In a major move to address water shortages among farming communities in Ladakh and expand the use of Indus River water in border areas, India has constructed its first rock check dam across the river at Upshi in Leh.
Built entirely with natural boulders and without cement, the structure has increased the river’s water level by nearly 10 feet. This has enabled farmers to irrigate fields that had faced severe water shortages during the spring sowing season.
For years, farmers in the region struggled to cultivate crops because the Indus flowed through deep gorges at levels too low for pumps to draw water during the crucial sowing period. Restrictions on using Indus water, combined with the scarcity, had left agricultural land dry and caused significant financial difficulties for farming communities.
The newly constructed dam can hold around 40 million litres of water and supplies it to parched village fields through the Igoo Phey irrigation canal.
The project also carries strategic significance for Pakistan. After India placed the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance, the dam demonstrates that India is developing infrastructure to utilise Indus River water in border regions while prioritising the needs of its own communities before the river continues downstream towards Pakistan.
The Ladakh administration is planning additional check dams along the Indus, with construction already underway at some sites and several more projects being planned.
The administration has submitted a proposal to the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti for 36 check dam projects across the Union Territory. The initiative is intended to improve water security and increase irrigation capacity. The proposal includes seven Himalayan Rock Check Dams in Leh and 29 check dams or weirs in Kargil, with the total estimated cost exceeding Rs 56 crore.
