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Stories From the Mountains

Behind the Scenes

Curious about our work? Discover our journey, see the impact we’ve made, and explore the adventures behind Acres of Ice’s mission.

acresofice

🏔️ Automation of artificial ice reservoirs (AIRs)
💧Water Management | Agritech
📌 Ladakh, India

It’s been inspiring to engage with the Indian gl

It’s been inspiring to engage with the Indian glaciological community over the past few weeks. The first-ever Leh Indian Glaciology Summer School (LIGSS) is currently underway here in Ladakh. The team at Acres of Ice took students to one of our field sites in Igoo, where we discussed our system, the catchment's glacial hydrology, the urgent need for adaptation, and key gaps in current knowledge.

@surya.leh also gave a talk, reflecting on his journey — from volunteer to PhD researcher to entrepreneur at Acres of Ice — all driven by a shared mission: better mountain water management.

It's also been wonderful engaging with @anuragmaloo and hearing his powerful story of survival on Annapurna and his vision for the future of glacial preservation with @thevoiceofglaciers

And yesterday, we reconnected with LIGSS again, as some students saw their first-ever glacier!

Huge thanks to Saurabh Vijay, and Argha Banerjee for bringing together such a passionate, diverse group and for making glaciology feel exciting and hopeful again.

Here’s to science, community, and climate resilience in the mountains!

#climatescience #fieldwork #ladakh #glaciology #cryosphere #iygp2025

Ladakh’s communities have long depended on glaci

Ladakh’s communities have long depended on glacial water for agriculture. However, climate change has led to severe water scarcity in many villages, making once-fertile lands barren and forcing many to migrate to cities as farming becomes unsustainable.

At Acres of Ice, we aim to boost agriculture in water-scarce areas through innovative irrigation technology and sustainable water management practices.

We have begun field surveys to identify affected villages, understand their traditional systems of water use and develop solutions that reconnect people with farming. We hope to build trust with farmers and create a lasting positive impact on Ladakh’s rural communities.

#watermanagement #fromthefield #ladakh #agriculture #ruraldevelopment

This World Environment Day, we reflect on the live

This World Environment Day, we reflect on the lived realities of the Changpa herders of Changthang, Ladakh — stories often unheard but deeply urgent. As participants in a three-day workshop hosted by @ncf.india and the Ecological Restoration Alliance , we engaged in a collective visioning exercise using the Three Horizons framework. Together with practitioners, ecologists, and local voices, we mapped out possibilities for a more just, ecologically balanced future for Changthang and its communities. During our field visit to Changthang brought these challenges into sharp focus. The Changpa herders spoke of mounting threats — harsh weather, water shortages, shrinking pastures, and rising attacks on livestock by feral dogs. The survival of the iconic Pashmina goat, and with it, an entire way of life, hangs in the balance. Alongside these challenges was a powerful undercurrent of resilience and a desire to imagine alternatives. As we continue our work on climate adaptation in the Himalayas, we hold on to that vision. A future rooted in justice, dignity, and sustainability. Because no one should be left behind.

#worldenvironmentday2025 #conservation #ladakh #fromthefield

Drip irrigation is a game-changer in agricultural

Drip irrigation is a game-changer in agricultural water management, offering significant efficiency gains over traditional flood irrigation methods. Thanks to the support of @global_resilience_partnership and @_icimod , we are conducting rigorous field trials comparing flood irrigation, manual drip, and automated drip systems across three identical plots of apricot trees at the Stakna Campus of University of Ladakh. Here are a few snapshots from the ongoing work!

#watermanagement #dripirrigation #dripirrigationsystem #agriculture #ladakh #fromthefield #fieldwork #wip

🌊 Automated Ice Reservoirs Boost Water Security

🌊 Automated Ice Reservoirs Boost Water Security in Ladakh 🏔️

We’re excited to share results from our 2024-25 AIR Campaign in Ladakh, where we stored 18.4 million litres of water across seven villages, improving seasonal water security. Our detailed report covers everything, from drone-based site selection to system performance and maintenance, household impact, and cost analysis, showing AIR is 80x more economical than alternatives. With climate change threatening glacial water, AIR technology offers a scalable, sustainable solution for over 14,000 mountain villages. Next winter, we aim to scale to 30 AIRs and expand across India and Nepal.

