LEH, SEPT 13: In a major ecological restoration initiative, Ladakh has launched an ambitious project to revive the iconic Tso Kar lake by channelizing untapped glacier water from a high-altitude stream, Lieutenant Governor Ladakh Vinai Kumar Saxena said.
According to the LG, nearly 11.5 km of earthen channels are being created to divert around 320 million litres of glacier water per day, equivalent to 132 cusecs, from the Rupsho Kharnak stream, located at an altitude of more than 18,000 feet, towards Tso Kar.
Before reaching the lake, the glacier water will flow through three natural depressions spanning 270 acres, 24 acres and 10 acres, which together are expected to hold nearly 1.23 billion litres of water, effectively creating three additional waterbodies.
The project began showing results from September 9, with nearly 20 cusecs of water already successfully diverted into the first pond, which is filling rapidly.
The LG said Tso Kar, once spread over nearly 11,000 acres at an altitude of around 15,000 feet, has shrunk drastically over the past decade, affecting the habitat of migratory birds including the Black-Necked Crane and forcing local Pashmina herders to travel farther in search of grazing grounds.
The administration expects the intervention, based on natural gravity flow and low-cost earthworks, to restore Tso Kar substantially within a year while regenerating surrounding grazing lands and supporting the livelihood of Pashmina-herding communities.
The project has been described as a pioneering high-altitude ecological restoration initiative, with the LG emphasising its potential to strengthen climate resilience, restore ecological balance and improve water availability in the fragile Ladakh landscape.
