Nepal

GEOSS Joint Asia - Africa Water Cycle
Symposium
25, Nov – 27, Nov, 2013
Tokyo, JapanCountry Report: Nepal
Shiv Kumar Sharma
Director General
Department of Irrigation

Kathmandu, Nepal

AWCINepal

NEPAL : COUNTRY PROFILE

Total Area – 147,181
Sq. KmLocated between –Latitudes 260 22’ and300 27’; Longitudes800 40’ and 880 12’
Rectangle in Shape –average length ineast west direction
885 km and averagewidth – 193 km
Mountains cover 44%; Hills – 30% andTerai – 26%
Population – 23.15
million with growthrate 2.25
Average per capita
GDP $470
Agriculture – 40% on
national GDPAWCINepalNepal: Climate
Four seasons(spring, summermonsoon, autumn,winter)• Temperature: 15oC
mean – Varies byaltitude• Rainfall:
1875.60mm• – Uneven
distribution• Most floods in themonsoon season•

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NepalNepal: Climate
 Rainfall – dominated by south easterly

monsoon
Items

MonsoonPost Mon

Winter

Pre MonAnnualRainfall(mm)

1478.2

79.0

64.9

235.4

1857.6% Rainfall

79.58

4.25

3.49

12.68

100

 Rainfall contributes 267 MCM of water

annually (26.7 MCM – Snow; 240.3
MCM – Rain)
AWCINepalSpatial Variation of mean Annual
Temperature

AWCINepal

Annual mean Rainfall
distribution

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Nepal: Climate
ChangeNepal

Earth – warmed by0.70c
since 1900
• Nepal : Temp increase•– 0.090c in Hill
– 0.040 C in Terai– Increase air surface
temp during winterthan in summer
 No distinct longterm trend in
precipitation
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NepalSpatial variation of annual mean
temperature trends 0C(45 stations 1976 -2005)• Consistent andcontinuous
warming at
annual rate of0.040 c/yr
• Warming trend allover country but
not uniform
spatially• Some part has
decreasing trendwith -0.060c/yr

AWCINepalAnnual Precipitation Trend(mm/yr)
 No anysignificant trend
 Overall Increaseby 3.6 mm/yr
 Observed even
40 mm/yrincrease inKaski
 Observed even 40 mm/yr
decrease in
DolakhaAWCINepalNepal is Vulnerable to ClimateChange Fragile mountain ecosystem
 Lack of appropriate mechanisms to

response its implications
 Nepal’s Mountain highly sensitive toclimate change Country is the under developed and itseconomy is entirely based onagriculture
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NepalSectors Vulnerable toClimate Change Water resources Agriculture and foodsecurity
 Natural ecosystem andBiodiversity
 Health Energy

AWCI

NepalWater induced Disasters inNepal Glacial Lake

Outburst Floods
 Floods andLandslides
 Landslide Dam Burst Avalanches Flashfloods
 Bank Erosion
AWCI

NepalGlacial Lake Outburst
Floods•3,252 glaciers and 2,323 glaciallakes•20 Potential GLOF sites

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NepalLandslide Dam Burst Flood in
CCAA Basin (5th May 2012)
FloodFlood-Death Toll : 31 Nos- Missing : 40 Nos
AWCINepalNepal activities in AWCI
Demonstration Basin

CCAA StudyBasin

Proposed PDM is prepared for Bagmati River Basin
Overall goal: Reduction of hydrological and meteorologicaldisasters
and effective uses of water resources

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NepalBagmati River Basin
Problem to be addressed:- Upper Reach of the Basin◦ Flood Damage, Landslides, Bank Erosion◦ Water pollution◦ Maintaining minimum regular flow in dry
period- Lower reach of the Basin◦ Flooding, Inundation, Bank Erosion◦ River Bed Rising◦ Drought damage on food security
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NepalBagmati River Basin
Measures to be taken:◦ Enhance quantitative and qualitative
water cycle observation in the basin◦ Demonstrate flood and drought early
warning system◦ Assess climate change impacts◦ Prototype data and information integrationand sharing system◦ Enhance observational, modeling andapplication capability◦ Contribute to National climate change
policyAWCINepalBagmati River Basin
Outputs:
 Enhance qualitative and qualitative water
cycle observation◦ Prototype near-real time rainfall observation anddata dissemination systems by coupling satellite
and in-situ measurements which is used as
inputs into flood prediction.
◦ Develop comprehensive in-situ and satellite
observation data archive for improving
monitoring capability of water cycle anddeveloping hydrological models to be used forearly warning.
◦ Develop long-term and comprehensive climate
observation data archive which is used forclimate change analysis climate projection model
bias correction.
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NepalBagmati River Basin
Outputs:◦ Demonstrate flood and drought early warning
system Develop hydrological models for converting
meteorological data to hydrological information.
 Prototype real-time data management, modelingand information dissemination systems.

◦ Assess climate change impacts
 Select GCMs which can express the regional
climate properly.
 Implement bias correction and downscaling(statistical- and dynamic-) of the selected GCMs.
 Develop socio-economic data archive Compare changes of frequency and intensity offlood, drought and water-nexus.
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NepalBagmati River Basin
Outputs:◦ Prototype data and information integrationand sharing system Develop an integrated water portal for improving
data accessibility and data sharing.
 Prototype a data integration and analysis andinformation dissemination system◦ Enhance observational, modeling andapplication capability
 Develop training modules of satellite remotesensing, modeling, bias correction anddownscaling, make design of training courses on
integrated observations, early warning and climatechange assessment, and offer the courses.
 Promote secondary educational programs incollaboration with universities.
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NepalBagmati River Basin
Outputs:◦ Contribute to National climate change
policy Enhancement of crop water requirement
estimation, evapo-transpiration, design
discharge estimation, estimation of dependable
discharge for hydro power generation
 Application of models to estimate design flood
discharge for hydraulic structures and floodwater management

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Bagmati River Basin
Key Leaders and Contributors (National):- Ministry of Irrigation (MoI)- Department of Irrigation (DoI)- Department of Water Induced Dissater
Prevention (DWIDP)- Ministry of Urban Development- Bagmati River Basin Improvement Project- Ministry of science and Technology- Department of Hydrology and Meteorology- Universities- Tribhuwan University- Kathmandu UniversityAWCINepal

Bagmati River BasinContributors (International):
JAXA, DIAS, WMO/HyCOS,CEOS Water Portal, UNESCO,ITC, Utokyo, UNUAWCINepal

Thank YouAWCI