Kashmir’s snowless winter sparks an unprecedented water crisis in the Valley

Srinagar: Since childhood, Kulsuma, a 40-year-old woman from Kashmir Valley’s Kuchmulla hamlet, 45 km from Srinagar, has relied on tap water for drinking as well as irrigating the apple trees in her orchard. However, for the first time in her life, the taps have remained dry for two months this winter.

What was once a simple task of turning on the faucet has turned into an agonising wait, leaving her with nothing but empty pipes. “I never thought I would see this day,” Kulsuma said, her voice filled with frustration. “Leave aside the orchards and vegetable gardens that I could easily irrigate with fresh tap water in the past, now we are struggling for even a single drop.”

The mother of two now relies on water tankers to meet her family’s needs, a sight she had only ever seen on television and never imagined experiencing firsthand.

The ongoing dry weather and lack of snowfall have triggered an unprecedented water crisis in Kashmir, with streams and springs that once nourished the land now completely dry.

Impact on tourism

The famous springs and streams of Kashmir, once a lifeline for agriculture, tourism and vital water supply schemes, now stand either completely dry or at dangerously low levels.

For example, the historic Achabal Mughal Garden, a 17th-century masterpiece built by Noor Jahan, wife of Mughal emperor Jahangir, in south Kashmir’s Anantnag, has dried up for the first time in its history.

Once celebrated for its lush greenery and the soothing sound of its flowing springs that attracted countless tourists, it now stands with barren fountains and streams, casting a somber shadow over its timeless beauty.

Amid the worsening condition of the Valley's tourist destinations, elderly women were seen in tears.

Also read | Kashmir tourism is on thin ice amid a second straight snowless winter

Similarly, Kokernag, a once-beautiful and gushing spring and garden that draws thousands of tourists each year, has now become lifeless due to a significant reduction in water levels.

High temperatures have left Kashmir’s once snow-capped peaks bare, with rivers, lakes, and springs running dry. Popular tourist spots like Srinagar, surrounded by Dal Lake, Pahalgam with the Lidder river, and other scenic waterfalls falling in north and south Kashmir are losing their allure due to low water levels.

As a result, the region has experienced a sharp decline in tourist bookings, with many cancellations this winter. If the situation persists, tourist footfall is expected to significantly decrease during the upcoming summer, which is typically the peak tourism season.

Even the 5th edition of the Khelo India Winter Games (KIWG), which was set to be held in Gulmarg, India’s winter wonderland, from 22-25 February, was postponed due to insufficient snowfall.

Also read | How Kashmir’s vanishing winter is pushing thekangri tradition to the brink

Impact on drinking water

Environmental experts warn that if the weather does not improve, the breathtaking Himalayan destination could soon turn into a ghost town.

Professor Ghulam Jeelani, dean of the School of Earth & Environmental Sciences at Kashmir University, warned of an unprecedented water crisis in Kashmir due to a snowless winter.

“Due to the prolonged dry spell, we might face a very tough year for water. If intermittent rain does not arrive in March and April, the J&K economy will suffer, with agriculture, tourism, hydroelectricity, and drinking water all facing major setbacks,” Jeelani said.

A number of streams and tributaries have either dried up or reached critically low water levels, with February day temperatures soaring at least 8 degrees Celsius above normal, creating a drought-like situation in the Valley.

“Every morning amid bone chilling cold, we stand in long queues with our containers, waiting for the tanker to arrive—a painful experience,” said Kulsuma, whose story is not unique.

People fear that the prolonged dry spell could worsen the water crisis in summer, with growing concerns that people across the Valley may soon have to buy bottled water, a scenario once unthinkable in the water-rich Kashmir valley.

Even J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah warned of a severe water crisis this year, stressing that it has been escalating for years and requires both government action and public involvement, urging people to adopt more sustainable water usage practices while announcing plans to review measures by the union territory’s Jal Shakti Department.

Impact on agriculture and allied sectors

The water shortage is threatening not only daily life and tourism but also the livelihoods of countless families who depend on agriculture and allied sectors, making the situation increasingly dire for people like Kulsuma who rely on water to sustain their crops and families.

