Review of Dams for Glacial Lake Flood Risks

The Central Water Commission will assess the design of all existing and under-construction dams vulnerable to Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) to ensure they can handle extreme flood scenarios.

Following the October 2023 collapse of the Teesta-III Hydroelectric dam, the Central Water Commission (CWC) will review the design flood capacities of dams at risk from GLOFs to ensure their spillways can manage extreme flood events.
GLOF studies will now be mandatory for all new dam projects in areas with glacial lakes to prevent potential disasters.
The CWC is actively monitoring 902 glacial lakes and water bodies in the Himalayan region from June to October each year to track changes and risks.
The monitoring initiative helps detect significant changes in glacial lake areas, focusing on lakes that have grown and pose potential disaster risks.
The Ministry of Power has identified 47 dams—38 completed and nine under construction—that are susceptible to GLOFs, with studies already completed for 31 of these.
These measures reflect the government’s commitment to enhancing disaster preparedness and mitigating the risks associated with GLOFs, particularly in the Himalayan region.