Ganges in Collapse: River That Supplies 650 Million People Dries Up at Record Pace, Loses Glaciers in the Himalayas, and Suffers from Over a Thousand Dams That Altered Its Natural Course

Written by Fabio Lucas Carvalho

Published on 05/10/2025 at 14:47

Seca, barragens e recuo das geleiras colocam o Ganges em colapso, comprometendo o abastecimento de 650 milhões de pessoas no Sul da Ásia.

98 pessoas reagiram a isso.

With Record-Low Flows and Melting Glaciers, the Ganges Faces an Unprecedented Water Crisis Threatening Agriculture, Cities, and Ecosystems.

The Ganges River, considered one of the greatest sources of life on the planet, is facing an alarming depletion process. Born in the Himalayan glaciers and flowing into the Bay of Bengal, the watercourse that has fed civilizations and driven economies for centuries is suffering from declines in its flows to unprecedented levels.

This change directly threatens food security, urban supply, and the survival of ecosystems across South Asia.

According to an analysis published in The Conversation, the Ganges sustains more than 650 million people in a densely populated region with a strong agricultural dependence.

ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW

Himalayan Glaciers and Accelerated Melting

Experts highlight that the retreat of the Himalayan glaciers, especially the Gangotri — the main source of the Ganges — is one of the main drivers of the crisis.

This glacier has lost nearly one kilometer in length over the past two decades, drastically reducing the volume of water released steadily. The result is paradoxical: during melting, there are sudden floods; outside this period, the river faces prolonged droughts.

As a result, several stretches of the Ganges no longer allow regular navigation, and the irrigation of crops becomes irregular.

Agricultural communities that depend on the river see their production cycles compromised, with direct impacts on income and food security in the region.

Unpredictable Monsoons and Severe Drought Periods

The study points out that the monsoons — once predictable and regular — have become highly variable. This instability brings drought periods outside the historical norm.

Cities and towns situated along the river face long intervals without rain and an increasingly limited water supply.

The change in rainfall patterns exacerbates water stress and worsens the inequality between regions that still receive abundant precipitation and those that dry up completely.

Human Interventions and the Weight of Dams

Another critical point highlighted in the report is the role of human intervention. Agricultural expansion, industrial intensification, and the construction of over a thousand dams and reservoirs have deeply altered the natural flow of the Ganges.

These structures reduce the amount of water reaching lower areas, hindering the river’s recovery during recharge seasons.

According to the article, these works, combined with massive water withdrawal for irrigation and urban supply, cause ecological imbalances and reduce the ability of the river system to self-regulate.

Depletion of Groundwater

Excessive use of groundwater further exacerbates the situation. The Ganges-Brahmaputra Basin has one of the highest rates of aquifer depletion on the planet, with annual drops between 15 and 20 millimeters. Deep drilling and intense pumping, driven by agricultural and urban needs, compromise the natural recharge of groundwater.

The study also warns of contamination of aquifers by heavy metals such as arsenic and fluoride. This pollution poses risks to human health and reduces the quality of water used in crops, with detrimental effects on agricultural productivity and food security.

Impacts Beyond Borders

The Ganges crisis is not limited to India. According to The Conversation, the lack of effective international agreements exacerbates the situation in neighboring countries such as Bangladesh and Nepal. The Farakka Dam, located in India, drastically reduces the volume of water reaching Bangladesh during the dry season, causing increased soil salinization in the delta and affecting ecosystems such as the Sundarbans — the largest mangrove forest in the world.

Small rural communities in border areas suffer from scarcity. Many smaller tributaries have completely dried up for part of the year, and traditional wells now provide minimal water volumes. For researchers, these signs indicate the progressive collapse of the entire river system unless urgent measures are implemented.

Need for Coordinated and Immediate Action

Experts assert that the magnitude of the crisis requires a coordinated response at multiple levels.

Among the recommended measures are reducing groundwater extraction, defining minimum ecological flow rates to ensure the survival of aquatic fauna, and improving climate models to integrate human and meteorological variables.

Furthermore, the study highlights that only effective transboundary cooperation among India, Bangladesh, and Nepal can address the challenge sustainably.

This involves data sharing, integrated dam management, and joint climate planning, with participation from governments, local communities, scientists, and international organizations.

A Spiritual Symbol at Risk

More than just a source of water, the Ganges holds profound spiritual and cultural value for millions of people. Its banks are home to ancient rituals, traditions, and ways of life.

However, changes in its water regime threaten not only biodiversity and regional sustainability but also the symbolic heritage that the river represents.

The analysis concludes that the depletion of the Ganges is a global emergency. The continuation of this trend threatens the social and economic stability of South Asia and could render irreversible environmental damage.

According to the report, only a joint, strategic, and sustained action — with political will and international cooperation — can avert the collapse of one of the most iconic and essential river systems on the planet.

0 Comentários

Mais recente

Mais antigos Mais votado

Feedbacks

Visualizar todos comentários

Ganges in Collapse: River That Supplies 650 Million People Dries Up at Record Pace, Loses Glaciers in the Himalayas, and Suffers from Over a Thousand Dams That Altered Its Natural Course

With Record-Low Flows and Melting Glaciers, the Ganges Faces an Unprecedented Water Crisis Threatening Agriculture, Cities, and Ecosystems.

