Rivers flowing from the Tibetan Plateau and surrounding Asian mountains that support one-third of the world’s population have experienced rapid increases in annual water and sediment runoff since the 1990s. The volume of sediment washed downstream could more than double by 2050. Accelerated warming is precipitating more glacier melt and permafrost thaw with annual rainfall also increasing. Tibet and Nepal have hydro-electric power plants, and rising levels of sediment can wear out the dams’ turbines and fill reservoirs with sand and silt, threatening the region’s food and energy security. This sediment can carry nutrients, pollutants and organic carbon, impacting water quality and flooding, potentially affecting millions of people.
Story Source: University of Colorado at Boulder.
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/10/211029103122.htm