MANANG: Gangapurna, a glacial lake located in Annapurna circuit trekking route is becoming shallower as sediments and particulates glide in the lake with inflowing waters at an alarming pace.

The glacial lake situated at the height of 3,540 metres is formed from the glaciers from Mt Gangapurna (7,454m), Annapurna IV (7,525m), Khangsar Kang and Glacier Dom.

People in the locality are concerned as the lake loses its depth.

Gangapurna Lake which appears cyan during the spring and autumn, white during monsoon and gets covered in snow in winter is considered the second most desired tourist attraction after Tilicho Lake.

It has been reported that the lake extended in the area of 21.08 hectares has already lost a third of its depth.

Local tourism entrepreneur Binod Gurung said that the sediments and deposits from in-lake processes and those carried by in-flowing waters rapidly gliding in the lake are causing a threat to its existence.

Nesyang Rural Municipality Chair Sonam Ghale informed that a 100m-long wall has been built with the budget of Rs 1 million allocated from the rural municipality. Another Rs 1 million has been received as aid from Nepal Tourism Board recently to prevent the inflow of soils and deposits.

He said the discussion was underway to find other solutions as the wall has failed to protect the lake.

Locals have expressed their belief that tree plantation and wire fencing could prevent the inflow of sediments that makes the lake shallower. They have demanded that the government should step up to conserve the lake that attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists en route to Tilicho Lake via Manang.

According to geology experts, as sedimentation and deposition continues, a lake may, in time, transition into a wetland or even to a dry land environment.