Crops such as rice, saffron, and apples, which thrive in moderate to heavy snowfall and rainfall, have already suffered due to the lack of water.

In Sopore, known as Kashmir’s apple town and home to Asia’s second-largest fruit mandi or market, residents have been without drinking water for the past six months. As a result, people have been forced to buy packaged water from the market—an unprecedented sight in the region.

“Our taps have been dry for six months, and the Jhelum river, the lifeline of Kashmir, is also at an all-time low level,” said Mohammad Ashraf Mir, an apple grower. “The main source of the Jhelum is glaciers, but unfortunately, these are losing their vitality due to prolonged dry spells in Kashmir. This means the lift irrigation scheme may not be able to supply water to apple growers for irrigating their orchards.”

Also read | Can soil-less farming revive a revered Kashmiri rice variety on the verge of extinction?

The severe water scarcity has led to multiple protests in Sopore, with people taking to the streets to demand action.

Mir, a 33-year-old resident of main town Sopore, said this was the first time that he had witnessed the Jhelum river, which flows between India and Pakistan, running at such low levels.

“Every morning amid bone chilling cold, we stand in long queues with our containers, waiting for the tanker to arrive—a painful experience,” said Kulsuma, whose story is not unique.

People fear that the prolonged dry spell could worsen the water crisis in summer, with growing concerns that people across the Valley may soon have to buy bottled water, a scenario once unthinkable in the water-rich Kashmir valley.

Even J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah warned of a severe water crisis this year, stressing that it has been escalating for years and requires both government action and public involvement, urging people to adopt more sustainable water usage practices while announcing plans to review measures by the union territory’s Jal Shakti Department.

Impact on agriculture and allied sectors

The water shortage is threatening not only daily life and tourism but also the livelihoods of countless families who depend on agriculture and allied sectors, making the situation increasingly dire for people like Kulsuma who rely on water to sustain their crops and families.

Crops such as rice, saffron, and apples, which thrive in moderate to heavy snowfall and rainfall, have already suffered due to the lack of water.

In Sopore, known as Kashmir’s apple town and home to Asia’s second-largest fruit mandi or market, residents have been without drinking water for the past six months. As a result, people have been forced to buy packaged water from the market—an unprecedented sight in the region.

“Our taps have been dry for six months, and the Jhelum river, the lifeline of Kashmir, is also at an all-time low level,” said Mohammad Ashraf Mir, an apple grower. “The main source of the Jhelum is glaciers, but unfortunately, these are losing their vitality due to prolonged dry spells in Kashmir. This means the lift irrigation scheme may not be able to supply water to apple growers for irrigating their orchards.”

Also read | Can soil-less farming revive a revered Kashmiri rice variety on the verge of extinction?

The severe water scarcity has led to multiple protests in Sopore, with people taking to the streets to demand action.

Mir, a 33-year-old resident of main town Sopore, said this was the first time that he had witnessed the Jhelum river, which flows between India and Pakistan, running at such low levels.

According to the Irrigation & Flood Control department’s Kashmir Flood Watch, the snowless winter and prolonged dry spell have caused severely low water levels in Kashmir’s reservoirs, with the Jhelum river flowing below the reduced level of zero. At Sangam, for example, Jhelum’s water level has dropped to -1.01 feet.

Not only have springs and streams dried up in Kashmir, but groundwater levels have also significantly dropped. This has led to bore wells and tube wells failing to provide water, impacting both drinking water supplies and irrigation for horticultural orchards and agricultural farms.

In Shopian, famous for producing India’s high-quality apples, apple growers are facing a bleak future as solar bore wells installed in their orchards have dried up.

“Due to the snowless winter, bore wells worth ₹2 lakh have dried up. If it does not rain by mid-March, our orchards will perish,” said Adnan Ali, an apple grower from Pinjura hamlet in south Kashmir, about 54 km from Srinagar. “Water is crucial for apple trees as it keeps the soil moist, aiding in sprouting and enhancing fruit set,” he added.

Similarly, Kashmir’s saffron industry, already facing a severe crisis due to climate change, has deteriorated further, with saffron fields now turning into dust bowls.

