1. (Tibetan Plateau ‘s Environment ) 2013 1
Glaciers

2. (Tibetan Plateau ‘s Environment ) 2013
Where the rivers originate…
total river basin area: Above 5 M. Sq. Km
The Water Tower/ Reservoir of Asia

3. (Tibetan Plateau ‘s Environment ) 2013 Image©: EDD
MORE THAN 46,000 GLACIERS

4. (Tibetan Plateau ‘s Environment ) 2013
Major Tibetan Rivers:
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Drichu (Yangtse)
Machu (Yellow)
Zachu (Mekong)
Gyalmo Ngulchu (Salween),
Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra),
Singhe Khabab (Indus)
Langchen Khabab – Sutlej
Bhumchu – Arun
Lhodrak Sharchu – Manas
Macha Khabab – Karnali - Ganga

5. (Tibetan Plateau ‘s Environment ) 2013
Glacial Retreat on the TIBETAN PLATEAU
(NASA, 2010). ....
20 percent of Tibetan glaciers have retreated in the past 40 years and if the current
trend continues, more than 60 percent of the existing glaciers could be gone in the
next 40 years
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6. (Tibetan Plateau ‘s Environment ) 2013 6
Climate Warming: Drying the head regions of Major Rivers
Eastern Tibet: Head Region of the Machu (Yellow River)

7. (Tibetan Plateau ‘s Environment ) 2013 7
ICIMOD: International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development

8. (Tibetan Plateau ‘s Environment ) 2013
Drichu- Yangtse
MAP©: EDD 8

9. (Tibetan Plateau ‘s Environment ) 2013
Mt. Thangla
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Drichu/ Yangtse Tibet & China

10. (Tibetan Plateau ‘s Environment ) 2013
Machu –Yellow River
MAP©: EDD 10

11. (Tibetan Plateau ‘s Environment ) 2013
Machu/ Yellow River
Amdo
Bayanhari Mt.
Tibet,
Inner
Mongolia
&
China
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12. (Tibetan Plateau ‘s Environment ) 2013
Zachu -Mekong
MAP©: EDD 12

13. (Tibetan Plateau ‘s Environment ) 2013
China, Burma, Laos,
Thailand, Cambodia
& Vietnam
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ZACHU/ MEKONG RIVER
Supports 70 million people from Tibet to Vietnam.

14. (Tibetan Plateau ‘s Environment ) 2013
Gyalmo Ngulchu -Salween
MAP©: EDD 14

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Tibet
China
Burma
Thailand
Gyalmo Ngulchu (Salween River)

16. (Tibetan Plateau ‘s Environment ) 2013
Yarlung Tsangpo - Brahmaputra
MAP©: EDD 16

17. (Tibetan Plateau ‘s Environment ) 2013
Yarlung Tsangpo/
Brahmaputra
Tibet, India &
Bangladesh
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18. (Tibetan Plateau ‘s Environment ) 2013
Singe Khabab -Indus
MAP©: EDD 18

19. (Tibetan Plateau ‘s Environment ) 2013
Indus in Pakistan
TIBET INDIA Pakistan

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Exploiting Water Resources
Images©: EDD
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More than 5.6 million km2

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Ngari (Ali) Dam ‘or’ Indus Dam
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6400 KW & cost > 425 MillionYuan

22. (Tibetan Plateau ‘s Environment ) 2013
Ngari (Ali) Dam ‘or’ Indus Dam
Source: Google Earth
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23. (Tibetan Plateau ‘s Environment ) 2013
Yamdrok Tso Project
Work began on 1991 and complete in 2000
It costs 600 million Yuan
It is not recorded how many people have
benefited from the power generated from
this project

24. (Tibetan Plateau ‘s Environment ) 2013
Yamdrok Yumtso Hydropower Plant