Himalayan Glacial Lakes Expand 9.24% in 14 Years: Climate Change Impact Revealed in CWC Report

The water spread area of glacial lakes within India has expanded to 2,445 hectares in 2025, according to recent findings.

Himalayan glacial lakes and water bodies have experienced a significant 9.24% expansion over a 14-year period, as reported by the Central Water Commission (CWC), highlighting the ongoing impacts of climate change in the region.

The total inventory area of these water bodies has grown from 5.30 lakh hectares in 2011 to 5.79 lakh hectares by 2025, demonstrating a consistent upward trend.

The CWC's Monthly Monitoring Report, which systematically tracks Himalayan water bodies, reveals in its August edition that receding glaciers and expanding glacial lakes have become prominent indicators of global warming's effects on this fragile ecosystem.

According to the commission's data, 1,435 glacial lakes and water bodies showed increased water spread area, while 1,008 experienced contraction during the 14-year assessment period.

The CWC monitors a total of 2,843 glacial lakes and water bodies using advanced Sentinel satellite imagery through Google Earth Engine. Of particular concern are 428 glacial lakes within Indian territory that have shown expansion and require "vigorous monitoring for disaster preparedness."

The geographical distribution of these expanding lakes includes 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's borders, the total glacial lake water spread area has increased from 1,995 hectares in 2011 to 2,445 hectares in 2025, representing a substantial 22.56% growth according to the CWC report.

The commission has issued warnings that these expanding lakes elevate the risk of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) – sudden, catastrophic floods resulting from breached moraine dams that can cause extensive downstream damage to communities and infrastructure.

The report acknowledges that direct prediction of these outburst events remains beyond current scientific capabilities, emphasizing the critical importance of continuous monitoring systems.

These monthly monitoring reports are distributed to both central and state disaster management authorities to enhance early warning capabilities, and are made publicly accessible on the CWC website to ensure broader awareness.

According to the comprehensive Glacial Lake Atlas of Indian River Basins 2023, researchers have mapped 28,043 glacial lakes larger than 0.25 hectares across the Himalayan river basins, with 7,570 of these located within India's territorial boundaries.