Himalayan Glaciers and Accelerated Melting

Unpredictable Monsoons and Severe Drought Periods

Human Interventions and the Weight of Dams

Depletion of Groundwater

Impacts Beyond Borders

Need for Coordinated and Immediate Action

A Spiritual Symbol at Risk

On the Greek island of Ithaca, archaeologists have found what may be a sanctuary dedicated to the legendary Odysseus, with inscriptions bearing his name and votive offerings that span from the Mycenaean to the Hellenistic era.

Scientists enter a narrow, flooded cave 500 meters deep and find giant dinosaur footprints on the ceiling measuring up to 1.25 meters, preserved in such a rare way that a new type of trace had to be created.

After two years of internal discussions, Paraguay has finally regulated the law that opens the country to foreign technology and service companies with tax incentives that promise to create thousands of jobs and change the economy.

Map reveals how the Earth may look in 250 million years: continents will reunite in the Last Pangaea, 92% of the planet could become uninhabitable for mammals, and Spain appears among the rare possible exceptions.

Why fighter pilots never return after ejecting: the seat launches the body at 600 km/h in 1 second, compresses the spine, reduces G tolerance, and leads to medical disqualification, not punishment.

With 1,000 buses sent abroad, the Brazilian manufacturer consolidates the strength of national technology and takes on a leading role in public transportation across all of Latin America.

A giant half-ton ring fell in Kenya from space, and more than a year later, scientists still do not know where it came from.

SUS surpasses Brazil and inspires a revolution in health: agreement with Mexico could bring universal, free, and more accessible care to millions of people outside the country.

A fine of R$ 115 thousand places Goodyear at the center of an environmental case in Americana after oil and grease appeared in a stream and the company was required to act quickly.

Blue stripe for motorcycles blocked: project may be suspended after the end of authorization and studies raise doubts about the real impact on traffic safety in São Paulo.

Spiny-free pineapple, sweeter and more resilient: Mato Grosso develops new cultivars that promise to reduce losses from fusariosis and increase productivity in the field.

Scientists identify a unique cell that appears only during pregnancy and plays a role in the connection between the placenta and blood flow, revealing an essential mechanism for fetal development and possible causes of gestational complications.

Ganges in Collapse: River That Supplies 650 Million People Dries Up at Record Pace, Loses Glaciers in the Himalayas, and Suffers from Over a Thousand Dams That Altered Its Natural Course

With Record-Low Flows and Melting Glaciers, the Ganges Faces an Unprecedented Water Crisis Threatening Agriculture, Cities, and Ecosystems.

Himalayan Glaciers and Accelerated Melting

Unpredictable Monsoons and Severe Drought Periods

Human Interventions and the Weight of Dams

Depletion of Groundwater

Impacts Beyond Borders

Need for Coordinated and Immediate Action

A Spiritual Symbol at Risk

On the Greek island of Ithaca, archaeologists have found what may be a sanctuary dedicated to the legendary Odysseus, with inscriptions bearing his name and votive offerings that span from the Mycenaean to the Hellenistic era.

Scientists enter a narrow, flooded cave 500 meters deep and find giant dinosaur footprints on the ceiling measuring up to 1.25 meters, preserved in such a rare way that a new type of trace had to be created.

After two years of internal discussions, Paraguay has finally regulated the law that opens the country to foreign technology and service companies with tax incentives that promise to create thousands of jobs and change the economy.

Map reveals how the Earth may look in 250 million years: continents will reunite in the Last Pangaea, 92% of the planet could become uninhabitable for mammals, and Spain appears among the rare possible exceptions.

Why fighter pilots never return after ejecting: the seat launches the body at 600 km/h in 1 second, compresses the spine, reduces G tolerance, and leads to medical disqualification, not punishment.

With 1,000 buses sent abroad, the Brazilian manufacturer consolidates the strength of national technology and takes on a leading role in public transportation across all of Latin America.

A giant half-ton ring fell in Kenya from space, and more than a year later, scientists still do not know where it came from.

Support during childbirth advances in Brazil and strengthens the role of doulas: expectant mothers gain more comfort, guidance, and support from the beginning to the postpartum period.

Independence from an early age, plenty of time outdoors, and zero pressure for performance: the Dutch method of parenting has produced the happiest children on the planet and challenges everything other countries believe is necessary for good education.

A view from space in a NASA image shows a gigantic volcanic crater 1 km wide in the middle of the Sahara, revealing a frightening formation that resembles a giant skull looking out into the universe and turning the desert into an otherworldly landscape.

Backpack theft in pub ends with Fabergé egg, watch, cigars, rare jewelry, and other luxury accessories worth R$ 15 million missing.

SUS surpasses Brazil and inspires a revolution in health: agreement with Mexico could bring universal, free, and more accessible care to millions of people outside the country.

A fine of R$ 115 thousand places Goodyear at the center of an environmental case in Americana after oil and grease appeared in a stream and the company was required to act quickly.

Blue stripe for motorcycles blocked: project may be suspended after the end of authorization and studies raise doubts about the real impact on traffic safety in São Paulo.

Spiny-free pineapple, sweeter and more resilient: Mato Grosso develops new cultivars that promise to reduce losses from fusariosis and increase productivity in the field.

Scientists identify a unique cell that appears only during pregnancy and plays a role in the connection between the placenta and blood flow, revealing an essential mechanism for fetal development and possible causes of gestational complications.