Hami is situated in the eastern Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, which is a typical water shortage region. Glaciers are the main water supply in this region.  

In order to monitor and evaluate the change of glaciers and water resources in this region, scientists at the Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute (CAREERI) took Yushugou Glacier No. 6 and Miaoergou Ice Cap as the research models, analyzed the process of glacier change and the impact on water resources in Hami in recent years in the context of global warming. 

Results indicated the thickness of Yushugou Glacier No. 6 decreased by 20m, the rate of thinning glacier was about 0.51 m/a, and the terminus of the glacier retreated 254m. The speed of glacial recession was about 6.5m/a during the period 1972-2011.  

Due to serious ablation, the surface melt water runoff of Yushugou Glacier No. 6 was obvious and a moraine lake was formed at the terminus.  

By comparison, the melting rate of Miaoergou Ice Cap was smaller than Yushugou Glacier No. 6, which was directly related to glacier types, and the high altitude of Miaoergou Ice Cap and its low sensitivity to climate warming.  

The comprehensive analysis found the difference of recent runoff changes in various rivers was directly caused by whether there was any glacier coverage and its ratio in the drainage basins of Hami. 

This study is financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41301069), and the research has published on the latest Advances in Water Science.