According to the government of India\u2019s public policy think-tank, NITI Aayog<\/a>, nearly 50 million people live in the Indian Himalayan Region. Mountain springs are the primary source of water for this predominantly rural population. In Nepal, more than 10 million<\/a> of those living in its hills and mountains have the same reliance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But the flow is slowing. Springs are becoming seasonal or disappearing entirely. In India\u2019s Himalayan region, nearly half of its perennial springs have already dried up or become seasonal. Similar patterns are emerging in parts of Bhutan<\/a> and Nepal<\/a>. When springs dry, it is the poorest and remotest settlements that suffer first, and most severely. This is because, unlike the wealthier or locationally advantaged, they do not have piped water connections, cannot afford private water tankers and cannot build water storage or install pumping systems. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The causes<\/a> are both visible and invisible. Climate change has made rainfall more erratic. Meanwhile, deforestation, poorly planned infrastructure and the abandonment of traditional irrigation and water management practices are damaging<\/a> recharge zones \u2013 hidden aquifers that store and transmit infiltrated surface water to springs. The traditional balance of land, forest and water is unravelling, as are mountain communities\u2019 intimate relationships with their landscapes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is not just a water crisis; it is a water justice issue. With reduced spring availability, people \u2013 especially women, who take on most water-related labour \u2013 must go further afield. This means children are losing time to learn and play, women are walking for longer<\/a> with added burdens and threats to their safety, and families are being forced to abandon farms and livestock, or migrate. Communities are losing faith in one of the most reliable water sources, and in the systems that once sustained them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But this story can change. In fact it already has, in places where people are working with nature \u2013 not against it \u2013 to revive their springs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Springshed management is emerging<\/a> as one of the most promising, low-cost and community-driven climate adaptation solutions in mountainous regions. The idea is simple: protect and restore the wider recharge zones that feed a spring, or aquifers<\/a> that feed multiple springs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This involves identifying such zones, using science and local knowledge. For example, hydrogeological assessments, as well as mapping springs with local community engagement, and studying their flow patterns and water quality. Codesigning spring recharge, by digging trenches and ponds and planting trees, can stabilise gullies and enhance water infiltration. Springshed management should also focus on restoring vegetation in degraded catchments, which improves soil infiltration and prevents pollution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Importantly, this work should seek to understand the gender, social and governance systems that shape spring access and management. It should involve women in decision-making.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Continuous monitoring and maintenance will be essential in sustaining spring health, and ensure equitable benefits for all, particularly women and marginalised groups. <\/p>\n\n\n\n To scale the above approach, the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), where I work, has developed and is implementing a six-step protocol for springshed management<\/a> across the Hindu Kush Himalayan region. Having such a protocol ensures spring revival is both systematic and participatory. This project is supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation<\/a>, the United Kingdom\u2019s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office<\/a>, and several other international partners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This structured and flexible approach has revived<\/a> springs in the Indian states of Sikkim, Manipur, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and a number of municipalities in Nepal and Bhutan. In these areas, such initiatives are already showing results, with some springs being revived within two to three years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In Uttarakhand\u2019s Moldhar village, for instance, the revived Upala Shivani spring<\/a> \u2013 a major water source for approximately 80 households \u2013 doubled its discharge during lean months. Local women took charge of digging over 700 toe trenches in the recharge zone. These small, narrow pits run parallel to the agricultural terrace walls, to enhance the infiltration of runoff water. This gradually seeps into the soil, recharging underground aquifers feeding the springs. The revival of this spring has reduced the time spent collecting water, increased fodder availability for livestock and empowered women to lead further spring revival actions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Villages that once relied on water tankers are seeing their springs turn perennial again. Water access has improved and with it, the burden on women and children has eased. Trust in community-based local governance is being restored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Despite this success, springs remain largely absent<\/a> from national climate action plans. They are not included in most water budgets; funding is sporadic, and they are still seen as too small-scale for mainstream infrastructure or climate finance. Ironically, many semi-urban<\/a> and urban piped water supply schemes<\/a> in the Himalayan region rely on springs, yet they are rarely acknowledged or managed by the government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is partly due to inadequate capacity for springshed management on the part of the government and other stakeholders. In water resource planning documents, they are typically characterised as minor or small-scale, rendering them invisible in both budget allocations and infrastructure design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This disconnect is not just technical; it is deeply political and ecological. Compared to large-scale and visible dams, reservoirs and canals, spring rejuvenation is quiet, slow and decentralised. This making it less attractive for political narratives, despite the significant importance<\/a> of springs. They are part of living ecosystems, fed by complex ecological processes: forest cover, soil health, rainfall infiltration and groundwater flows. Ignoring them creates ecological risks<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHow communities are bringing water back to life<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/div>Why are springs missing from the global water agenda?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n