Toward a complete Himalayan hydrological budget: Spatiotemporal distribution of snowmelt and rainfall and their impact on river discharge

The hydrological budget of Himalayan rivers is dominated by monsoonal rainfall and snowmelt, but their relative impact is not well established because this remote region lacks a dense gauge network. Here, we use a combination of validated remotely‐sensed climate parameters to characterize the spatiotemporal distribution of rainfall, snowfall, and evapotranspiration in order to quantify their relative contribution to mean river discharge. Rainfall amounts are calculated from calibrated, orbital, high‐resolution Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission data, and snow‐water equivalents are computed from a snowmelt model based on satellite‐derived snow cover, surface temperature, and solar radiation. Our data allow…

• NS
  National Science Foundation
• NA
  National Aeronautics and Space Administration
• JA
  Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency