Glacier change in Xiate ancient road of central Tien Shan during the last two decades

Mountain glaciers contribute water resource, but produce glacier hazards. This paper presents glacier change in Xiate ancient road and analyses glacier hazards to planning highway. Using Landsat Thematic Mapper/Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (TM/ETM+) images and Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) Global Digital Elevation Model (GDEM), we obtain glacier boundary, then calculating glacier area. At last, we get some conclusions. (1) Change rate of glacier area in Xiate River is larger than Muzhaerte River, glacier area change in Xiate River is -0.59km²/a and glacier area change in Muzhaerte River is -5.12km²/a, which is associated with climate of two basins; (2) The area and length of glaciers which are 5km away from planning highway are decreased. In the two rivers, change of glacier area is similar, but change of glacier length is very different; (3) some glaciers may be hazardous to the planning highway, such as muzhaerte glacier and tamugetashi glacier.