We had a really interesting conversation with Dr Steven Palmer from Exeter University this morning. He told us about the amazing Ice Stupa project happening in Ladakh, in the far north of India.
It is a really simple concept for alleviating water stress in the arid upland plateaus. An Ice Stupa is like a haystack of ice, but a lot bigger, about the size of a three storey house. You make one by piping melt water from glaciers in the late winter down to village level. The water is then sprayed into the below freezing night time air. As it settles it freezes to form an Ice Stupa. This stupa can then be tapped for water over the spring and early summer months when water stress is at its most challengeing.
This is Climate Change adaptation at its innovative best and exactly the sort of project The Glacier Trust wants to support. Dr. Palmer discussed potential locations that might benefit from this in Nepal. We're definitely adding it to our list of 'future projects', we would love to work with Exeter University and The Ice Stupa Project to fund some action-research into its suitability in Nepal. Please contact us if this is something you would be interested in helping us to fund.
Photo credit: Ice Stupa Project - The early development of an Ice Stupa in Ladakh.