CHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF ICE AND MELTWATER OF GLACIERS IN MIYAR VALLEY, LAHAUL & SPITI DISTRICT, HIMACHAL PRADESH, INDIA

The study of chemical characteristics of the glacier including ice and meltwater streams originating from the glaciers play a significant role in classifying and assessing overall downstream water quality. In this study, chemical analysis and interpretation of three glacier?s ice and meltwater streams originating from Miyar, Takdung and Uldhampu glaciers, were carried out to understand major ion chemistry, ascertain the ionic variation in ice and meltwater, source rock characteristics and potability of water. Analytical results are represented by using Piper Trilinear, Stiff and Pie diagrams. The result represents the concentration of both cations and anions values are relatively higher in meltwater. The individual sample wise interpretation of Piper and Stiff diagrams shows Ca++ and Mg++ are dominant cation and HCO3- and CO3-- are dominant anion in both Ice and meltwater samples of Miyar and Takdung Glaciers. Whereas ionic values in Ice and meltwater samples of Uldhampu glacier varied as Cl- > SO4--> HCO3- + CO3-- and SO4--> Cl->HCO3- + CO3-- respectively. Comparative study of analytical results with permissible range defined in Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS, 2012) for potable water, shows ionic concentrations in samples of Miyar and Tukdung glaciers are within the permissible range and ice and meltwater of Uldhampu glacier reveals its acidic nature with pH 5.64 and 4.00.