India’s pioneering Spring Census: timely action to save the lifelines of the mountains

After a long day locating springs, it was nearly dusk when I reached Badabe village in the Himalayan district of Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand, northern India. The sky was already deepening to a velvety blue. The alley ended in a cluster of shops and an open yard, where villagers had gathered in a circle to chat, cups of tea warming their hands. An old man leaned forward, his face lit by the fading daylight, “So tell us,” he said, “how many springs are there in our village?” Around him, the others listened closely, the reflections from the flickering fire revealing the anticipation on their faces. But I had no answer.

Despite years of working on water issues, I had no clue. No official records existed. The absence of a spring census speaks volumes about how invisible this lifeline had been to our water planners.

But today, springs have begun to gain the attention they deserve. Mapping efforts have spread, and conversations have deepened.

As springs continue to disappear across the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR), it is critical for nation-wide action on springshed management, with a specific focus on recharging the underlying aquifers that feed the vital springs.

Springs – a primary source for millions across the IHR

With increasing population and a changing climate, there has been an estimated 50 per cent decline in spring water flow in the hilly regions. Some have completely dried up. For example, Gachuira, Huruira, Maharra, and Wata springs at Lunghar village in Manipur, north-east India, almost ran dry in 2021. But adoption of scientific and traditional practices has proven to bring springs back to life.

Efforts to revive springs

Several ongoing regional and sub-national efforts are focussed on reviving critical springs and protecting recharge areas to prevent future drying. Dhara Vikas (springs development) is an initiative by the Rural Development Department, Government of Sikkim, north-east India, to revive critical springs and lakes in the region. A ‘six step protocol for springs revival’ is a systematic methodology for springs revival, while a resource book on springshed management in IHR provides guidelines for policymakers and development practitioners to integrate springshed management into existing government programmes.

State governments, especially in north-east India, have initiated spring mapping efforts. A resource book for ‘Springshed management in the mountainous region of India’ documented over 60,000 springs, in collaboration with government agencies, NGOs, and academics working on springs.

India’s ambitious nationwide spring census

In 2023, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasised the importance of springshed management at the ‘First All-India Conference of Ministers on Water’. In line with this focus, the Ministry of Jal Shakti made a groundbreaking decision to conduct a nationwide census and gather scientific data on all springs. This initiative aims to understand the current condition of springs and develop concrete revival and management plans based on the results.

On 3 April 2025, India officially launched its first Spring Census, making it the first country in the world to conduct a national-level enumeration of crucial water sources like springs. This reflects the government’s commitment to its Water Vision 2047 and reaffirms India’s pledge to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goal 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation by 2030.

Ensuring accuracy through digital innovation

India’s first Spring Census is being conducted nationwide using a mobile application specially developed by the Cell for Spring Studies (CeSS), NIH, Roorkee, Uttarakhand. This application is designed to function even in remote and non-network areas, enabling data collection from every corner of the country. The data collected through this tool will be digitally verified by block and district-level officials for greater transparency and accuracy. NIH is conducting training at the state-level nodal agencies and providing technical support as the data flows in.

Features including standardisation of the spring inventory code, maintaining the digital chain of custody during the vetting process, on-the-go visibility of dashboards, and taking selfies with the spring are designed to make this process smooth and facilitate the collection of meaningful data-backed decisions for better springshed management.

Springs at the heart of climate action

As springs dry up under the pressures of climate change, time is critical. Springs are windows to Himalayan aquifers; once lost, their underlying systems become nearly impossible to revive, raising the cost and complexity of interventions. Many elderly community members, who hold traditional knowledge of spring management, are key to this effort. But migration from hill states due to climate impacts threatens this knowledge.

As the world focuses on World Water Week under the ‘Water for Climate Action’ theme, springs are finally stepping into the spotlight.

Now, if I return to villages like Badabe, I want to be able to tell them not just how many springs exist, but how we are bringing them back to life.

Yogesh Chandra Barola is a Hydrogeologist working on regenerating and managing springsheds for multiple social and ecosystem benefits in the Hindu Kush Himalaya region. He currently works at ICIMOD on a project supported by the United Kingdom International Development.

Views expressed are the author’s own and don’t necessarily reflect those of Down To Earth