LEH, September 14, 2026 – Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena launched an ambitious mega project on Sunday aimed at reviving the rapidly shrinking Tso Kar Lake by channelising 320 million litres of water per day from a high-altitude glacier-fed stream. The iconic glacial lake, originally spanning nearly 11,000 acres, has desiccated drastically over the past decade, losing nearly 70 percent of its water and reducing to just 3,200 acres. This unprecedented high-altitude ecological restoration effort focuses on redirecting untapped glacier meltwater from the Rupsho Kharnak stream, situated at an altitude of 18,000 feet and approximately 11 kilometres from the lake.
The project employs a cascading, eco-friendly system that relies on gravity flow through simple, low-cost earthen channels rather than utilizing new concrete structures. The water is channeled into three successive natural depressions measuring 270 acres, 24 acres, and 10 acres, which will act as sediment traps and create entirely new freshwater wetlands holding nearly 1,230 million litres of water. From the third depression, the purified water will flow directly into Tso Kar, located just 400 metres away. According to a Lok Bhavan spokesperson, this initiative follows the successful channelisation of 90 million litres of water from the Stok Glacier to irrigate agricultural lands in Leh’s vicinity. The diversion process began on September 9 on a war footing before the onset of winter freezing, utilizing an earthen channel and a defunct 1995 concrete canal to direct an initial 20 cusecs of flow into the first depression, which has already started filling rapidly.
LG Saxena noted that transforming untapped glacier water into permanent lifelines represents a decisive step toward climate resilience, agricultural prosperity, and the revitalization of rural economies. The revival of Tso Kar is expected to profoundly benefit local communities, primarily Pashmina goat herders who had been forced to migrate 50 to 75 kilometres away due to the disappearance of surrounding grazing grounds. By fully utilizing the estimated peak summer discharge of 132 cusecs from the stream, authorities expect the lake to be restored to its original glory within a year, recreating vital grasslands and bringing the herders back to their native homes.
Published by True Roots Media Network