Depleting Waters and Drying Landscapes: Lived Narratives from Pastoralists of Pir Panjal Range of Poonch, Jammu & Kashmir, India

Climate change has emerged as a serious challenge globally, particularly in ecologically sensitive and fragile mountain regions like the Himalayas. The Pir Panjal range in Jammu and Kashmir, part of the northwestern Himalayas, is experiencing noticeable environmental changes driven by rising temperatures, erratic precipitation, glacial retreat, and landslides. These changes have resulted in the drying up of wetlands/marshlands (locally called Sar Aalo Tallou), reduced snowfall, increased water scarcity, and higher vulnerability of transhumant pastoralist communities who depend heavily on natural resources for their survival. This chapter is based on a pilot study conducted in Jammu Shaheed area of Hari village in Poonch district, used qualitative approach to document the lived experiences, oral narratives and indigenous knowledge of local pastoralist communities. The study focuses on the impact of climate change on landscape drying, particularly marshlands/wetlands and spring, and the growing water crisis in high-altitude grazing areas. Local accounts reveals that past water- rich landscapes have gradually dried due to inconsistent snowfall, tree cutting, landslides and soil erosion. The chapter also highlights how pastoralists are coping with water scarcity by walking long distances, storing snow for later use, or depending on unreliable government pipeline schemes. The findings reveal that change in snowfall patterns, glacial retreat, deforestation, and increased frequency of landslides have severely disrupted local water sources such as springs, wetlands/marshlands and snowmelt streams. These changes not only threatening water scarcity but also disrupting traditional transhumance practices, leading to altered migration routes, reduced milk production, livestock loss, and increased livelihood vulnerability. Drawing from oral histories and ecological observations, the study emphasizes the importance of integrating local knowledge into climate adaptation planning. In conclusion, the chapter emphasizes the need for sustainable and community based solutions, such as spring fed water pipelines, rainwater harvesting, and watershed protection. It also recommends to include pastoralists traditional knowledge in policy planning and improve environmental awareness to help communities to deal with challenges. The chapter contributes to the growing discourse on climate change and adaptation by highlighting the voices of mountain communities who are on the frontline of climate change.