Why are Indian lakes drying up?

 

In today’s blog, we talk about why India’s lakes are drying up and what we can do to save them.

Lakes. We don’t often think about them, right? But they’re a big deal.

They cover just 3% of the Earth’s land area, but hold 90% of our planet’s liquid freshwater (which is different from ocean or saltwater).1 So yeah, freshwater lakes aren’t just pretty but they’re lifelines, quietly working to provide drinking water, support agriculture, regulate climate and even prevent floods.

But something’s going wrong with the world’s lakes, including those right here in India. Over 50% of the world’s largest lakes are shrinking. And that’s affecting about 200 crore people who rely on these water bodies.2

% of the global population residing in basins experiencing lake water loss

Source: science.org

To put things in perspective, lakes are losing around 22 lakh crore litres of water every year.3 That’s enough water to fill 88 lakh Olympic-sized swimming pools!

So what’s behind this crisis, you ask?

You see, lakes aren’t just passive reservoirs of water. They play an active role in our planet’s carbon cycle, which helps regulate the climate. When lakes lose water, this delicate balance is disturbed, and the carbon trapped in lake sediments gets released back into the atmosphere which fuels global warming. It’s a vicious cycle ― just a slight rise in temperature, changes in rainfall, or even a shift in runoff patterns can start drying them out.

Lakes also support over 1,40,000 species that rely on freshwater habitats, absorb floodwater, provide food, support livelihoods and hold recreational value. In India, with around 15,000 lakes, many communities depend on them for drinking water, farming and flood control.4

However, frequent droughts and over-extraction of water for agriculture and industry are making these lakes dry faster than ever.

Between 1992 and 2020, more than 30 major Indian lakes have recorded a drying trend.5 Sixteen of these are in southern India — including well-known reservoirs like Mettur, Krishnarajasagar and Nagarjuna Sagar.

All those red dots you see on the map below? They’re lakes disappearing before our eyes!

Source: science.org

And it’s not just about shrinking. Pollution is turning these lakes toxic.

Sedimentation, agricultural runoff and industrial waste are reducing their ability to support life, both human and animal. Bangalore’s Bellandur Lake is a classic example. Dumping untreated sewage and city runoff has turned it into a toxic, foamy mess — kind of like what you might’ve seen recently with the Yamuna River.6

So why isn’t India doing more to save its lakes?

The answer is a weak legal framework. There aren’t enough laws specifically focused on lake conservation, and those that do exist aren’t enforced consistently. Add to that rapid urbanisation, encroachment and unauthorised construction, and it’s a recipe for disaster.

But not all hope is lost as local heroes are stepping in with lake restoration.

Take Anand Malligavad, aka the “Lake Man of India”. He’s made it his mission to restore Bangalore’s dying lakes using simple, sustainable methods inspired by ancient Chola practices. No high-tech machinery or expensive structures — just soil, plants, and water canals.

All he does is drain any leftover water from nearly dried-up lakes, strengthens the lake’s dams and restores nearby canals to prevent water from leaking out. Then, he creates small lagoons within the lake as safe spaces for aquatic life to thrive. Finally, he replants the area with native trees and aquatic plants to attract wildlife and balance the ecosystem. After that, he steps back and lets nature do its thing. Rain refills the lake and the ecosystem rebuilds itself. And thanks to him, dozens of lakes have already been revived at a fraction of the cost of building artificial dams.

Across India, NGOs, local communities, private companies and state governments are stepping up too. In Telangana, for instance, lake rejuvenation has become a key priority. Municipal officials, experts and innovators are coming together in workshops to develop strategies for restoring urban lakes. The goal is to revive 50 water bodies in and around Hyderabad.

Karnataka’s also stepping up its lake restoration game. In places like Channapatna, they’re using Nano-Bubble Technology to increase oxygen levels in polluted water and automate systems that monitor water quality in real time.

They’re even doing something similar to coral farming — reintroducing native plants and animals to revive ecosystems. This has helped Bengaluru’s Kaikondrahalli Lake breathe again.

And thanks to Anand’s efforts, several lakes in Bengaluru that were once thought dead are now thriving. Water levels are up, groundwater is recharging and local temperatures around these water bodies are a bit more comfortable. These lakes now provide a natural buffer against the worst effects of climate change.

But here’s the thing. There’s more at stake than just a few lakes.

The real issue is climate change and unsustainable consumption and that’s something we can’t keep tossing around. If we continue losing lakes, we’ll lose their natural protection too. Floods will worsen, droughts will lengthen, and millions could be left without reliable water sources.

The bottom line?

Saving our lakes is about survival. But we need coordinated efforts. Governments, communities, civil society groups, and innovators must come together to scale up these initiatives. Raising awareness is critical too.

So the next time you pass by a lake, don’t just admire the view — think about what it represents.

Because, as Balaji Rajagopalan, an author of the global study on shrinking lakes, put it: “If a good chunk of freshwater lakes are drying, then you're going to see the impact come to you one way or the other, if not now, in the not-too-distant future.” 7

And fingers crossed we or future generations won’t have to see that day.