during May-October, 2014 and 2015. A total 312 samples were collected each fortnightly in both the years. Geosciences, 8(1): 281-293. 117: 253-266. Results showed that cations and anions were found in the order Ca2+> Mg2+> Na+> K+ and SO42-> HCO3->Cl->NO3->F-> PO4-, respectively. The ratio of (Ca+Mg)/(TZ+) varied from 0.49 to 0.79 with mean value(0.63±0.18) indicating that Ca and Mg Srivastava D, Kumar A, Verma A, Swaroop S (2014). Williams GP (1989). Sediment concentration versus water have larger contribution to the total cations. Which the elemental ratio (C+Mg)/(Na+K) ratio was also high varied from 2.10 to Characterization of suspended sediment in meltwater discharge during single hydrologic events in rivers. 3.42 with mean value (2.35±0.04) shows the dominancy of carbonate weathering in the study area on the other hand the C-ratio from glaciers of Garhwal Himalaya. Hydrological Journal of Hydrology, 111: 89-106. Processes, 28(3): 969-979. shows that sulphide oxidation is the major proton producing mechanism. The low Na/Cl and K/Cl ratios indicated major Young GJ (1981). The mass balance of Peyto Glacier, contribution from atmospheric perception to the observed dissolved ions of melt waters finally, study showed an increase in Srivastava D, Swaroop S, Mukerji S, Gautam CK, Roy D Alberta, Canada, 1965 to 1978. Arctic and Alpine the concentration of cations as compared to previous studies, which could be attributed to increasing weathering rates due to (1999). Suspended sediment yield and its variation in Research, 13: 307-318. temperature increase. The concentration of NO and PO compared to previous studies show the effect of human impact in the Dunagiri Glaciermelt stream, Garhwal Himalaya. Abs. 3 4 of the symposium of Snow, Ice and Glaciers-Himalayan region. perspective, Lucknow, 1(2): 44-45. Keywords: Atmospheric perception, Glacier melts water, Gangotri glacier, Garhwal Himalayas, Geochemical hydro- chemistry, Physicochemical parameter, Carbonate weathering. INTRODUCTION identifying the concentration and nature of solute present in the basal lithology and atmospheric input (Ramanathan Himalaya is one of the important glaciated region u\outside 2011). Therefore the study of surrounding rock and soil is the ice sheet of polar region. The Himalayan glacier also necessary during the study of hydro chemical properties experiences various expansion and recession during the of glacier melt water. The weathering of surrounding rocks is Quaternary period (Singh et al., 2016). These glacier the primary source of concentration of ions in glacier fluctuations are directly related to climatic changes. The meltwater. However the secondary source of ion Indian Himalaya Mountains are the factor for controlling the concentration in glacier meltwater is atmospheric meteorological and hydrological characteristics of Indian precipitation (Hallet 1976). peninsular region (Bhutiyani 1999). Glaciers are mainly playing an important role in buffering stream acting as a The growing demand for fresh water in downstream hydrological budget (Barry et al., 2000). The glacierised stretches and geological information has made the hydro- areas are an ideal environment to study rock water chemical study of Himalaya glaciers highly necessary interaction and their role in changing of solute dynamics of (Singh et al., 2012). Ganga, Indus and Brahmaputra are three glacier melt water. The hydrochemistry of meltwater of major rivers of the north India together supply near 50% different glaciers are varying with surrounding lithology (320km3) of the total utilizable surface water resources of the (Collins 1979 a). The hydro geochemical investigations of country (690 km3) (Srivastava 2004). Therefore the melt melt water draining from the glaciers are helpful to water Chemistry of the glacier is very important to assess 16 ENVIS Centre on Himalayan Ecology ENVIS Bulletin Himalayan Ecology, Vol 25, 2017 17 impact of weathering reactions, anthropogenic and climate rocks. The numbers of debris cones are present both side of Laboratory as standard Procedures (APHA 2005). 