The Uttarakhand government is installing an early warning system at Vasundhara Tal in Chamoli district to monitor the high altitude glacial lake in real time and provide alerts about potentially dangerous changes in water levels, weather and surrounding conditions.
Vasundhara Lake is located in the Raikana valley at an elevation of about 4,795 metres. The lake lies near the snout of the Raikana Glacier, which is its primary source and is considered the originating source of the Dhauliganga River an important tributary of the Alaknanda.
The lake has been classified as a Category A glacial lake, placing it in the highest risk category identified by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
The new monitoring system will continuously track several parameters that could indicate changes in the lake or its surroundings. These include water levels, weather conditions, snow depth, water flow and movement around the lake.
A water level sensor will monitor fluctuations and identify abnormal changes. An automatic weather station will record temperature, humidity, rainfall, wind speed and direction, atmospheric pressure and light intensity.
Snow depth and sub surface temperature sensors will monitor changes in snow conditions, while tilt and accelerometer sensors will detect movement and vibrations at selected locations. A water flow sensor will also track changes in the lake’s discharge.
The system will operate using solar power. Since conventional mobile networks are unavailable in the remote high altitude region, monitoring data will be transmitted through satellite communication.
A data logger and monitoring dashboard will collect and display the readings. When predetermined thresholds are crossed, the system will generate alerts allowing authorities to respond to potentially hazardous changes at the lake.
The installation is intended to strengthen real time monitoring of Vasundhara Tal and improve preparedness for risks associated with high altitude glacial lakes in Uttarakhand.