Kashmir Impulse Desk

Srinagar, April 6

Nearly half of the natural lakes in Jammu and Kashmir have either vanished or shrunk over the past five decades, according to a government audit that highlights mounting ecological stress in the region.

Of the 697 lakes recorded in 1967, at least 315 have disappeared, while 203 others have seen their surface areas decline, the report found. 

Together, the losses amount to a reduction of more than 2,850 hectares of lake area, underscoring a significant transformation of the region’s water bodies.

The findings are based on an analysis of data from the Ecology, Environment and Remote Sensing Department and were cited in a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India on lake conservation and management in the region through March 2022.

The disappearance of lakes has been particularly pronounced in the Jammu division, which accounted for 259 of the lost water bodies. 

In the Kashmir division, 56 lakes have vanished since the baseline year. 

Among the 203 lakes that have shrunk, a majority are located in Kashmir.

The report warns that the degradation of lakes has led to losses in biodiversity, including flora and fauna, and has disrupted ecological functions that sustain water systems and local livelihoods.

Lakes in the region including prominent ones like Wular, Dal, and Manasbal – play a critical role in maintaining environmental balance, acting as natural reservoirs that help regulate floods and support agriculture and fisheries.

Auditors said that 63 of the shrinking lakes had lost at least half of their original area, placing them at heightened risk of disappearing altogether.

While 150 lakes showed an increase in surface area, totaling about 538 hectares, the report said authorities had not examined the reasons behind the expansion. 

As a result, it remained unclear whether the growth reflected a genuine increase in water volume or other factors like changes in land use.

In addition, 29 lakes showed no measurable change over the period.

The report attributes part of the environmental risk to inadequate monitoring and management, noting that most lakes fall under multiple government departments, including forest, revenue and agriculture authorities, complicating oversight.

It also links the shrinking of lakes to broader environmental vulnerabilities. 

The loss of these natural water bodies, the audit said, may have contributed to the severity of flooding in September 2014, when large parts of the region were inundated. 

Lakes typically act as buffers in flood control systems, absorbing excess water during heavy rainfall.

Researchers have similarly pointed to changes in land use and encroachment as factors exacerbating flood risks and accelerating the degradation of lakes.

The findings raise questions about the effectiveness of existing conservation policies and underscore the need for more coordinated efforts to protect what remains of the region’s fragile aquatic ecosystems.