Every winter across the Himalayas for decades, human-made reservoirs have been capturing glacial meltwater from streams and preserving it in the form of ice. By slowing meltwater down or spraying it into the air, people cause it to refreeze, often into shapes called stupas, after the domed Buddhist shrines they may resemble. The ice can then be melted the following year, allowing for irrigation that supports longer agricultural seasons in high mountainous areas.
