INDIA (Ladakh)
Acres of Ice
Automated Ice Reservoirs - International Expansion with AI-Powered Site Selection
INDIA (Ladakh)
Acres of Ice
Automated Ice Reservoirs - International Expansion with AI-Powered Site Selection
About
How this project makes an impact
Acres of Ice was founded in 2023 with a single, powerful vision: to ensure water security for mountain communities and a reliable future even in the most extreme climates. Many high-altitude farming communities across the globe hugely depend on glacial melt for their livelihoods and water. In the Hindu Kush Himalayas, 14,000+ glacial-fed villages supporting 14 million people face a critical water crisis. As glaciers retreat, villages face severe water shortages and the risk of abandonment.
How AI drives resilience
Automated Ice Reservoirs (AIR) are the solution. This process freezes excess winter water into artificial glaciers, providing reliable irrigation in spring. AI helps identify the best sites, monitors and improve performance and allows this low-cost water security solution to scale globally. AI analyzes satellite and climate data to select the most effective sites for artificial glaciers and monitors freezing through smart sensors and time lapse imagery. It also predicts maintenance needs and optimizes performance to provide a simple solution for high-altitude communities from the growing climate crisis.
The project will focus on getting 2 international AIRs (Andes, Central Asia) set-up and operational. Critically, this will be based on the development of an operational web dashboard with AI/ML ranking algorithm. Tangible results include support to 100-300 households and training of 6 local community members (3 per international site) to manage the systems.
About
How this project makes an impact
Acres of Ice was founded in 2023 with a single, powerful vision: to ensure water security for mountain communities and a reliable future even in the most extreme climates. Many high-altitude farming communities across the globe hugely depend on glacial melt for their livelihoods and water. In the Hindu Kush Himalayas, 14,000+ glacial-fed villages supporting 14 million people face a critical water crisis. As glaciers retreat, villages face severe water shortages and the risk of abandonment.
How AI drives resilience
Automated Ice Reservoirs (AIR) are the solution. This process freezes excess winter water into artificial glaciers, providing reliable irrigation in spring. AI helps identify the best sites, monitors and improve performance and allows this low-cost water security solution to scale globally. AI analyzes satellite and climate data to select the most effective sites for artificial glaciers and monitors freezing through smart sensors and time lapse imagery. It also predicts maintenance needs and optimizes performance to provide a simple solution for high-altitude communities from the growing climate crisis.
The project will focus on getting 2 international AIRs (Andes, Central Asia) set-up and operational. Critically, this will be based on the development of an operational web dashboard with AI/ML ranking algorithm. Tangible results include support to 100-300 households and training of 6 local community members (3 per international site) to manage the systems.
The project in numbers
111k
funding to be received (USD)
200+
households to be provided with reliable spring water by installing two new Ice Resevoirs in AI-targeted international sites
14
months of funded impact
The project in numbers
111k
funding to be received (USD)
200+
households to be provided with reliable spring water by installing two new Ice Resevoirs in AI-targeted international sites
14
months of funded impact
"Acres of Ice transforms the pioneering work of ice reservoirs (aka artificial glaciers)—which proved unsustainable due to 24/7 manual monitoring requirements through three AI innovation layers. First, a planned web dashboard will enable global communities to submit applications, with machine learning algorithms ranking thousands of potential villages in Andes and Hindu Kush Himalayas by analyzing satellite imagery, precipitation patterns, climate vulnerability, weather feasibility, and infrastructure readiness—making systematic global scaling economically viable. Second, operational AI models process real-time sensor data (temperature, solar radiation, pressure, discharge) to intelligently identify freeze windows, automate valve operations, and optimize flow rates. Third, computer vision models perform 3D reconstruction from daily timelapse imagery, dramatically reducing measurement costs. This comprehensive AI integration eliminates 24/7 human monitoring, enabling scalable climate adaptation across vulnerable mountain communities worldwide."
/ Suryanarayanan Balasubramanian, Founder
"The innovative technique you are using has traditional origins - tell us how Acres of Ice is redefining this with AI to allow communities to adapt in our changing environment?"
Question to the founder
Question to the founder
"The innovative technique you are using has traditional origins - tell us how Acres of Ice is redefining this with AI to allow communities to adapt in our changing environment?"
"Acres of Ice transforms the pioneering work of ice reservoirs (aka artificial glaciers)—which proved unsustainable due to 24/7 manual monitoring requirements through three AI innovation layers. First, a planned web dashboard will enable global communities to submit applications, with machine learning algorithms ranking thousands of potential villages in Andes and Hindu Kush Himalayas by analyzing satellite imagery, precipitation patterns, climate vulnerability, weather feasibility, and infrastructure readiness—making systematic global scaling economically viable. Second, operational AI models process real-time sensor data (temperature, solar radiation, pressure, discharge) to intelligently identify freeze windows, automate valve operations, and optimize flow rates. Third, computer vision models perform 3D reconstruction from daily timelapse imagery, dramatically reducing measurement costs. This comprehensive AI integration eliminates 24/7 human monitoring, enabling scalable climate adaptation across vulnerable mountain communities worldwide."
/ Suryanarayanan Balasubramanian, Founder
We are here to help you take the next steps on your sustainability journey.
© Milkywire AB, 2025. All rights reserved. Mailbox 3306, 112 73 Stockholm, Sweden. All donations are handled by WRLD Foundation Sweden (registered with org ID No "802526 - 9328") and WRLD Foundation US (registered 501(c)(3) charity).
We are here to help you take the next steps on your sustainability journey.
© Milkywire AB, 2025. All rights reserved. Mailbox 3306, 112 73 Stockholm, Sweden. All donations are handled by WRLD Foundation Sweden (registered with org ID No "802526 - 9328") and WRLD Foundation US (registered 501(c)(3) charity).