GIS Survey Maps 649 Springs in Two South Kashmir Districts

A field survey and geographic information system analysis identified 649 springs in the Anantnag and Kulgam districts of South Kashmir, establishing a geospatial baseline for a water source whose detailed records have been scarce. Researchers surveyed the area in 2021 and 2022, using GPS to record spring locations and documenting elevation, water flow, seasonality, ownership, use, dependency and conservation status. Of the springs included in the inventory, 79.8% were perennial, 8.5% were seasonal and 11.7% were dry when observed. The study covers a two-district area within the Kashmir Himalaya rather than the region’s full spring-resource network.

The spring inventory combined field observations with spatial analysis of physiographic conditions, land use and elevation. Each mapped site was assigned a geographic position and characterized by its measured discharge and reported seasonal behavior. Flow measurements showed that most springs had discharges corresponding to the fifth and sixth magnitudes in the Meinzer Classification. Most were also located below 1,700 meters, on flat landscapes and in horticultural regions. These spatial patterns identify where springs are concentrated within the surveyed districts, but they do not establish why the springs occur in those settings or whether their conditions have changed over time.

Local community members reported that spring discharge and reliability had decreased during the preceding 10 years. The report could not be confirmed as a measured trend because the study area lacked the long-term hydrological records needed to verify it. The researchers also did not demonstrate direct links between spring conditions and potential causes such as climate change, land-use change or groundwater use. Their assessment instead identifies areas where spring systems may face greater risk and provides a reference for future research, long-term monitoring and climate-adaptation planning. Because the findings are based on observations of 649 springs in Anantnag and Kulgam, they should not be treated as representative measurements for every spring across the Kashmir Himalaya.

The study’s utility lies in documenting both the physical characteristics of springs and information about their relationship with local communities. Recording ownership, use, dependency and conservation status alongside location, elevation and discharge makes the inventory a combined assessment of spring resources rather than a map of water points alone. The GIS framework also allows mapped springs to be examined against physiographic, land-use and elevation units. This spatial structure can support the prioritization of monitoring, conservation and restoration work, while the baseline observations provide a reference for future assessments of flow status, reliance and conservation needs.

Several limits constrain what the inventory can establish. The reported scarcity of long-term hydrological records prevents a verified comparison of spring discharge and reliability across the community-reported decade. The results also do not attribute observed seasonal availability or dry conditions to particular environmental or human drivers. Nevertheless, the survey documents where springs are located, how much they were flowing during fieldwork, whether they were perennial, seasonal or dry, and how local users characterized their dependence on and management of them. By converting an under-documented mountain resource into a georeferenced set of physical and social observations, the study provides a foundation for monitoring and conservation planning in South Kashmir.

Subject of Research: Geospatial inventory and utility assessment of springs in Anantnag and Kulgam districts

Article Title: GIS-based inventory and utility assessment of spring resources in the Kashmir Himalaya

Article References: Maqbool, U., Ahsan, S., Bhat, M. S., Alam, A., Wani, M. S., & Sheikh, H. A. (2026). GIS-based inventory and utility assessment of spring resources in the Kashmir Himalaya. Frontiers in Water, 8, 1913677. https://doi.org/10.3389/frwa.2026.1913677

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.3389/frwa.2026.1913677

Keywords: Kashmir Himalaya, spring inventory, GIS, field survey, water resources, spring discharge, South Kashmir, hydrological monitoring, land use, climate adaptation, GIS-based, inventory