Himalayan glacial lakes expand by 9.24% over 14-years: CWC Report

New Delhi, Oct 23: Glacial lakes and other water bodies in the Himalayan region have grown by 9.24 per cent over the past 14 years, according to a Central Water Commission (CWC) report, highlighting the impacts of climate change.

The total area of glacial lakes and water bodies increased from 5.30 lakh hectares in 2011 to 5.79 lakh hectares in 2025, the report stated.

The Monthly Monitoring Report, which tracks water bodies in the Himalayas, noted that shrinking glaciers and expanding glacial lakes are among the most visible indicators of global warming in the region.

The CWC data shows that 1,435 glacial lakes and water bodies recorded an increase in water spread, while 1,008 experienced a decrease between 2011 and 2025.

Using high-resolution Sentinel satellite data via Google Earth Engine, the commission monitors 2,843 glacial lakes and water bodies. Among these, 428 glacial lakes within India have expanded, and authorities have called for vigorous monitoring for disaster preparedness.

These include 133 in Ladakh, 50 in Jammu and Kashmir, 13 in Himachal Pradesh, seven in Uttarakhand, 44 in Sikkim, and 181 in Arunachal Pradesh.

Within India, the total water spread area of glacial lakes increased from 1,995 hectares in 2011 to 2,445 hectares in 2025, registering a 22.56 per cent rise, according to the CWC report.

The commission warned that the increase in lake sizes raises the risk of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) -- sudden floods caused by the breach of unstable moraine dams, which can cause extensive downstream damage.

The report said direct prediction of outburst events is not feasible with current knowledge, underscoring the importance of continuous monitoring.

According to the Glacial Lake Atlas of Indian River Basins 2023, 28,043 glacial lakes larger than 0.25 hectares have been mapped across the Himalayan river basins, of which 7,570 are located within India.

PTI