Parachik Glacier Retreat – Impacts and Policy Needs for Ladakh

Parachik Glacier in Ladakh

The Parachik Glacier, located in the Indian union territory- Ladakh, has attracted considerable attention due to recent developments.

This article aims to provide an objective analysis of the Prachik Glacier’s current status and the management needs it presents. By adopting a objective view, this article offers a fact-based simple explanation.

Introduction

The Parachik Glacier in Ladakh has been experiencing accelerated retreat since 1999, raising concerns about its future viability as a stable water source for the region. With a length of approximately 14 kilometers and spanning over 53 square kilometers, it is one of the largest glaciers in the area.

The Suru River, a major tributary of the Indus River, heavily relies on the meltwaters from this glacier. This makes it a crucial supplier of water to the Kargil district in Ladakh, which already faces drought-like conditions.

However, studies indicate that the rate of retreat has intensified significantly since 1999 compared to previous decades. This alarming trend reflects ongoing climate changes and poses potential challenges for maintaining an uninterrupted water supply from this glacier in the future.

Recent Developments

Accelerated melting and retreat of glaciers have been observed in recent years, with studies indicating an increased rate since 1999. This phenomenon has led to the formation of three new glacial lakes, posing a significant risk of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) and exacerbating water scarcity issues in the region.

The primary reasons behind this accelerated melting and retreat are rising temperatures due to global warming and the lower altitude of these glaciers compared to others in the Zanskar region.

Parachik Glacier Location Map

Accelerated Melting and Retreat

Analysis of satellite imagery and field surveys reveal a significant increase in the rate of retreat for the Parachik glacier since 1999. Between 1971 to 1999, the glacier was receding at an average rate of about 2 meters per year.

However, between 1999 to 2021, the rate of retreat rose sharply to an average of 12 meters per year. Recent on-site observations between 2015-2021 further confirm that the glacier has been retreating even faster at 20 meters per year in the past few years.

This accelerated melting and retreat is concerning as it could lead to the formation of three new glacial lakes around the Parachik glacier. These lakes would accumulate dangerous amounts of glacial water and pose a threat to the region’s vulnerability to outburst floods.

Impacts

Impacts of the accelerated melting and retreat of glaciers in the region include increased risks of glacial lake outburst floods, exacerbation of water scarcity, and potential severe impacts on food security, energy supply, and socio-economic conditions.

The shrinking Parachik glacier is projected to form glacial lakes as it rapidly diminishes, leading to a higher likelihood of catastrophic glacial lake outburst floods. These events can cause flash flooding downstream, resulting in infrastructure damage and disruption of livelihoods.

Additionally, the declining glaciers that currently serve as a primary water source will worsen the existing water scarcity issues in Ladakh. The rivers fed by melting glaciers are crucial for local communities’ water supply, irrigation, and hydropower. As glaciers continue to shrink rapidly, river flows are expected to initially increase but eventually decline as ice reserves deplete. This depletion can severely impact food security, energy supply, and overall socio-economic conditions in the already water-stressed Ladakh area.

With climate change accelerating glacial retreat, managing water systems will become increasingly challenging in the near future especially in Ladhak.

Reasons

One key reason for the rapid retreat of glaciers in the Himalayan region is the rising temperatures attributed to global warming. The Parachik glacier, located at a lower altitude in Ladakh, experiences more direct exposure to warmer temperatures compared to higher altitude glaciers in neighboring regions. This is due to its elevation of around 5000 meters, which subjects it earlier to the atmosphere’s rising warmth.

As a result, melting occur at a faster rate in the Parachik glacier. Climate change affects all Himalayan glaciers, but the Parachik glacier is particularly vulnerable due to its lower position and proximity to warming temperatures. Its rapid recession can be clearly attributed to temperature rise from global warming and exacerbated by its lower altitudes.

Glacier Management Needs

The establishment of a dedicated glacier monitoring institution focused solely on managing the Himalayan glaciers through systematic research and data collection is necessary for developing targeted glacier management plans and policies.

The accelerated melting of the Parachik glacier in Ladakh highlights the urgent need for such an institution. Although there has been some work done in this direction by ISRO (GLACIAL LAKE ATLASES), Currently, there is no centralized repository tracking the precise loss of glacier volume across the Indian Himalayan region, making it difficult to assess the full scale of climate change impacts on the cryosphere.

A dedicated institution would provide robust datasets and understanding of glacier retreat, crucial for disaster prevention, water security, and environmental conservation. It would also enable informed decision-making and policy development to make glacier-dependent communities in regions like Ladakh more climate resilient.

Therefore, establishing a specialized body for Himalayan glacier monitoring is imperative to address these pressing needs.

Conclusion

In summary, the establishment of a dedicated glacier monitoring institution in the Himalayas would play a crucial role in addressing the urgent need for systematic research and data collection on glacier retreat, enabling disaster prevention, water security, and environmental conservation in vulnerable regions.

The rapid recession of the Parachik glacier in Ladakh serves as a stark reminder of how climate change is impacting the Himalayan cryosphere. The accelerated melting and formation of glacial lakes highlight the risks associated with global warming, including devastating floods, water scarcity, and loss of biodiversity.

To promote climate resilient development in glacier-dependent mountain communities, robust policies and management strategies are necessary. By enhancing understanding of glacier systems through data generation and prediction of risks, evidence-based planning can be applied to protect ice reservoirs and enable adaptation for those reliant on them for water security and livelihoods.