Nilus Project Progress (2025–2026 Update) 

02 July 2026

At Parque Arenas in Chile's central Andes, at an elevation of 2,900 metres above sea level, the Nilus Project is entering a new phase, marked not only by the successful implementation of its technology but also by continuous learning in a real high-mountain environment. 

Supported in part by the Orica Impact Fund (OIF), the Nilus Project brings together Orica, GroundProbe and Nilus to advance artificial ice reservoir technology, helping to build a deeper understanding of how water can be stored and made available over time in high-altitude environments.

What is NILUS?

Nilus is a Chilean geoengineering company developing nature-based solutions to strengthen water resilience in mountain ecosystems. Its Artificial Ice Reservoirs replicate natural glacier processes by forming and storing ice at high altitude, extending water availability over time and supporting climate adaptation in vulnerable environments. 

2025 season highlights

The 2025 season focused on consolidating the operational model of the Nilus Project and strengthening its monitoring and validation capabilities in a real high-mountain environment. The team continued to advance the implementation and operation of artificial ice reservoirs while improving data collection to better understand ice formation, storage, and seasonal melt.

The project also expanded its network of collaborators, particularly across industry, academia and public organisations, reinforcing both its scientific and operational capabilities.

Community engagement remained a priority, with visits to high-mountain schools helping to raise awareness of mountain ecosystems, water resilience, and climate adaptation.

2026 update: a new learning season 

In 2026, the project reached a key milestone with the successful implementation and commissioning of 10 artificial ice reservoirs at Parque Arenas, further establishing the site as a natural laboratory for the development and validation of climate adaptation technologies in high-mountain environments.

This season has presented an unusual hydrological scenario based on our field observations, with virtually no significant snow accumulation recorded by late June, compared with the typical 1 to 3 metres observed during previous seasons.

These conditions provide a valuable opportunity to deepen our understanding of artificial ice reservoirs under low-snow conditions. For the first time, the team is able to evaluate how the system forms and maintains solid-state water storage during a season with minimal snow cover, generating new scientific and operational insights that will help guide future research and technology development.

Current phase: science, data and continuous validation

Current work is focused on validating system performance through enhanced monitoring and data analysis. New observation tools, introduced through collaborations with technology and scientific partners, are strengthening the team's ability to characterise reservoir behaviour and improve data quality.

Together, these efforts continue to strengthen the scientific understanding of artificial ice reservoirs and support the ongoing development of the technology.

What's next?

Throughout the second half of 2026, the project will continue with data collection, monitoring and validation, further strengthening our understanding of system performance under low-snow conditions. The Nilus team also looks forward to welcoming the Orica team to Parque Arenas to review progress and discuss the next stage of the project.

After six years of field research, the project continues to demonstrate the value of collaboration across industry, science, public institutions and technology partners. Each season provides new insights that strengthen our understanding of mountain water resilience and support the development of scalable climate adaptation solutions.

Thank you to everyone involved for your continued support!

The Nilus Team

#OricaImpactFund