With Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance, India builds first rock dam in Ladakh

Beyond helping local agriculture, the project sends a strong strategic message to Pakistan. With India having placed the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance, the project demonstrates that India is now actively creating infrastructure to use Indus River water in border areas and support its own communities before the river flows downstream to Pakistan.India builds rock dam on Indus to boost irrigation, water security in LadakhIn a significant step aimed at easing water scarcity in Ladakh’s farming communities and strengthening the use of Indus River water in border areas, India has built its first rock check dam across the river at Upshi in Leh.Made entirely of natural boulders and without using cement, the dam has raised the water level by nearly 10 feet, allowing farmers to irrigate fields that had long struggled for water during the spring sowing season.For years, local farmers struggled to grow crops because the Indus flowed too low through deep gorges for pumps to draw water during the spring sowing season. Limitations on the use of Indus River water, coupled with this water scarcity, had parched farmlands and financially crippled the farming community.The new dam stores nearly 40 million litres of water and feeds dry village fields through the Igoo Phey irrigation canal. Beyond helping local agriculture, the project sends a strong strategic message to Pakistan. With India having placed the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance, the project demonstrates that India is now actively creating infrastructure to use Indus River water in border areas and support its own communities before the river flows downstream to Pakistan.The Ladakh administration is now working on more such check dams on the Indus River, with work underway at some locations and many more projects in the pipeline. The Ladakh Administration has submitted a proposal to the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti for the construction of 36 check dam projects in the Union Territory, in a move aimed at strengthening water security and expanding irrigation potential. The proposal includes seven Himalayan Rock Check Dams in the Leh region and 29 RCC Check Dams or weirs in the Kargil region, at an estimated cost of over Rs 56 crore.- EndsPublished By: Sayan GangulyPublished On: Sep 4, 2026 16:13 IST