Your search found 30 records
1 Shrestha, B.; Pradhan, S. 2000. Kathmandu Valley GIS database: Bridging the data gap. Kathmandu, Nepal: ICIMOD. 197p.
GIS ; Databases ; Remote sensing ; Satellite surveys ; Mapping ; Mountains / Nepal / Kathmandu Valley
(Location: IWMI-HQ Call no: 006 G726 SHR Record No: H026644)
2 Kansakar, D. R. 2006. Understanding groundwater for proper utilization and management in Nepal. In Sharma, Bharat R.; Villholth Karen G.; Sharma, K. D. (Eds.). Groundwater research and management: integrating science into management decisions. Proceedings of IWMI-ITP-NIH International Workshop on "Creating Synergy Between Groundwater Research and Management in South and Southeast Asia," Roorkee, India, 8-9 February 2005. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI) pp.95-104.
Groundwater management ; Drinking water ; Irrigation water ; Recharge ; Water quality ; Aquifers ; Tube wells / Nepal / Kathmandu Valley
(Location: IWMI-HQ Call no: IWMI 333.9104 G000 SHA Record No: H039311)
(0.11 MB)
3 Karki, J. B. 2002. Interaction between irrigated agriculture and urbanization process in Kathmandu Valley and its impacts on environment. Thesis submitted to Pokhara University in partial fulfillment of M.Sc. degree in Natural Resources Management. v.p.
Irrigated farming ; Irrigation programs ; Case studies ; Urbanization ; Environmental degradation ; Air pollution ; Water use ; Water quality ; Water resources ; Rivers ; Social aspects ; Living conditions / Nepal / Kathmandu Valley / Balakhu Rajkulo Irrigation System / Dhungedhara Irrigation System / Gokarna Irrigation System / Indrayani Irrigation System / Kodku Rajkulo Irrigation System / Tika Bhairabl Rajkulo Irrigation System
(Location: IWMI-HQ Call no: D 631.7 G726 KAR Record No: H039456)
4 Rutkowski, T.; Raschid-Sally, Liqa; Buechler, Stephanie. 2007. Wastewater irrigation in the developing world: Two case studies from the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal. Agricultural Water Management, 88(1-3):83-91.
Wastewater irrigation ; Water reuse ; Water quality ; Irrigation practices ; Health hazards ; Rivers ; Water pollution ; Farmers ; Case studies / Nepal / Kathmandu Valley / Kirtipur / Bhaktapur / Khasyang Khusung Stream / Chikhu Khola Stream / Hanumante River
(Location: IWMI-HQ Call no: IWMI 631.7.5 G726 RUT, PER Record No: H039646)
5 Pant, Dhruba; Samad, Madar. 2006. Stakeholder consultation and water governance: Lessons from the Melamchi Water Transfer Project in Nepal. In CPWF Decision Support System Workshop, Ethiopia, 23-26 January 2006. 19p.
Water supply ; Water transfer ; Development projects ; River basins ; Water rights ; Water use ; Farmer-led irrigation ; Farmer managed irrigation systems / Nepal / Kathmandu Valley / Melamchi River
(Location: IWMI-HQ Call no: IWMI 631.7.3 G726 PAN Record No: H039796)
(0.56)
6 Karki, J. B. 2002. Interaction between irrigated agriculture and urbanization process in Kathmandu Valley and its impacts on environment. Thesis submitted to Pokhara University in partial fulfillment of M. Sc. degree in Natural Resources Management. v.p.
