Water has begun leaking from the lake formed at the terminus of Ladakh’s largest glacier, the Drang-Drung Glacier. The lake has expanded rapidly over the past few years.
Scientists from the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology are camping near the glacier in Zanskar and keeping a continuous watch on the lake.
The scientists are monitoring the lake’s water volume, depth and the rate at which the glacier is melting in real time. If the rising water causes pressure on the lake to reach dangerous levels, preparations are also underway to puncture it safely and drain the excess water.
Following the recent disaster in Nepal, surveillance of vulnerable glacial lakes in the Himalayan region has been intensified.
This proglacial lake formed at the terminus of the approximately 24-km-long Drang-Drung Glacier as the glacier retreated. Its area was approximately 16.62 hectares in 2017, increasing to 39.1 hectares in 2023.
Lake formed after 2010, glacier retreated…
According to studies, meltwater began accumulating in the deep depression formed by the glacier’s retreat after 2010, creating the lake. The 2021 bathymetric survey took measurements at more than 5,000 points.
The lake’s water volume was then found to be 1.8 lakh cubic metres. Its average depth was 1.91 metres and its maximum depth was 3.85 metres. Between 1971 and 2017, the glacier shrank by 13.84% and its terminus retreated by 925 metres.
Impact on Ladakh and the Drang-Drung Glacier
Ladakh’s Drang-Drung Glacier is shrinking rapidly, causing water to accumulate at its terminus and form a large, unstable lake.
The lake is held back by weak rocks and debris, creating a constant risk of it bursting. In addition, melting ice is adversely affecting the local river system and the natural balance of wildlife.
In the cold desert of Ladakh, people’s lives depend entirely on water from melting glaciers.
For now, rivers may appear to have more water because the snow is melting rapidly, but in a few years, as the snow cover diminishes, a severe drought could occur. This will lead to a serious shortage of water for local agriculture, drinking water and power projects.
