Significant Growth of Himalayan Glacial Lakes Amid Climate Change

Himalayan Glacial Lakes on the Rise

New Delhi, Oct 23: A recent report from the Central Water Commission (CWC) reveals that glacial lakes and other water bodies in the Himalayan region have expanded by 9.24% over the last 14 years, underscoring the effects of climate change.

The area covered by these glacial lakes and water bodies has grown from 530,000 hectares in 2011 to 579,000 hectares in 2025, according to the findings.

The Monthly Monitoring Report, which assesses water bodies in the Himalayas, indicates that the reduction of glaciers and the growth of glacial lakes are among the most apparent signs of global warming in this area.

Data from the CWC shows that 1,435 glacial lakes and water bodies have seen an increase in water coverage, while 1,008 have diminished between 2011 and 2025.

Utilizing high-resolution Sentinel satellite data through Google Earth Engine, the commission monitors a total of 2,843 glacial lakes and water bodies. Notably, 428 glacial lakes in India have expanded, prompting authorities to emphasize the need for rigorous monitoring to prepare for potential disasters.

This includes 133 lakes in Ladakh, 50 in Jammu and Kashmir, 13 in Himachal Pradesh, seven in Uttarakhand, 44 in Sikkim, and 181 in Arunachal Pradesh.

In India, the total area of glacial lakes increased from 1,995 hectares in 2011 to 2,445 hectares in 2025, marking a 22.56% rise, as reported by the CWC.

The commission cautioned that the growth of these lakes heightens the risk of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), which are sudden floods triggered by the failure of unstable moraine dams, potentially leading to significant downstream destruction.

The report emphasized that predicting outburst events directly is currently unfeasible, highlighting the necessity for ongoing monitoring.

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