The snowless winter and scanty rainfall have drained the already thirsty saffron fields, severely affecting both the production and productivity of saffron, the world’s costliest spice. This has disrupted the livelihoods of around 32,000 families in the Valley, including 11,000 women who depend on saffron for their bread and butter.

According to data from the department of Agriculture Kashmir, saffron production in Kashmir declined from 15.9796 tonnes in 1997-98 to 3.4827 tonnes in 2021-22, with the area of cultivation shrinking from 5,707 hectares in 1997-98 to about 3,715 hectares by 2021-22.

Also read | Why Kashmir’s saffron growers are feeling blue

Impact on hydroelectricity

Due to the low water levels, the J&K Power Development Department is currently generating only 24 megawatts (MW) of electricity from Kashmir’s power plants, far below the total capacity of around 250 MW—a 76% reduction in hydel power generation.

A senior engineer from the Jammu and Kashmir State Power Development Corporation explained that due to reduced snowfall and low water levels, hydel power generation from the region's power plants—responsible for over 90% of Kashmir’s electricity supply has decreased drastically in the past three months, as they are heavily dependent on river water across J&K.

What is behind the water crisis

In Kashmir, where political debates and security concerns once dominated conversations, water has now become the focal point of discussion. Whether in the warmth of a bustling Hammam, the traditional Kashmiri bathhouse, or while waiting for freshly baked bread at a Kander Waan, a traditional Kashmiri bakery in the morning, people of Kashmir are now exchanging thoughts on how to navigate a crisis that appears to have no clear solution.

“We must turn to prayer. Only the Almighty can send us rain and snow to replenish the water,” laments an elderly man in his 80s, sitting at the edge of a bread shop, his voice heavy with desperation and his eyes brimming with tears.

Independent weather forecaster Faizan Arif attributed the water scarcity in J&K to unprecedented rainfall deficits over the past five years, with 2024 being the driest in 50 years.

Arif revealed that rainfall in 2024 amounted to just 870.9 mm, a 29% shortfall from the normal average of 1,232.3 mm, and close to the 802.5 mm recorded in 1974, marking the fifth consecutive year of below-normal precipitation in J&K.

“The Himalayan region’s precipitation levels have continued to decline, with 2023 recording 1146.6 mm, a 7% deficit, 2022 seeing 1040.4 mm, a 16% deficit, 2021 experiencing 892.5 mm, a 28% deficit, and 2020 having 982.2 mm, with a 20% deficit,” Arif said.

The J&K Meteorological department has recorded deficit rainfall of 79% as against the normal precipitation of 140 mm. Rainfall of just 29.8 mm has been recorded since January, a critical period for snow and rainfall, further worsening the region's water crisis.

Jeelani of Kashmir University’s School of Earth & Environmental Sciences, said Kashmir is experiencing a nearly 80% deficit in snow. “Snow acts as a natural water lock, but this year, there is hardly any snow at lower altitudes, which usually melts in the spring to recharge springs, streams, and wells. While high-altitude areas still have some snow, the temperatures are not warm enough to melt it and replenish the water sources.”

Jeelani, who featured in Stanford University’s prestigious list of the top 2% global researchers in 2023, explained that Kashmir’s precipitation largely depends on western disturbances, which are typically active between May and October. “These disturbances, originating from the Mediterranean region, bring moisture-laden air from the Arabian Sea, which mixes with cold air from the North Pole to bring rain, hail, and snow. However, this winter, the western disturbances have been weaker, leading to a lack of snow and rain.”

Both Arif and Jeelani suggested that declining precipitation over the years emphasises the urgent need for climate adaptation measures and comprehensive water management strategies to mitigate the effects of prolonged dry spells in J&K.

When Mint reached out to Braham Jyoti Sharma, chief engineer of Kashmir’s Jal Shakti Department, he dismissed concerns about the impact of dry weather on water supply.

“So far, I have not been informed of any major crisis anywhere in the Valley. If the dry spell continues, we may face a crisis, but we have all the resources in place to provide water and prevent people from suffering,” he said. “The department has both the manpower and machinery to ensure a steady water supply.”