Dr. Arvind Kumar*
Glaciers are melting, lakes are swelling, and natural buffers like forests and wetlands are vanishing, making river flows more erratic. The Central Water Commission now monitors over 900 glacial lakes, and 47 dams are flagged as vulnerable to GLOFs. Dams are silently losing capacity to sedimentation. Each year, India’s dams lose 1.3% of their storage to silt. Bhakra Dam, for instance, has already lost 35% of its original capacity.
Changing and increasingly extreme weather patterns around the world have heightened the risks facing dams, as seen in recent safety incidents in India, the US, Libya, Nigeria, and Sudan. Dams are critical infrastructure — essential for national security, energy generation, water supply, flood control, and disaster resilience. Their safety is vital for protecting lives, property, and the stability of entire regions. However, dam failures can lead to devastating loss of life, major economic disruption, and serious environmental damage, often with consequences that spill across borders.
“It’s simple. It is increasingly difficult to find sites to build iconic structures like the Bhakra Nangal Dam,” said Ms. Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary in the Government of India’s Ministry of Jal Shakti. “So, it’s important to get as much value out of each dam as we can.” This underscores the importance of maximizing the performance, safety, and sustainability of our existing dams.
The ongoing India-Pakistan disputes over the Indus Waters Treaty also highlights how dams can become flashpoints for geopolitical tension and tools of political leverage. These realities make it clear that robust dam safety and sound management are more crucial than ever. As risks grow, important questions arise: Are our dams strong enough to withstand nature’s fury? Are our laws and regulations up to the mark? And are we investing wisely in both modern technology and nature-based solutions?
Structural Time Bombs
There are over 58,000 large dams in the world today, according to the International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD). Nearly a third of these are over 50 years old. In India alone, more than 300 dams are over a century old, and by 2025, 80% of them will cross the 50-year mark. These aging giants weren’t built to handle today’s climatic extremes. Take the October 2023 disaster in Sikkim. A glacial lake South Lhonak burst, releasing a mind-boggling 50 million cubic meters of water. The Teesta-III dam was obliterated, and over 150 lives were lost. This wasn’t just an accident; it was a loud alarm bell.
Old age isn’t the only issue. Glaciers are melting, lakes are swelling, and natural buffers like forests and wetlands are vanishing, making river flows more erratic. The Central Water Commission now monitors over 900 glacial lakes, and 47 dams are flagged as vulnerable to GLOFs. Dams are silently losing capacity to sedimentation. Each year, India’s dams lose 1.3% of their storage to silt. Bhakra Dam, for instance, has already lost 35% of its original capacity.
Meanwhile, our tropical dams are stealthily contributing to climate change. Methane emissions from reservoirs like Manipur’s Loktak Lake are significant. Globally, dam-related water bodies contribute 1.5% of methane emissions. And let’s not forget earthquakes. Some 47 dams in seismic Zone V—including Tehri Dam—are exposed to earthquake risks. A recent study flagged 12 dams in Arunachal Pradesh as especially vulnerable to landslides and seismic shocks. So while they stand tall, many of our dams are sitting ducks.
Technology and Nature
Here’s where the story pivots. Amid this grim picture, technology and nature are offering hope.
China’s 2021 Dam Safety Law is among the worlds strictest. With over 131,000 monitoring points and AI-powered digital twins, China can simulate dam behaviour and predict failures before they happen. Emergency responses are dynamic and data-driven. “The dams must incorporate advanced seismic and environmental safeguards. We must continue to engage with downstream countries and uphold our responsibility for regional water security and ecological protection,” said Mr. Liu Zhiyu, Deputy Director, Department of International Cooperation, Ministry of Water Resources, China. In the US, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) runs the National Dam Safety Program. It’s not just about inspections—it’s about public education, community drills, and coordinated responses between federal and state agencies. Their 2024–2029 strategy is a blueprint India could draw inspiration from.
India’s Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP) is a great example. Over 200 dams now have automated sensors that track structural stress, water levels, and even seismic tremors in real time. Satellite monitoring has further boosted our surveillance capabilities. Desilting, once a manual and costly task, is now tech-enabled. Tools like hydro-suction dredgers and sediment bypass tunnels are restoring reservoir capacity efficiently. Bhakra and Hirakud are pilot sites for these innovations. Micro dams and check dams like the 5,000+ in Gujarat’s Saurashtra—are also proving effective. They decentralize water storage and reduce the pressure on mega-dams.
The Dam Safety Act of 2021 is a good start. It mandates inspections and maintenance and sets up oversight bodies like the Central Water Commission and the National Committee on Dam Safety. But implementation has been patchy. Inter-state coordination is poor, funding is inconsistent, and many dams are still without proper retrofitting. We need laws that aren’t just on paper—but in action.
The Way Forward
To ensure dam safety in the face of climate disruptions, India must adopt an integrated approach that combines robust engineering, ecological restoration, and policy reform. Aging dams need urgent retrofitting with climate-resilient designs that account for glacial melt, seismic activity, and shifting hydrological patterns. The use of AI-driven monitoring systems, digital twins, and real-time data analytics must be scaled up, especially in vulnerable regions. Simultaneously, restoring catchment ecosystems like forests and wetlands will enhance natural flood regulation and reduce sedimentation. The Dam Safety Act of 2021 must evolve into a more enforceable and climate-sensitive framework, with stronger inter-state coordination, transparent governance, and sustained funding. Community preparedness, early warning systems, and local capacity-building are equally critical to mitigate disaster risks.
Drawing from China’s technological advancement and the US’s institutional model, India has the opportunity to modernize its dam governance. As we move toward a climate-resilient and water-secure future, safeguarding our dams is not just about protecting infrastructure, it is about securing lives, livelihoods, and long-term national stability.
*Editor, Focus Global Reporter
