Solutions
We work closely with Himalayan communities and local organizations to develop innovative solutions to climate change. Below are some of our current projects.
Solar Lifting
Solar water pumps lift water from rivers or lakes to community reservoirs and provide water for irrigation. This idea is adapted from similar technology for pumping water from wells and applied in a high-altitude alpine setting. Solar panels generate electricity that powers a submersible water pump. The pump lifts water from a river or lake and pushes it through pipes to a village.
We have successfully piloted a project in Zanskar, India that piped water over one kilometer from the Zanskar River to Pishu Village. In Pishu, like many other villages in the Himalayas, the small glaciers that were the primary water source have already melted away. The community was on the verge of abandoning the village and becoming climate refugees. The solar water pump filled their reservoir again, averting this disaster. We have identified 10 other water-scarce villages in Zanskar where a similar project could be implemented.
Artificial Glaciers
Artificial glaciers are large ice reservoirs created by diverting near-freezing streams or spring water behind stone dams. As water hits the dam, it spreads, loses its energy, and turns into ice.
Because natural glaciers have receded, water for the initial irrigation often arrives too late. This has led to widespread crop failure. First pioneered by a Ladakhi engineer, Tsewang Norphel, artificial glaciers fill this gap and provide crucial water for early irrigation.
We supported the construction of the first artificial glaciers in Zanskar, India. They are now also being adopted in the Andes in Chile.
Ice Stupas
Ice stupas are conical masses of ice used for irrigation. Once temperatures drop below freezing, they are created by sprinkling piped spring or stream water over wooden scaffolding. The ice slowly accumulates forming a large “stupa”-like structure.
Similar to artificial glaciers, they tap into surplus water during the autumn and store it as ice throughout the winter. The ice thaws out in the spring and is used for the critical first irrigation after seeds are planted in April.
We supported the construction of the first ice stupas in Zanskar, India.