Rising temperatures declining snowfall and shrinking glaciers in Kashmir’s Pir Panjal range are placing increasing pressure on the Doodh Ganga river, a vital source of drinking water for uptown Srinagar. The resulting supply disruptions are affecting household routines, increasing expenses and adding to the emotional burden on women who often manage their families’ daily water needs.
For Mehak, 28, a resident of Bagh-e-Mehtab in Srinagar, unreliable water supply has become a persistent challenge. Despite installing three storage tanks at home, her family continues to struggle with uncertain supply timings insufficient water for basic activities and concerns about water quality.
The situation has also affected her mother’s emotional well being as the daily uncertainty over water availability creates recurring stress.
In Pir Bagh, 60 year old Zamrood faces similar difficulties. During summer, water pressure drops and household taps can remain dry for as long as four consecutive days. Her family has installed a hand pump and additional storage tanks to cope with shortages and access groundwater when pipeline supplies fail.
These experiences reflect a wider water crisis in parts of Srinagar, where climate related changes are placing additional pressure on existing supply systems.
A vital river under climate pressure
Doodh Ganga, also known as Chazz Kul, is a tributary of the Jhelum river and an important drinking water source for much of uptown Srinagar. It originates near Tattakoti mountain peak in the Pir Panjal range at an altitude of around 4,500 metres, and is initially fed by glaciers springs and snow fed lakes.
The river flows for approximately 45 kilometres through the valleys of Budgam and Pulwama before reaching Srinagar.
Climate change is affecting the river’s water availability through rising temperatures, changing rainfall patterns and declining snowfall. While intense rainfall and cloudbursts can increase flood risks and contaminate raw water prolonged dry periods can reduce the river’s flow and disrupt drinking water supplies.
Raja Muzaffar Bhat, founder of the J&K RTI Movement and chairman of the J&K Climate Action Group, said these changing conditions are adding pressure to the river and its surrounding communities.
Glacier retreat and declining snowfall
A 2024 study published in the International Journal of Hydrology Science and Technology documented substantial glacier loss in the Pir Panjal range between 1980 and 2020.
According to the research, the combined area of 122 glaciers declined from 25.7 square kilometres in 1980 to 15.9 square kilometres in 2020. South facing glaciers retreated faster than north facing ones with particularly significant losses among glaciers located between 3,800 and 4,000 metres.
Shakil Romshoo, an earth scientist and vice-chancellor of the Islamic University of Science and Technology said the effects of climate change are evident across Kashmir’s watersheds.
He pointed to declining winter snowfall, rising winter temperatures and episodes of intense rainfall and flash flooding. Snowfall in the upper reaches of Doodh Ganga was considerably greater four or five decades ago, he noted, but winter snow has since declined.
Warmer temperatures particularly during February and March, also cause snow to melt earlier than it did in the past.
Disrupted seasonal water cycles
Historically, winter snowfall remained frozen for several months and melted gradually between April and July replenishing rivers during the warmer months when water demand increased.
Now, reduced snowfall and higher winter temperatures are causing snow to melt earlier, often in February and March. This shift can alter the timing of river flows, leaving less water available during later dry periods.
Glacier retreat adds further uncertainty to the long-term availability of water from mountain catchments. Although melting ice can temporarily contribute to river flows the continued loss of glacier mass threatens the reliability of this natural water source over time.
Human activities are also worsening the problem. Illegal construction and encroachment in river catchment areas have altered natural drainage routes, increasing the risks associated with extreme rainfall.
In Srinagar, Doodh Ganga’s natural course was divided into two channels. One flowed towards a wetland while the other passed through Alochi Bagh and Batamaloo before joining the Jhelum. Over the past three decades the Batamaloo channel was gradually buried beneath concrete structures, parks and bus stops.
During the September 2014 floods floodwaters followed the same low lying route, inundating areas between Batamaloo and Qamarwari. The episode demonstrated how changes to natural drainage pathways can compound flood risks.
Water treatment faces both drought and flood risks
The reduced flow of Doodh Ganga has already affected drinking water supplies, particularly during dry periods.
Anbreena Anjum, superintending engineer with the Jal Shakti department’s Public Health Engineering division in Kashmir, said the region experienced a severe shortage of raw water in 2024 when precipitation across Kashmir was approximately 80 per cent below normal. The river’s discharge fell significantly, resulting in interruptions to water supply.
The Doodh Ganga water treatment plant has a capacity of 45.5 million litres per day and supplies drinking water to more than 200,000 people across areas including Bagh-e-Mehtab, Kralpora, Pirbagh, Hyderpora, Sanat Nagar, Baghat, Barzulla and Rambagh, extending to Hari Singh High Street.
During periods of low river flow, the department relies on a lift station at Kralpora to supplement raw water reaching the treatment plant from Nauhar. Temporary arrangements are also made to divert available water towards the pumping station when supplies decline in the upper catchment.
Heavy rainfall and cloudbursts create a different challenge. They can sharply increase the turbidity of raw water, filling it with mud and suspended material. Under such conditions, the treatment plant may have to shut down temporarily to prevent damage to equipment or clogging of filtration systems.
Consequently, both prolonged dry spells and extreme rainfall can interrupt the reliability of the same water supply system.
Long term planning for water security
The challenges facing Doodh Ganga illustrate how climate change can intensify existing weaknesses in water infrastructure and natural drainage systems.
According to Anjum, repeatedly finding alternative water sources will not be a sustainable solution as climate related water stress increases. Irregular rainfall, prolonged dry periods and extreme cloudbursts could create simultaneous challenges involving shortages, flooding and contamination.
The department is planning water supply and conservation measures for the next 30 to 40 years including improvements to catchment areas and the promotion of water reuse.
However, long term water security will also depend on protecting natural river channels, preventing encroachment conserving springs and managing catchments more effectively. Improved monitoring of river flows and timely warnings during extreme weather could help authorities prepare for both shortages and sudden increases in turbidity.
For households across uptown Srinagar reliable access to clean water is not simply an infrastructure issue. It affects daily routines, household finances and emotional well being, particularly for women who bear much of the responsibility for managing water at home.
As Kashmir’s glaciers retreat and seasonal weather patterns continue to change safeguarding rivers such as Doodh Ganga will be essential to securing drinking water supplies for the region’s growing urban population.