Download our full report to learn how AIR is transforming high-altitude water resilience. Link in the bio.

#watermanagement #climateaction #annualreport #ladakh #climateadaptation #hkh #highmountainasia

The "Ice Reservoirs & Their Future Beyond Ladakh"

The "Ice Reservoirs & Their Future Beyond Ladakh" conference, a landmark event on sustainable water management in high-altitude regions, was held yesterday at The Pal Hotel, Leh.

Organized by Acres of Ice in collaboration with GIZ India and the UT of Ladakh, the event featured the release of the AIRs Campaign 2024–25 report by Dr. Suryanarayanan and Padmashree Chewang Norphel, alongside representatives Tsewang Dorjey (NABARD), Rajeev Ahal (GIZ), Mrs. Elizabeth Richter (German Embassy), and Mr. Murtaza Ali (I&FC Dept.).

Key talks included:
🔹 Dr. Purushottam Garg (GB Pant Institute) – On the state of glaciers in Ladakh
🔹 Samten (Himmothan) – In-field challenges in building artificial glaciers across Ladakh
🔹 Dr. Jagdish Purohit (GIZ) – Implementation of water management projects across India
🔹 Mehnaz – Administrative frameworks for water management
🔹 Murtaza Ali – On adapting the Indian Government's "Catch the Rain" initiative for ice reservoirs
🔹 Closing remarks from Mr. Stanzin Choespel, Executive Councillor, highlighted the critical importance of these technologies for Ladakh's sustainable future.

The event underscored growing interest in expanding ice reservoir technology beyond Ladakh to other high-altitude regions worldwide facing similar water security challenges due to climate change.

#watermanagement #conference #ladakh #ladakhnews #climatesolutions #climateaction

Today is Earth Day! 🌏 This year's theme, "Our P

Today is Earth Day! 🌏 This year's theme, "Our Power, Our Planet," calls for a global push toward renewable energy and a tripling of renewable power by 2030. However, in mountain regions like Ladakh, the most immediate effects of climate change, urbanization, and tourism stress are felt through water. We're using low-energy, nature-based solutions—building on the ingenuity of those before us—to automate the construction of artificial ice reservoirs to help communities adapt and thrive. Here is a look at six villages where we constructed automated ice reservoirs this year!

#earthday2025 #earthdayeveryday #climateaction #watermanagement #fromthefield #ladakh #fielddiaries

We are thrilled to announce that Acres of Ice has

We are thrilled to announce that Acres of Ice has been selected as one of the 12 winners of the 2025 Hindu Kush Himalaya Innovation Challenge for Entrepreneurs (HKH-ICE)! 🎉 This prestigious challenge, organized by the @global_resilience_partnership and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (@_icimod), supports innovative, scalable solutions that enhance resilience for communities and ecosystems across the Hindu Kush Himalaya region.

As part of this journey, one of our co-founders @basitafzal had the incredible opportunity to attend the Leadership Academy in Kathmandu, Nepal in the first week of March. This workshop focused on empowering founders with leadership skills to address ecological and socio-economic challenges in operating in the HKH region.

We are honored to be part of this cohort!

#climateaction #climatesolutions #hkh #saveoursnow #ladakh #watermanagement #innovationchallenge #startup

UT Ladakh Government's Public Health Engineering a

UT Ladakh Government's Public Health Engineering and Irrigation & Flood Control Departments, along with GIZ and Acres of Ice, hosted an event on World Water Day at our Likir ice reservoir site. The gathering sparked thoughtful conversations around water usage practices, traditional wisdom, and innovative strategies to ensure long-term water availability and quality. Around 50 people, including school students, attended the event, which concluded with a collective oath for sustainable water usage — a powerful reminder of our shared responsibility.

