You are here: Home → Archive → 2015 → Irrigation in Upper Hunza: evolution of socio-hydrological interactions in the Karakoram, northern Pakistan Article details Irrigation in Upper Hunza: evolution of socio-hydrological interactions in the Karakoram, northern Pakistan

Abstract

Based on three case studies, this paper describes and analyzes the structure and dynamics of irrigation systems in Upper Hunza, located in the western Karakoram, Pakistan. In these deeply incised and arid valleys, glacier and snow melt-water are the primary water sources for agricultural production. The study shows how glacio-fluvial dynamics impact upon irrigation systems and land use practices, and how, in turn, local communities adapt to these changing conditions: framed here as socio-hydrological interactions. A combined methodological approach, including field observations, interviews, mapping and remote sensing analysis, was used to trace historical and recent changes in irrigation networks and land use patterns.Zusammenfassung: Auf Grundlage von drei Fallstudien behandelt der Beitrag die Struktur und Dynamik von Bewässerungssystemen im oberen Hunza-Tal, einer Hochgebirgsregion im westlichen Karakorum, Pakistan. In den tief eingeschnittenen Tälern bilden die Schnee-und Gletscherschmelzwässer eine essentielle Voraussetzung für die landwirtschaftliche Nutzung. Die Fallstudien zeigen den Einfluss von Gletscherveränderungen auf die Bewässerungssysteme und Landnutzungsmuster und wie sich die lokalen Gemeinschaften wiederum auf diese Veränderungen einstellen. Diese Anpassungsstrategien werden hier als Teil eines sozio-hydrologischen Interaktionsmodells behandelt. Zur Erfassung und Analyse der historischen und rezenten Veränderungen des Bewässerungssystems und der Landnutzungsmuster dient ein Methodenverbund in dem sowohl Interviews und mündliche Überlieferungen, als auch detaillierte Feldaufnahmen und Fernerkundungsdaten einbezogen werden. Photo 2: The lake Ghyper Zhui fed by Passu Glacier over the lateral moraine via a number of channels (red arrows). These channels are desiccated due to the down-wasting of the glacier. (Photo: Sitara Parveen 2013)

Socio-hydrological modelling: a review asking "why, what and how?"

“…Such dynamics include "pendulum swings" that have been observed in areas such as the Murray-Darling Basin, where extensive agricultural development was followed by a realisation of the impacts this was having and subsequent implementation of environmental protection policies van Emmerik et al, 2014), the co-evolution of landscapes with irrigation practices and community dynamics (Parveen et al, 2015), as well as instances of catastrophe in which hydrological extremes not been catastrophic in themselves; rather, social processes that result in vulnerability have made extreme events catastrophic (Lane, 2014). There are also cases where social systems have not interacted with water in the way that was anticipated: examples include the virtual water efficiency and peak-water paradoxes discussed by Sivapalan et al (2014), and yet others where the perception, rather than the actuality, that people have of a natural system determines the way it is shaped (Molle, 2007).…”

Socio-hydrology of “artificial glaciers” in Ladakh, India: assessing adaptive strategies in a changing cryosphere

“…There is a long tradition of research on human-water relations in the upper Indus Basin, in both Ladakh, northern India (Labbal 2000;Nüsser et al 2012) and various locations in northern Pakistan (Kreutzmann 2011;Nüsser 2001;Parveen et al 2015;Nüsser and Schmidt 2017). Our study extends the sociohydrological discussion to water harvesting structures in Ladakh, commonly called Bartificial glaciers,^which have been framed as adaptive strategies to climate change (Bagla 1998;Vince 2009;Clouse 2014).…”

“…These results correspond with a study by Chudley et al (2017) who estimate total retreat of 12.8% for 657 glaciers between 1991 and 2014. Although glacier decrease is not as pronounced as in other Himalayan regions, even small climatic shifts influence water storage and runoff in cold-arid regions, crucial for the functioning of irrigation systems (Barnett et al 2005;Parveen et al 2015). Despite their small size, meltwater from these glaciers determines the potential for irrigated crop cultivation.…”

Contributions of the cryosphere to mountain communities in the Hindu Kush Himalaya: a review

“…For example, irrigation systems in Passu, Borith, and Ghulkin villages in Hunza are dependent on glaciers, glacier lakes, glaciofluvial streams, seasonal snowmelt, and even snow-fed springs. The irrigation system in Passu is the most well-endowed, while the systems in Ghulkin and Borith are exposed to a wider range of risks like glacier retreat, glacial(er) lake outburst floods (GLOFs), overtopping of lateral moraines, and erosion of channel intakes (Parveen et al 2015).…”