Irrigated farming ; Urbanization ; Environmental degradation ; Water pollution ; Rivers ; Water quality ; Risks ; Health hazards ; Air pollution ; Irrigation systems ; Case studies ; Living conditions ; Social aspects / Nepal / Kathmandu Valley / Balakhu Rajkulo Irrigation System / Dhungedhara Irrigation System / Gokarna Irrigation System / Indrayani Irrigation System / Kodku Rajkulo Irrigation System / Tika Bhairabl Rajkulo Irrigation System
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: 631.7 G726 KAR Record No: H040361)
7 Pant, Dhruba; Bhattarai, M.; Basnet, G. 2008. Implications of bulk water transfer on local water management institutions: a case study of the Melamchi Water Supply Project in Nepal. Washington, DC, USA: International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) 27p. (CAPRi Working Paper 78)
Water supply ; Development projects ; River basins ; Drinking water ; Water transfer ; Water rights ; Legislation ; Institutions ; Economic aspects ; Social aspects ; Compensation ; Case studies / Nepal / Kathmandu Valley / Melamchi River
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H041304)
To mitigate a drinking water crisis in Kathmandu valley, the Government of Nepal initiated the Melamchi Water Supply Project in 1997, which will divert water from the Melamchi River to Kathmandu city’s water supply network. In the first phase, the Project will divert 170,000 cubic meters of water per day (at the rate of 1.97M3/sec), which will be tripled using the same infrastructure as city water demand increases in the future. The large scale transfer of water would have far reaching implications in both water supplying and receiving basins. This paper analyzes some of the major changes related to local water management and socioeconomics brought about by the Project and in particular the changes in the local water management institutions in the Melamchi basin. Our study shows that traditional informal water management institutions were effective in regulating present water use practices in the water supplying basin, but the situation will vastly change because of the scale of water transfer, and power inequity between the organized public sector on one side and dispersed and unorganized marginal water users on the other. The small scale of water usage and multiple informal arrangements at the local level have made it difficult for the local users and institutions to collectively bargain and negotiate with the central water transfer authority for a fair share of project benefits and compensation for the losses imposed on them. The process and scale of project compensation for economic losses and equity over resource use are at the heart of the concerns and debates about the Melamchi water transfer decision. The Project has planned for a one- time compensation package of about US$18 million for development infrastructure related investments and is planning to share about one percent of revenue generated from water use in the city with the supplying basin. The main issues here are what forms of water sharing governance, compensation packages, and water rights structures would emerge in relation to the project implementation and whether they are socially acceptable ensuring equitable distribution of the project benefits to all basin communities. In addition, these issues of the Melamchi project discussed in this paper are equally pertinent to other places where rural to urban water transfer projects are under discussion.
8 Gurung, Pabitra; Bharati, Luna. 2011. Downstream hydrological impacts of the Melamchi inter-basin water transfer plan. In Nepal. Department of Irrigation. Proceedings of National Irrigation Seminar Micro to Mega: Irrigation for Prosperous Nepal, Kathmandu, Nepal, 13-14 July 2011. Lalitpur, Nepal: Department of Irrigation. pp.161-168.
Downstream ; Hydrological factors ; River basins ; Water availability ; Water transfer ; Water supply ; Drinking water ; Water balance ; Models ; Dry season ; Wet season / Nepal / Melamchi / Kathmandu Valley / Indrawati River
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H044590)
(1.33 MB)
9 Aihara, Y.; Shrestha, S.; Kazama, F.; Nishida, K. 2015. Validation of household water insecurity scale in urban Nepal. Water Policy, 17(6):1019-1032. [doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/wp.2015.116]
Water security ; Water scarcity ; Water supply ; Households ; Urban areas ; Gender ; Women ; Psychological factors ; Public health ; Socioeconomic environment / South Asia / Nepal / Kathmandu Valley
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H047431)
(0.19 MB)
Water security is one of the central global issues today. This study aimed to describe and test the validity and reliability of a household water insecurity scale, and to assess the impact of household water insecurity on psychological distress among 371 women living in urban Nepal. A household interview survey was conducted using a structured questionnaire. Approximately 70% of the participants experienced collecting less water than they needed. Four domains of household water insecurity emerged from the principal components factor analysis: (i) difficulties in house-work related to water, (ii) lost opportunity costs and social interactions related to water, (iii) an insufficient safe water supply, and (iv) difficulties in basic activities related to water. Multivariate regression analysis showed that the domains of ‘lost opportunity costs and social interactions’, ‘difficulties in house-work’ and ‘difficulties in basic activities’ were associated with psychological distress among women. The impact of household water insecurity on psychological distress differed by water supply service levels. The current household water insecurity scale is a simple instrument which can be used to prioritise the target population for water interventions. Further research should be conducted towards the development of a universally applicable measurement tool.
