By Syed Shams Uddin
Growing Water Stress in Gilgit: The Urgent Case for Groundwater Exploration
Gilgit is at a critical juncture in its water security journey. Once sustained almost entirely by glacier-fed channels and streams, the region now faces intensifying water stress due to accelerated glacier retreat, increasingly erratic precipitation patterns, and rapid population growth. This convergence of climate change and demographic pressures is stretching traditional surface water sources beyond their capacity, compelling communities to explore groundwater—accessed through borewells—as a viable supplementary source.
The urgency of this search was brought into stark focus by the recent unprecedented flooding in the Manogah Nullah, which devastated the waterscape of Danyore, one of Gilgit’s largest and most densely populated villages. The flood swept away critical irrigation and drinking water channels, plunging thousands of residents into an acute water crisis. In the absence of dependable alternatives, households have been forced to rely on costly and logistically challenging water tanker deliveries—a stopgap that is neither economically nor socially sustainable.
A Widening Crisis Beyond Danyore
While Danyore stands at the epicenter of this emergency, other settlements—Sakwar, Minawar, Sinakir, and Jutal (Juglot)—have long struggled with chronic water shortages. Without timely intervention, such scarcity will not remain localized; it will spread, potentially igniting community disputes over dwindling resources. The challenge, therefore, is not merely to restore what has been lost but to build a resilient, multi-source water system capable of withstanding future shocks.
This requires an urgent, coordinated exploratory initiative spearheaded by hydrologists and supported by the Gilgit-Baltistan Environmental Protection Agency (GB-EPA), local councils, and disaster management authorities. The immediate mission: identify and develop alternative potable water sources—at least as a temporary safeguard for the most vulnerable populations—while simultaneously rehabilitating and modernizing the broader waterscape for long-term stability.
Potential Areas for Borewell Development
Preliminary assessments suggest several localities in and around Gilgit may offer groundwater potential due to their proximity to rivers, alluvial plains, and snowmelt-fed terrains:
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Danyore and Jalalabad – It is learnt that these localities are rich in alluvial deposits and likely to host shallow, continuous aquifers, making them high-priority candidates for borewell development, provided a detailed survey is undertaken by the relevant experts.
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Sakwar and Jutal (Juglot) – Reportedly contain fractured bedrock formations with deep but irregular water pockets, requiring specialized drilling methods.
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Minawar and Oshikhandas – Both these localities are said to possess moderate groundwater potential but face seasonal recharge fluctuations.
From these, Danyore and Jalalabad emerge as the most immediately feasible for borewell projects due to their aquifer characteristics and relative accessibility.
Technical Considerations and Methodology
A successful groundwater program must begin with detailed hydrogeological surveys to map aquifers, determine water table depth, and locate faults or fractures. Drilling methods should match the geological context:
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Loose alluvium – Rotary rigs.
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Fractured rock – Down-the-Hole (DTH) drilling with hydrofracturing.
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Mixed soils – Combination rigs.
To ensure sustainability and affordability, borewells should be paired with solar-powered pumps and regulated through metering and monitoring systems to prevent over-extraction. GB-EPA, working closely with local councils, should also introduce community water management frameworks to ensure equitable access.
Institutional Leadership and Governance
The Local Government and Rural Development (LGRD) and WASA Departments, in close consultation with the Environmental Protection Agency, should lead this initiative. By involving disaster management authorities, engineering experts, and community representatives, the project can be both technically robust and socially acceptable. This is not merely an engineering challenge—it is a governance test in ensuring that environmental safeguards, community needs, and long-term sustainability are balanced.
Towards Long-Term Water Security
Groundwater exploration, if undertaken scientifically, could serve as a lifeline for water-stressed parts of Gilgit, especially Danyore and Jalalabad. Yet it must be recognized that in regions where aquifers are deep, fractured, or recharge slowly, groundwater alone will not suffice. In such cases, enhanced surface storage solutions—lined ponds, small reservoirs, and snowmelt capture structures—must be integrated into the regional water strategy.
By marrying modern geological science with community-based stewardship, Gilgit-Baltistan can transform its water vulnerability into resilience. The costs of inaction are clear: worsening shortages, economic strain, and heightened social tension. The time to act is now—before scarcity hardens into a crisis that no amount of late-stage intervention can undo.
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