Glaciers in Uttarakhand are shrinking rapidly due to reduced snowfall and increased rainfall. Scientists warn that glaciers are retreating at a rate of 5 to 20 meters annually, raising serious concerns about future water availability and rising natural hazards.
According to Dr. Rakesh Bhambri of Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, snowfall that once occurred above 5,000 meters has now largely been replaced by heavy rainfall during the monsoon season. This shift, combined with rising temperatures, has accelerated glacier melt. A study conducted in the Gangotri region, published in 2023 and 2025, used satellite imagery and confirmed significant glacier retreat. Dr. Bhambri worked on the research with Dr. Jayaram Singh Yadav.
Experts highlight that melting glaciers destabilize slopes, leading to increased risks of landslides and avalanches. They also caution that shrinking glaciers will eventually reduce water flow, impacting rivers and communities downstream.
Chorabari glacier alone is retreating by 6 to 8 meters every year, while some glaciers in Zanskar are shrinking at nearly 20 meters per year. Wadia Institute Director Dr. Vineet Gehlot confirmed that the institute is currently monitoring 11 glaciers across Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir, and Ladakh. He warned that glacier melt also increases the risk of glacial lake outburst floods, which can cause large-scale destruction.
In Gopeshwar and New Tehri, experts further pointed to the impact of human activity in high Himalayan regions, which has added stress to already fragile ecosystems. Rivers such as the Alaknanda, Nandakini, Dhauliganga, and Rishiganga are witnessing rising water levels from melting glaciers. Geologist Dr. Dinesh Sati linked this directly to global climate change, while Professor D.S. Bagdi of HNB Garhwal University noted that intense rainfall in higher altitudes is loosening fragile soil and carrying massive boulders downhill, triggering disasters.
