Glacial Lake Area In India Increased By Over 27% Since 2011: CWC Report
A recent report released by the Central Water Commission (CWC) has revealed that the water spread area of glacial lakes within India increased by more than 27% between 2011 and July 2025. The findings underline the growing impact of climate change, accelerated glacier melt, and increasing risks of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) in the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR).The report analysed glacial lakes across:
The study is significant because rapidly expanding glacial lakes increase the probability of sudden lake breaches, threatening downstream populations, infrastructure, biodiversity, and hydropower projects.
| Parameter | Findings |
|---|---|
| Increase in glacial lake area | 27.87% |
| Inventory area in 2011 | 1,952 hectares |
| Inventory area in July 2025 | 2,496 hectares |
| Total lakes analysed | 100 glacial lakes |
| Lakes showing growth | 58 glacial lakes |
| Total monitored glacial lakes/water bodies | 2,843 |
| Increase in Himalayan region lake area | 6.03% |
| State/UT | Number of Lakes |
|---|---|
| Sikkim | 28 |
| Ladakh | 8 |
| Jammu & Kashmir | 7 |
| Uttarakhand | 6 |
| Himachal Pradesh | 5 |
| Arunachal Pradesh | 4 |
Sikkim recorded the highest number of vulnerable lakes under active monitoring.
The primary reason behind the expansion is:
As glaciers retreat, depressions created by melting ice get filled with water, forming glacial lakes.
Additional contributing factors include:
These factors accelerate ice melt and increase lake volume.
| Type | Characteristics |
|---|---|
| Supraglacial Lakes | Formed on glacier surfaces due to meltwater accumulation |
| Moraine-Dammed Lakes | Located near glacier snouts and blocked by loose moraine debris |
The report mentions several Supraglacial Debris Cover (SDC) lakes which remain difficult to assess fully.
A GLOF occurs when the natural dam holding a glacial lake suddenly collapses, releasing massive quantities of water downstream.
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Rapidly growing lakes can flood:
Hydropower projects located along Himalayan rivers are increasingly exposed to:
Potential impacts include:
Recent GLOF events in Nepal have highlighted the need for:
The monitoring was carried out using:
The lakes were classified based on:
Remote sensing helps in:
However, it still has limitations because:
The report reinforces the importance of:
These systems are essential for reducing disaster risk in Himalayan states.
India has expanded glacial monitoring under multiple agencies:
The focus is shifting from:
The expansion of glacial lakes is an indicator of:
The Himalayas are often called the “Third Pole” because they contain one of the largest reserves of freshwater outside the polar regions.Changes in Himalayan glaciers directly affect:
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Ministry | Ministry of Jal Shakti |
| Function | Water resource management and hydrological monitoring |
| Directorate Mentioned | Morphology and Climate Change Directorate |
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Coverage | Himalayan states and UTs of India |
| Importance | Source region for major rivers like Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra |
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Operated By | European Space Agency (ESA) |
| Use | Earth observation and environmental monitoring |
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Cloud-based geospatial analysis platform |
| Function | Satellite data processing and environmental analysis |
Updated – 17 October 2025 ; 06:19 PM | The Hindu BusinessLineNews Source: The Hindu BusinessLine