Researchers find India’s Ganges river shrinking at fastest rate in 1,300 years

A study published Monday in the U.S. journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences quoted researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar and the University of Arizona in the U.S. as saying human activity was the main reason for the megariver’s shrinkage.

Based on historical records, ancient climate data and hydrological models, the researchers reconstructed the river’s flow between the years 700 and 2012 by studying tree ring data from the Monsoon Asia Drought Atlas, and, using modern data and computer modeling, created a timeline of water levels.

The results were checked against historical records of droughts and famines to ensure accuracy, according to Phys.org.

Between 1991 and 2020 the river’s flow dropped by 76% more than during the worst drought in the 16th century.

A section of the Ganges river in India in Mar. 2020. Photo by Minh Duc

The study found that, in addition to the river drying up, droughts are happening more often and lasting longer due to human influence and the weakening of the summer monsoon.

Researchers have linked the weakening to the rising temperatures in the Indian Ocean and air pollution from liquid droplets and fine solid particles released by factories, vehicles and power plants.

These particles, called aerosols, can also suppress rainfall and prevent water from reaching the river basin.

The study said most climate models failed to forecast the severe drying trend and called for improved climate models to better reflect the impacts of human activity on different regions.

They also recommended new water management strategies to protect the Ganges and prevent water shortages along the river.

The river runs 2,510 kilometers from its origin in the Himalayas to the Bay of Bengal, providing water and livelihoods to more than 600 million people en route.