The structure was created by placing natural boulders across the river without using cement. It has raised the water level by around 10 feet, allowing water to be diverted towards agricultural land through the Igoo Phey irrigation canal.
The intervention addresses a long-standing problem faced by farmers in the area. During the spring sowing season, the Indus often flows at a level that makes it difficult to lift water with pumps, particularly where the river passes through deep gorges. As a result, several farming areas have struggled to secure enough water for cultivation.
The new structure has a storage capacity of around 40 million litres. The stored water can now be directed towards village fields, potentially reducing farmers’ dependence on the low river flow during the sowing period.
The project also assumes significance in the context of India’s water policy towards the Indus river system. India has placed the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance, while the construction of water-retention infrastructure in Ladakh indicates a greater focus on utilising the river for communities in India’s border areas.
The Upshi project is not expected to remain an isolated effort. The Ladakh administration is pursuing additional check dams along the Indus, with construction already taking place at some sites and further projects being planned.
Under a proposal sent to the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti, the administration has sought approval for 36 check dams across Ladakh. Of these, seven are proposed as Himalayan Rock Check Dams in Leh, while Kargil would get 29 RCC check dams or weirs. The projects are estimated to cost more than Rs 56 crore.
The Upshi check dam is therefore part of a wider plan to strengthen irrigation infrastructure and improve the use of available Indus water for agricultural areas across Ladakh.
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