Keoladeo National Park Faces Serious Water Shortage
Keoladeo National Park in Bharatpur, Rajasthan, is confronting a growing water crisis. The UNESCO World Heritage site depends on steady monsoon rains and an annual supply from the Panchana Dam. Both sources have fallen short this year.
Park officials state that the wetland needs 550 million cubic feet of water each year. Most of that volume traditionally flows from the Panchana Dam in Karauli through the Ajan Bundh. So far, authorities have released none of that water.
V. Chetan Kumar, director of Keoladeo National Park, described the situation clearly. “We have not received any water from Panchana Dam this year,” he said. Several wetland blocks have already dried up. As a result, staff members are moving fish—the main food source for many birds—from dry sections into remaining water-filled areas.
The park now relies on emergency measures. These include limited supplies from the Chambal drinking-water pipeline and groundwater pumping. Officials have requested a weekly delivery of three million cubic feet from the Chambal line. However, Kumar stressed that this water offers only temporary relief. It cannot meet the full ecological needs of the wetland.
The shortage has already slowed bird activity. Several species have delayed nesting because water levels remain too low. Kumar warned that a prolonged crisis will also harm local livelihoods. Naturalists, guides, hotel operators, and others who depend on park tourism face potential income losses.
Keoladeo National Park hosts about 336 bird species. Thousands of migratory birds arrive each winter from Europe, Central Asia, and Siberia. These visitors typically reach the park in early November and stay until March. Meanwhile, many resident waterbirds breed during the monsoon months. The park draws thousands of domestic and international tourists every year to observe its rich birdlife.
According to Kumar, the annual inflow from Panchana Dam does more than maintain water levels. Floodwaters historically carry fish fry, plankton, aquatic plants, and nutrients into the park. These elements sustain the entire food chain and keep the wetland productive. Timely releases support breeding colonies of storks, herons, cormorants, ibises, and thousands of migratory waterfowl. The water supply acts as the primary driver of the park’s ecological health.
With no release from Panchana this season and rainfall below normal, fish mortality has risen. Park staff continue emergency interventions, yet they describe these steps as insufficient for long-term recovery.
The administration has written to the divisional commissioner and the water resources department. Officials are seeking the immediate release of water from Panchana Dam.
Continued shortages could again draw attention from UNESCO. Keoladeo became a national park in 1982 and earned World Heritage status in 1985. In 2000, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee voiced serious concern over inadequate water releases. It called for the required volume to flow from Panchana Dam between July and September each year.
Later decisions in 2016, 2023, and 2025 repeated the same warning. UNESCO has consistently stated that a minimum of 550 million cubic feet is essential to protect the park’s ecological function and Outstanding Universal Value. The organization has also urged Rajasthan to develop a lasting water-security plan.
An Empowered Committee on Forests and Wildlife Management, formed by the state government in 2005, earlier recommended setting aside at least 250 million cubic feet of water from Panchana Dam exclusively for the park.
Park managers continue to press for action as the dry season advances and the next wave of migratory birds approaches.