Study Maps 34 Years of Uttarakhand Glacier Retreat at 23 Metres Annually
· India · Hindustan Times, hindustantimes
Glaciers across Uttarakhand's Central Himalaya are retreating at an average of 23.23 metres a year, according to a new study mapping ice loss from 1990 to 2024. Published in Discover Geoscience, the research was conducted by Manish Mehta of the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology alongside Jyoti Kumari, Girish C Kothyari, and Atul Kumar Patidar from the University of Petroleum and Energy Studies in Dehradun. The findings show that Khatling Glacier in Tehri Garhwal recorded the fastest retreat at 88 metres annually, while stable or debris-covered glaciers such as Bhagirathi and Satopanth retreated at about 3.7 metres per year. The study also found that the equilibrium line altitude has risen by nearly 500 metres in some regions since 2000, driven by rising temperatures, local topography, and glacier characteristics. Milam Glacier in Pithoragarh district has spawned nearly 47 new glacial lakes, exposing the ice to additional loss through calving.
Why it matters
This accelerated glacier retreat poses mounting risks to regional water security and downstream communities across the Central Himalaya. Understanding these melt patterns helps climatologists and policymakers anticipate water availability and glacial lake outburst floods in Uttarakhand.
Read the original report — Hindustan Times
Join us on Telegram
Breaking news the moment it lands. At 10,000 members we ship the Android app.