215±14.36 ntu and it ranged between (235 – 512) ntu with change impact on the water chemistry. The hydrogeo the Bhagirathi River formed due to slide, debris fall, rockfall Parameters with low stability such as Electrical mean 259±23.92 ntu in 2015. Other physical parameter like chemical studies of the Himalayan glaciers are lagging and small avalanche in tributary glacier. A series of lateral Conductivity (EC) and Potential of hydrogen (pH) were TH of melt water ranged from (22 – 56) meq/l mean 48±11.3 behind when compared with Alpine and Arctic glaciers due moraines are present up to 2 km. downstream from the measured on the spot using Conductivity meter and meq/l and (29 – 100) mean (52.44±14.32) meq/l in 2014, to difficulty in collection of data at higher altitudes. Despite present position of snout, which indicates the various stage Potentiometer respectively and the other parameter were 2015 respectively. TSS (1.45-8.49)g/l mean 5.86±3.5 g/l and this there are numbers of studies on hydro chemical aspect of of recession during the historical past. The terminal measured in the laboratory. The turbidity (NTU) is measured (0.2- 2.35) g/l mean 0.78±0.44 g/l. Garhwal Himalaya glacier melt water (Haisnain et al., 1996, moraines are also present all along the Bhagirathi valley by Nephelometric. Magnesium (Mg), Calcium (Ca) and 1999; Ahamad et al., 2000; Kumar et al., 2009; Trivedi et al., which is now fully covered with grass also show the past Nitrate (NO ), Fluoride (F) were measured by EDTA (0.05N) Table 1. Chemical characteristics of Gangotri glacier 3 meltwater 2010; Singh et al., 2012). But no comparative study is position of glacier up to that height. The glacial striations in titrimetric method and Ion electrode method respectively. available on dissolve ion Chemistry of the Gangotri glacier. the Bhagirathi valley up to 2-3 km downstream from the Parameters Year 2014 Year 2015 Bicarbonate (HCO3) and Chloride (Cl) were measured by (May - October) (May-October) So in this paper we have attempted to provide a preliminary snout of the glacier indicate that the retreat has been Max Min Mean SD Max Min Mean SD titration with (0.01N H2SO4 and 0.05N AgNO3) respectively. hydro-chemical data for Gangotri glacier of two different consistent in the past. In Gangotri glacier several temporary EC (µs/cm) 62 49 57.66 8.26 79.05 50.32 68.2 8.49 The Sodium (Na), Potassium (K) and Sulphate (SO4), pH 7.89 7.42 6.65 0.7 6.08 3.97 4.5 0.6 years 2014 and 2015 during the whole ablation season. The supraglacial lakes ranging from few centimeters to several Phosphate (PO ) were measured through the help of flame TSS (g/l) 8.49 1.45 5.864 3.5 2.35 0.2 0.78 0.44 4 TDS (ppm) 39.68 31.36 36.48 10 50.56 32 43.52 8 present Study is aimed to determine the ion Chemistry of the meters in length were observed in the middle part of the photometer and Photometric method respectively. The total TH (mg/l) 56 22 48 11.3 100 29 52.44 14.32 glacier and evaluation of the geochemical process glacier formed as a result of meeting and widening of Turbidity 375 165 215 14.36 512 235 259 23.92 dissolved solids (TDS), Total hardness (TH) and percentage (Ntu) controlling the dissolve ion chemistry of the Gangotri glacier underground glacial caves which has been induced to shrink Salinity 98 55 63.2 9.23 130 110 73.2 12.36 balance error (%E) were determined through the help of 2+ meltwater. of the glacier by allowing the ice to calve into them. The Ca (meq/l) 0.54 0.13 0.25 0.16 2.10 0.12 0.47 0.4 formula given by Dinka 2010; Raghunath 1987; Fetter 2000 Mg2+ (meq/l) 0.49 0.10 0.09 0.13 1.13 0.06 0.33 0.25 longitudinal and transverse crevasses are present on the + Na (meq/l) 0.15 0.05 0.08 0.04 0.46 0.03 0.2 0.23 respectively.