The Flood Protection Association said compacted snow and ice would melt more slowly than snow on the ground.

BBC: Snowman

Seasonal rains arrive late or fail altogether, sea ice platforms break-up earlier than in previous springs, king tides flood villages and contaminate food gardens with saltwater.

UNESCO: Communication and Information

As described by ice sculptor Joseph Amendola in his book Ice Carving Made Easy, written records dating back to 600 BC reveal that in the highlands of northwest China, farmers would flood their fields with water, wait for it to freeze, harvest blocks of ice and then store them in insulated facilities to help preserve perishables like seafood.

BBC: The origins of ice sculpting