Artificial Glaciers: A Solution for Himalayan Hydration

While climate change discussions often highlight low-lying regions such as coastal cities, high-altitude communities also face severe challenges, including water scarcity. To address this, Sonam Wangchuk, an innovator from Ladakh, has developed artificial glaciers known as "ice stupas." These structures store frozen water, releasing it to nourish crops during the year's most arid months.

Water Worries

For most communities in Ladakh, glacial meltwater is indispensable. Situated in northern India, Ladakh lies on the Tibetan Plateau, nestled between the Karakoram and Himalayan mountain ranges.

This high-altitude region is globally renowned for its vast ice reserves. The Tibetan Plateau and its neighboring mountains hold more ice than any other non-polar region on the planet. Glaciers here play a crucial role in sustaining major Asian rivers such as the Yangtze, Mekong, and Indus.

However, these glaciers are shrinking due to climate change. From 2003 to 2014, glaciers near the Brahmaputra River’s source lost 6.9 billion cubic miles (28.8 billion cubic kilometers) of ice.

While seasonal glacier melt is natural, winter snowfall typically replenishes the ice lost during spring. Yet, across the plateau, glaciers are no longer receiving sufficient snowfall to compensate for their melting, causing many to diminish in size.

Desert Hydration

Known as a "cold desert," Ladakh experiences minimal rainfall, averaging only 2 to 3 inches (50 to 70 millimeters) annually. While the summer months of June through August bring some precipitation, this is also when significant amounts of meltwater from nearby mountain glaciers flow into the region's essential streams.

Streams maintain a consistent flow even during winter. However, due to frozen ground and frigid temperatures, farming becomes impossible in the coldest months. Wangchuk notes that this leads to the underutilization of winter water resources.

The need for meltwater surges dramatically in April and May, when life-sustaining crops like wheat, buckwheat, and barley require planting and irrigation. However, during early spring, before glacial meltwater peaks, the streams frequently dry up.

The issue has been exacerbated by climate change. A 2017 study revealed that nearly 20 percent of the permanent ice reserves in Ladakh's Indian state have vanished over the last 60 years, resulting in reduced meltwater availability for local communities.

Towers of Ice

To address Ladakh's water crisis, civil engineer Chewang Norphel developed a groundbreaking reservoir system in the 1980s. By constructing dams and channels, he redirected glacial water into artificial lakes on shaded mountain slopes, where it froze. In spring, the ice would melt and flow through canals to farms and villages. However, the ice melted too quickly, often depleting the water supply before summer rains began.

In 2013, Wangchuk realized that the rapid melting of ice in Norphel's dams was due to excessive exposure to sunlight. He theorized that shaping the ice into conical towers, with the narrow end pointing upward, would minimize surface area and slow the melting process.

Wangchuk created an ingenious irrigation system to form his ice towers. The system relies on a long pipeline, mostly buried underground, which draws water from a glacial stream or mountain reservoir. The water flows through the pipeline to lower-altitude populated areas, providing a sustainable water source.

The system operates without any moving parts or electrical components, relying solely on gravity to keep the water flowing. Gravity also drives the water into the final phase of its journey. Downhill, the pipeline connects at a sharp angle to a narrower vertical pipe that emerges from the ground, resembling a telephone pole.

As the principle goes, water finds its own level. Gravity forces the liquid upward until it sprays out of a sprinkler at the top of the vertical pipe. In the frigid air, with temperatures around -4 degrees Fahrenheit (-20 degrees Celsius) or lower, the spray freezes before hitting the ground, forming a massive ice cone around the pipe.

The cone's unique shape mirrors that of a stupa, the ancient Buddhist prayer monuments that have adorned Ladakh for millennia. Inspired by this resemblance, Wangchuk and his team named these glacier-like structures "ice stupas."

Going Global

Ladakh's ice stupas begin melting in late spring, coinciding with the peak demand for water. The first stupa, built in the winter of 2013, stored 39,625 U.S. gallons (150,000 liters) of frozen water and remained intact until May 18, 2014.

Since the initial project, many more stupas have been created. One near Phyang village provided water for 5,000 newly planted trees. Towering at 60 feet (18 meters), it held an impressive 528,344 U.S. gallons (2 million liters) of water. Future stupas could surpass 100 feet (30 meters) in height and store up to 2,641,720 U.S. gallons (10 million liters) of water.

The concept has expanded beyond India, reaching countries like Switzerland. In 2016, Wangchuk's innovative idea earned him the prestigious Rolex Award for Enterprise.

However, ice stupas are not without controversy. Some Ladakhi villagers have contested Wangchuk's legal right to divert glacial meltwater. Additionally, while the stupas support human life, they cannot reverse the troubling climate trends affecting the Tibetan Plateau.

For Homo sapiens to thrive amidst planetary changes, a thorough reassessment of our water usage and storage methods is essential. Initiatives such as this can serve as a catalyst for these crucial discussions.