Icings in the Uda river basin (Western Transbaikalia): peculiarities of modern distribution and possibilities of use

Abstract

Relevance. The increase in the intensity of icing formation in the territory of the Western Transbaikalia from 2019 to the present due to the beginning of the high-water climatic cycle. The volumes of icings increase annually, cases of flooding of settlements and infrastructure facilities are observed. This makes it advisable to conduct a modern detailed study of the icings using new technologies and approaches. In the Uda River basin, which was selected as the study area, icings have not been studied sufficiently, and there is little information about them in literature. At the same time, they are a valuable resource, since massive ice fields accumulate a significant part of the winter runoff of both surface and groundwater. Therefore, icings can be used for economic purposes as a source of water supply for agricultural production when they melt in the warm season. Aim. To assess the intensity of manifestation of icing formation within the Uda River basin with the identification of general patterns of modern distribution of the icings, the impact of various environmental factors on their dynamics, as well as the possibilities of their utilization. Subjects. Icings formed in the cold season in the Uda River basin in the conditions of dissected mid-mountainous relief and wide distribution of permafrost rocks (permafrost). Methods. Remote and field expeditionary methods of scientific research. Landsat-4-5, Landsat-8, Sentinel-2 space images and Resurs-P data were used as a source of information for remote sensing. Data on icings thickness were obtained using field methods in the course of icings surveys, and local digital terrain models of key sites in the areas of icings development were compiled using UAVs. Data processing was carried out using GIS methods. Results. Current and retrospective maps of icings location were obtained. On the territory with the total area of about 35 thousand km2 up to 3.2 thousand icings are formed in winter depending on the natural and climatic conditions. During low-water climatic cycles, the number of icings decreases by 1.5 times. The large number of icings with their relatively small size is a consequence of the discontinuity of the cryolithozone in the study area. Groundwater icings prevail, where ice fields contain most of their runoff during the cold period of the year. The Uda River basin icings characterize the groundwater reserves of the territory and can be used as sources of water supply for agricultural production in the dry period from April to June, when there is practically no precipitation.

Keywords

• permafrost
• groundwater
• icings
• satellite images
• uda river
• western transbaikalia