Assessment of glacier status and its controlling parameters from 1990 to 2018 of Hunza Basin, Western Karakorum

Ice masses and snow of Hunza River Basin (HRB) are an important primary source fresh water lifeline for downstream inhabitants. Changing climatic conditions seriously put impact on these available ice masses. These glaciers may affect population by glacial lake outburst floods (GLOF) surge events due to variation. So, monitoring is important. This research delivers approach dynamics major the Basin. We delineated 27 HRB examined their status using Landsat (OLI, ETM+, ETM, TM), digital elevation model (DEM) over period 1990–2018. In 1990, total area covered about 2589.75 ± 86 km2 2565.12 68km2 in 2018. Our results revealed that from 2009 2015, glacier coverage advanced with a mean annual advance rate 2.22 0.1 a-1. Conversely, 1994 1999, strongest reduction − 3.126 0.3 a-1 recorded. The relatively stable compared Hindukush, Himalayan, Tibetan Plateau region world. steep slope glacier’s retreat more than gentle glaciers, below 5000 m above sea level change significantly. Based climate data 1995 2018, shows decreasing trend temperature increasing precipitation. area’s overall increase summer while advancement induced possibly winter autumn