Ladakh’s Tso Kar rescue: Can 320 million litres of glacier water change its fate

Glacier Lifeline

Ladakh is attempting a dramatic rescue of shrinking Tso Kar by diverting glacier-fed water from the Rupsho Kharnak stream. The project aims to bring up to 320 million litres of water a day towards the parched lake using gravity and low-cost earthworks.

Lost Waters

Tso Kar has reportedly shrunk from nearly 11,000 acres to about 3,200 acres, leaving vast dry patches where water once stood. The decline has also affected grazing grounds and the migratory birds that once made the high-altitude lake their habitat.

Wetland Chain

Instead of building a new concrete channel, authorities are using three natural depressions as a cascading water system. Spread across 270, 24 and 10 acres, these basins are designed to hold nearly 1.23 billion litres before water reaches Tso Kar.

Pashmina Crisis

The shrinking lake is not just an ecological problem for Ladakh's landscape. Pashmina goat herders living nearby have reportedly been forced to travel 50 to 75 km from their homes in search of grazing land as traditional pastures disappear.

Bird Haven

The revival plan could create more than a bigger lake. The three new freshwater wetlands are expected to settle sediments before water reaches Tso Kar, potentially creating additional habitat for wildlife while restoring grasslands and supporting the region's fragile ecosystem.