Ladakh Lake Shrinks Dramatically, Prompting Fresh Efforts To Restore Its Declining Water Levels

One of Ladakh's iconic high-altitude lakes, Tso Kar, has shrunk by nearly 70 per cent over the past decade, prompting the Union Territory administration to launch a plan aimed at restoring the water body. The administration is now seeking to channelise water from a glacier stream into the lake, with the ambitious project expected to help revive Tso Kar within a year. The effort comes amid concerns over the impact of the lake's shrinking water spread on the fragile high-altitude ecosystem and communities dependent on the surrounding landscape.

Tso Kar was once spread across nearly 11,000 acres, but its area has now fallen to around 3,200 acres, according to the information provided by the administration. The sharp reduction in the lake's water spread has affected the environment around it, including the availability of habitat and feeding areas for migratory birds. The decline has also affected grazing grounds used by local Pashmina goat herders, whose livelihoods are closely connected to the high-altitude pastures surrounding the lake. To address the water shortage, the administration is looking towards an additional source that currently remains largely untapped.

Officials plan to use water from the Rupsho Kharnak glacier stream, which is located at an altitude of around 18,045 feet. The stream is situated approximately 11.5 kilometres from Tso Kar and has been identified as a potential source that could provide a substantial quantity of water to the shrinking lake during the summer months. The glacier stream is estimated to carry up to 132 cusecs of water during summer, equivalent to around 320 million litres a day. At present, the water from the stream flows unused into the Sindhu River. The proposed intervention seeks to redirect a portion of this flow towards Tso Kar, potentially providing the lake with a significant additional water source during the period when glacier melt is at its highest.

Also Read: Volunteers Raise Awareness For Korattur Lake Restoration on World Lake Day

The administration's plan is aimed at using this naturally available water to address the lake's declining levels. The shrinking of Tso Kar has implications beyond the lake itself because the water body forms part of a fragile high-altitude environment. Reduced water availability has already been linked to fewer migratory birds arriving at the site, while the reduction in surrounding grazing areas has affected Pashmina goat herders. Restoring the lake could therefore have both ecological and livelihood benefits, particularly if the additional water helps improve the condition of the surrounding landscape.

The administration's proposed project represents an effort to use local glacier-fed water resources to tackle the rapid decline of one of Ladakh's important high-altitude lakes. With the Rupsho Kharnak stream located relatively close to Tso Kar and carrying substantial summer flows, officials hope channelising the water can help restore the lake within a year. The success of the plan will depend on how effectively the glacier water can be brought to the lake and whether the additional supply can help reverse the long-term decline in its water spread.

Also Read: UN Climate Chief Says Nepal-China Flash Floods Expose Himalayan Fragility