Introduction

The Himalayan region harbors plenty of water resources exploited by the populace of mountainous and downstream areas for domestic uses and other purposes. This region, source of supply to almost 80 % of the water resources and major rivers of North India, has profound influence on the climate and environmental front of this region. Indus and Ganges are the two major rivers in Western Himalayan region which directly impact the lives of a large population living in northern part of India, and even beyond the national boundaries. The Himalayas contain over half the permanent snow and ice-fields outside the polar regions. Because of the potential impacts of climate change on ecology and environment, the Himalayan region is considered as one of the most sensitive regions to global warming as change in climate has marked effect on water resources. Considering the importance of this "Water Tower" of South Asia, study of its water resources becomes imperative in context of changing climate. In the present book, attempts have been made to analyze the dynamics of climate change and water of the Northwestern Himalayan (NWH) region. In this publication various aspects related to dynamics of climate change and water resources including seasonal snow cover, glacier, melt runoff, rainfall, GLOFs, climate change, aerosols, atmospheric CO2 level in glaciated catchment, hydrology of glacial and non-glacial river systems and springs, glacier retreat and mass balance, chemical characterization of glacier melt water, and socio-economic dimension of snow and glacier melt have been covered. The present book, an outcome of the deliberations held during the workshop organized by GBPIHED, also attempts to understand and estimate impacts of climate change on the dynamics of snow, glaciers, and runoff over the Himalayan Mountains and their consequences, both for the upland and downstream regions. The contents of the book have been summarized in the three sections (i) Dynamics of Snow in North-West Himalaya, (ii) Assessment of Climate Change Patterns, and (iii) Consequences of Changes and Flow Regime.