In the Himalayas of northern India, where glaciers are receding and water is scarce, an engineer has found a way to bring life back to parched fields by building artificial glaciers. In doing so, he’s not only saved countless people’s livelihoods but also inspired a new generation of inventors.
The Water Challenge
“I remember as a kid, it used to snow a lot, almost as high as my knees,” Dolkar, a 58-year-old potato farmer from Thiksey village in Ladakh, told the BBC. “But now, it doesn’t rain or snow so much.”
Dolkar comes from generations of potato farmers. But she has watched her family’s income dwindle over the years, much like the ice caps on the mountains surrounding her hometown. “As potato farmers, we used to make up to Rs 70,000 ($892) per month. But now, we make close to Rs 20,000 ($255).”
Ladakh, nestled in the northernmost part of India, is feeling the sting of climate change acutely. The glaciers that once reliably fed the region’s streams are shrinking, and with them, the water supply that is the lifeblood of local agriculture. For farmers who sow their fields in April, meltwater that doesn’t arrive until mid-June is too little, too late.
So, Chewang Norphel, known locally as the “Ice Man of Ladakh,” has taken on the glacier crisis using pure wit alone. By constructing artificial glaciers near villages like Dolkar’s, he provides invaluable water for irrigation during the sowing season.
“We can’t make water. So our only option is to use the source available to us,” says Norphel, an 87-year-old engineer and former rural development officer.
Engineering Ice to Save Crops
His idea came from observing a small patch of ice forming under a garden tap left running in winter to prevent pipes from bursting. “I realized if I could capture and freeze the wasted water, I could create an artificial glacier for the entire village,” he says.
Putting his engineering skills to work, Norphel began constructing channels to divert stream water to shaded areas at high elevations above villages like Nang, located about 30 kilometers from Leh, Ladakh’s capital. By building a series of rock walls along these channels, he slowed the water’s flow, increasing the likelihood of it freezing in the frigid temperatures. Over the winter months, layers of ice accumulated, forming a man-made glacier.
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Norphel strategically builds glaciers at different altitudes. The lowest glacier, closest to the village, melts first in spring, providing water when farmers need it most. As temperatures rise, higher glaciers melt, ensuring a continuous supply.
The artificial glaciers have increased water supply by up to 20%, according to Suryanarayanan Balasubramanian, co-founder of Acres of Ice and a researcher studying artificial ice reservoirs. “As of today, this glacier is benefiting about 10 villages by supplying them water in the crucial months of April,” Norphel told BBC journalist Kanika Gupta. “We are building two more.”
Farmers like Rigzen Wangyal have felt the difference. “Before we had the artificial glacier, getting enough water was hard for us,” says Wangyal, a 44-year-old farmer from Nang village. “Now the artificial glaciers are our first source of water.”
A Model for the World?
Experts see artificial glaciers as a valuable tool for water management in mountain communities. “It is a very clever idea,” says David Rounce, an assistant professor at Carnegie Mellon University who studies glacier loss. “They can store a lot of water, providing valuable freshwater resources for communities in the high mountains.”
However, Dr. Rounce cautions that these local solutions cannot stop the broader loss of glaciers due to climate change. “Thinking that these are going to prevent the loss of glaciers globally — that’s not going to happen, unfortunately,” he says.
The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development recently warned of “grave consequences” for human life and nature as Himalayan glaciers melt. With two billion people reliant on the water they hold, the stakes are high.
As glaciers around the world continue to recede, the ingenuity of individuals like Norphel offers a glimmer of hope.
“By involving village people, we can train able individuals to handle maintenance themselves. These artificial glaciers also help regenerate streams in villages, becoming a crucial secondary water source,” Norphel said.