Ladakh Launches Project To Revive Tso Kar Lake After 70% Shrinkage

The Union Territory administration of Ladakh has initiated an ambitious ecological intervention to revive Tso Kar, an iconic high-altitude lake that has lost nearly 70 per cent of its surface area over the past decade. Once spanning nearly 11,000 acres, the water body has shrunk to approximately 3,200 acres, triggering severe disruptions across the local ecosystem and the livelihoods of regional Pashmina goat herders. To reverse the decline, authorities have begun diverting unused glacial meltwater from the high-altitude Rupsho Kharnak stream into a series of natural depressions that will feed the lake.

The initiative represents the first project of its scale in India aimed at restoring a high-altitude water body under severe climatic conditions. Officials stated that the intervention utilizes gravity-fed channels and existing topography to bypass the construction of new concrete infrastructure, marking a distinct shift toward ecologically sensitive restoration in the region.

The primary water source for the revival plan is the Rupsho Kharnak glacier stream, situated at an elevation of approximately 18,045 feet in the Changthang district. The stream flows about 11.5 kilometres from Tso Kar and is estimated to carry up to 132 cusecs, translating to roughly 320 million litres of water daily during peak summer months. Prior to the project, this volume flowed entirely unused into the Sindhu River.

Under the execution framework, water is directed through a combination of newly cut earthen channels and a concrete canal that had remained defunct since 1995. Authorities initiated diversion work on September 2, successfully channeling roughly 20 cusecs into the initial depression starting September 9. The administration reported that the first collection basin filled by approximately 20 per cent within four days of receiving the flow.

Rather than piping glacial water directly into the shrinking lake, engineers mapped a route utilizing three natural depressions along the terrain. The first basin spans approximately 270 acres, while the second and third cover 24 acres and 10 acres respectively. Check dams fitted with Reinforced Cement Concrete pipes have been deployed to regulate the cascading flow from one basin to the next.

Officials noted that these depressions will function as intermediate freshwater wetlands. As the silt-laden glacier water passes through the basins, suspended sediments settle out, ensuring that cleaner water enters the main body of Tso Kar. Collectively, the three natural reservoirs are engineered to hold nearly 1,230 million litres of water before the final discharge reaches the lake, which sits roughly 400 metres from the final depression.

The severe contraction of Tso Kar over the past ten years has devastated the surrounding environment and local human settlements. Historically, the lake served as a vital habitat for migratory bird species, most notably the black-necked crane, but declining water volumes resulted in a marked drop in avian visitors.

At the same time, local villagers who depend on Pashmina goat herding faced acute shortages of pastureland. The depletion of lakeside grasslands forced many herders to travel 50 to 75 kilometres away from their traditional settlements to find forage for their livestock. Regional authorities expect that refilling the lake basin will regenerate lakeside grasslands, restore bird habitats, and ease the economic strain on pastoral communities.

The project originated following a field visit by Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on August 10, during which local residents and village leaders detailed the ecological decline. The Public Health Engineering department subsequently completed a 15-day ground survey, submitting its technical assessment on August 30. The initial departmental proposal recommended constructing an 11-kilometre RCC channel to transport the water.

However, Lieutenant Governor Saxena rejected the concrete structure over ecological apprehensions, opting instead for a simpler earthen diversion route to minimize environmental disruption. Work commenced ahead of the harsh winter freeze, with administration officials anticipating that the first diverted water will reach Tso Kar in the first week of October. The complete ecological revival of the lake is targeted for completion by October 2027.