Four large reservoirs constructed under Project Him Sarovar at Spituk Farka in Leh, Ladakh, have been filled with glacier meltwater within five months of construction, marking a major water conservation effort in the region.
The ponds are designed to store glacier meltwater for irrigation, ecological restoration and long-term water security in Ladakh’s cold desert environment.
Construction of the four reservoirs began on April 10, 2026. The first pond was inaugurated on June 21, followed by the second on July 19, the third on August 24 and the fourth on September 9.
Each pond measures 60 metres in length, 40 metres in width and 2 metres in depth, with a storage capacity of nearly 60 lakh litres. Together, the four reservoirs can hold around 24 million litres of glacier meltwater.
The stored water is expected to support irrigation across an area of nearly 1,000 acres, providing an additional water resource for agriculture in the largely arid region.
The reservoirs are replenished directly by meltwater from the Stok Glacier stream. Seasonal water flows are diverted through the Igoo-Phey Canal into the ponds, allowing water that would otherwise flow away to be captured and stored.
The project is aimed at improving water availability while supporting agricultural activity and ecological restoration in the region.
The rapid filling of the four ponds highlights the potential for capturing seasonal glacier meltwater in Ladakh, where water availability is highly dependent on snow and glacier melt and seasonal flows.
Project Him Sarovar is expected to contribute to water conservation and agricultural development while strengthening resilience in Ladakh’s fragile cold desert ecosystem.