#waterscarcity #watermanagement #climateaction #climateadaptation #worldwaterday #ladakh #ladakhnews #saveoursnow

This past weekend, we hosted a small conference on

This past weekend, we hosted a small conference on “Managing Ladakh’s Water Challenges”, commemorating World Glacier Day, World Water Day, and our 2nd anniversary.

The event brought together various stakeholders to highlight ongoing efforts and future possibilities in water management across the Himalayas. We were honored to welcome speakers from IISc, LEDeG, GIZ, Kings College London, and various departments of UT Ladakh’s Government, who shared insights on climate change, glaciers, groundwater, disaster preparedness, wildlife, and sustainable water futures.

Padma Shri Chewang Norphel, the ice-man himself graced us with his presence and whose legacy we’re humbled to carry forward. The Chief Executive Councillor Tashi Gyalson and Executive Councillor of Agriculture Stanzin Chospel also attended and spoke about the state of affairs in Ladakh.

On Day 2, we visited our field site in Likir, where we hosted a community gathering with villagers and school students. The event closed with a collective oath for water preservation and sustainable livelihoods.

A big thank you to GIZ and UT Ladakh for their support—and excited to carry this momentum into the year ahead!

#worldwaterday #worldglacierday #watermanagement #ladakhnews #ladakh #climateaction #climatesolutions

As we approach World Water Day and our upcoming co

As we approach World Water Day and our upcoming conference on Managing Ladakh's Water Challenges with GIZ and UT Ladakh in Leh, we highlight the importance of adaptation strategies like artificial ice reservoirs for water security. In Ladakh, where water is a growing concern, these innovations—pioneered by visionaries like Chewang Norphel—play a crucial role in securing water for communities.

#worldwaterday #climateaction #watermanagement #ladakh #climateresilience #climatesolutions

🌊 Managing Ladakh’s Water Challenges 🌊 W

🌊 Managing Ladakh’s Water Challenges 🌊

We are excited to invite you to our upcoming conference on March 21, 2025 (World Glacier Day) in Leh, Ladakh, organized in collaboration with the German International Cooperation Society (GIZ) and the Union Territory of Ladakh.

💧 Why this matters:
With 90% of Ladakh’s villages relying on glacial meltwater, the region’s water security depends on the health of its glaciers. Yet, rising temperatures, erratic snowfall, and growing water demand pose serious challenges. Without proactive interventions, Ladakh’s fragile ecosystem and local livelihoods remain at risk.

🌍 What we’ll discuss:
This conference brings together leading experts, policymakers, researchers, and local stakeholders to explore practical solutions, including:

✅ Glacier conservation & climate resilience – safeguarding Ladakh’s water towers 🏔️
✅ Spring and groundwater recharge – enhancing local water availability 💧
✅ Traditional water wisdom & modern innovations – integrating time-tested practices with new technologies 🔄
✅ Sustainable irrigation & agriculture – securing livelihoods in a changing climate 🌾

📅 Date: March 21, 2025
📍 Venue: Pal Hotel, Upper Tukcha, Leh, Ladakh

🔗 Join the conversation and be part of the solution! RSVP via QR code or link in bio.

#WorldGlacierDay #SaveOurSnow #ClimateAction

Winter is our busiest season, and with snow on the

Winter is our busiest season, and with snow on the ground, it can take considerable effort to get to places! Here's a little glimpse of behind the scenes 🚗❄️

#ladakh #fromthefield #fieldwork #climateaction #climateadaptation

Behind every automated ice reservoir is a team tha

Behind every automated ice reservoir is a team that learns, adapts, and innovates—transforming data and experience into actionable solutions. It takes dedication, resilience, and a shared commitment to water security. None of this would be possible without the hard work of our team and the villagers who make it all happen! 💙💧❄️

#ladakh #climateaction #watermanagement #climateresilience #climatesolutions #naturebased #fromthefield #saveoursnow

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