Hydrological ecosystem changes and impacts after the Zonag Lake outburst in Hoh Xil of Tibetan Plateau

The outburst of Zonag Lake in Hoh Xil, Tibetan Plateau, in 2011 triggered significant and lasting changes to the regional hydrological ecosystem, threatening the ecological health of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Research using remotely sensed data (2000–2020), meteorological observations, and field surveys revealed that the event altered lake connectivity, increased sandstorm activity, and degraded vegetation, particularly in lambing and Tibetan antelope habitats. Downstream Yanhu Lake reached record high levels, necessitating emergency diversion measures to prevent overflow. These changes pose risks to infrastructure—including the Qinghai-Tibet highway and railway—as well as fluvial geomorphology in the Yangtze River's northernmost sources, underscoring the event's far-reaching environmental and socio-economic impacts.

Chen, Y., Lu, S., Zhou, J., Baig, M. H. A., Chen, F., Tang, H., Zhang, Y., Yang, X., & Ge, L. (2021). Hydrological ecosystem changes and impacts after the Zonag Lake outburst in Hoh Xil of Tibetan Plateau. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences: X, 6, 100064. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaesx.2021.100064