Ice stupas of the Ladakh desert: an ingenious solution to water scarcity
As the Himalayan glaciers recede and water scarcity intensifies, communities in Ladakh, a high-altitude desert in northern India, are turning to innovative means to safeguard their future.
This fragile region experiences an average annual rainfall of about 100mm.
Tsering Angchuk, a farmer from the village of Stase-Dho, helped build a 22-metre ice stupa for the village
Traditionally, snow and glacial melt in spring have provided water for the planting season. However, rising global temperatures are increasingly disrupting the water cycle in Ladakh, threatening the livelihoods of farmers and food security in the region. Snow melts too early in the season, while glaciers have retreated to higher altitudes, often delaying their melt. The result: a prolonged dry spell in spring that often leaves farmers without the water they need to cultivate crops and threatening food security across the region.
A lone figure stands before the prize-winning Shara Phuktsey ice stupa, the highest in Ladakh
In 2013, Ladakhi engineer Sonam Wangchuk introduced a solution: ice stupas. These artificial cone-shaped glaciers, named after the mound-like Buddhist monuments, are designed to store winter meltwater and gradually release it during the growing season. The stupas are constructed by channelling water from higher altitudes through underground pipes. As the water is sprayed into subzero air, it freezes into towering ice formations capable of holding millions of litres of water.
During the project's inauguration in 2015, about 1,000 villagers planted more than 5,000 saplings using meltwater from the stupas, turning barren desert into cultivated land. Over the years, ice stupas have been created across numerous villages in Ladakh and plans are under way for further expansion.
Middle-school student Farida Batool, along with her classmates, has helped to build several ice stupas; carpenter Phuntsok Paldan beside the stupa he built with his neighbour on the banks of the Indus in the village of Takmachik – the stupa enables local farmers to irrigate their wheat, barley, and apricots
Wangchuk has emerged as a leading advocate for Ladakh's future, pressing the Indian government to take decisive action on the climate crisis and to protect Ladakhi culture and identity. In October 2024, Wangchuk and fellow climate activists underwent a 15-day fast, advocating for constitutional recognition and tribal status for Ladakh. The fast ended only after India's home affairs ministry promised to re-engage with Ladakhi civil society leaders and groups.
Wangchuk's activism, coupled with dozens of other Ladahki climate organisers, is emblematic of the fight to preserve precious ecosystems. The ice stupas represent more than just a practical solution for Ladahk's water scarcity – they are powerful symbols of hope and the promise of community-led efforts to combat the challenges of a changing climate.
The group of young people that built this ice stupa in the village of Gya installed a cafe in its base. They used the proceeds to take the village elders on a pilgrimage
These photographs are part of the Walk of Water exhibition touring the world later this year
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