10 Scott, C. A.; Crootof, A. B.; Thapa, B.; Shrestha, R. K. 2016. The water-energy-food nexus in the Ganges Basin: challenges and opportunities. In Bharati, Luna; Sharma, Bharat R.; Smakhtin, Vladimir (Eds.). The Ganges River Basin: status and challenges in water, environment and livelihoods. Oxon, UK: Routledge - Earthscan. pp.138-153. (Earthscan Series on Major River Basins of the World)
Water resources ; Energy generation ; Water power ; Food security ; Groundwater ; Irrigation programs ; Electricity generation ; Electricity supplies ; Waste water treatment plants ; Institutions ; Financing ; Urban areas ; River basins ; Case studies / Nepal / India / Ganges River Basin / Kathmandu Valley / Gangetic Plains / Andhikhola Hydropower Project
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: IWMI Record No: H047842)
11 Thapa, B. R.; Ishidaira, H.; Pandey, Vishnu Prasad; Shakya, N. M. 2017. A multi-model approach for analyzing water balance dynamics in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies, 9:149-162. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrh.2016.12.080]
Water balance ; Hydrological cycle ; Models ; Water resources ; Water security ; Water storage ; Watersheds ; Runoff ; Precipitation ; Rain ; Evapotranspiration ; Calibration ; Strategies ; Performance indexes ; Forecasting ; Meteorological stations ; Valleys / Nepal / Kathmandu Valley
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048050)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214581816303342/pdfft?md5=dfb49d8448e61d96f0bca2947f34951d&pid=1-s2.0-S2214581816303342-main.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H048050.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H048050.pdf
(1.35 MB) (1.35 MB)
Study region: Kathmandu Valley, Capital city of Nepal.
Study focus: This study applied three hydrological models (i.e., SWAT, HBV, and BTOPMC) to analyze the water balance components and their temporal and seasonal variations in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. The water balance components were investigated using the same precipitation, climatic data, and potential evapotranspiration (PET) as input variables for each model. The yearly and seasonal variations in each component and the interactions among them were analyzed. There was a close agreement between the monthly observed and calibrated runoff at the watershed scale, and all the three models captured well the flow patterns for most of the seasons.
New hydrological insights for the region: The average annual runoff in the study watershed calculated by the SWAT, HBV, and BTOPMC models was 887, 834, and 865 mm, corresponding to 59%, 55%, and 57% of the annual precipitation, respectively. The average annual evapotranspiration (ET) was 625, 623, and 718 mm, and the estimated yearly average total water storage (TWS) was 5, -35, and 29 mm, respectively. The long-term average TWS component was similar in all three models. ET had the lowest inter-annual variation and runoff had the greatest inter-annual variation in all models. Predictive analysis using the three models suggested a reasonable range for estimates of runoff, ET, and TWS. Although there was variation in the estimates among the different models, our results indicate a possible range of variation for those values, which is a useful finding for the short- and long-term planning of water resource development projects in the study area. The effects of historical water use, water stress, and climatic projections using multi-model water balance approaches offer a useful direction for future studies to enhance our understanding of anthropogenic effects in the Kathmandu Valley.
Study focus: This study applied three hydrological models (i.e., SWAT, HBV, and BTOPMC) to analyze the water balance components and their temporal and seasonal variations in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. The water balance components were investigated using the same precipitation, climatic data, and potential evapotranspiration (PET) as input variables for each model. The yearly and seasonal variations in each component and the interactions among them were analyzed. There was a close agreement between the monthly observed and calibrated runoff at the watershed scale, and all the three models captured well the flow patterns for most of the seasons.
New hydrological insights for the region: The average annual runoff in the study watershed calculated by the SWAT, HBV, and BTOPMC models was 887, 834, and 865 mm, corresponding to 59%, 55%, and 57% of the annual precipitation, respectively. The average annual evapotranspiration (ET) was 625, 623, and 718 mm, and the estimated yearly average total water storage (TWS) was 5, -35, and 29 mm, respectively. The long-term average TWS component was similar in all three models. ET had the lowest inter-annual variation and runoff had the greatest inter-annual variation in all models. Predictive analysis using the three models suggested a reasonable range for estimates of runoff, ET, and TWS. Although there was variation in the estimates among the different models, our results indicate a possible range of variation for those values, which is a useful finding for the short- and long-term planning of water resource development projects in the study area. The effects of historical water use, water stress, and climatic projections using multi-model water balance approaches offer a useful direction for future studies to enhance our understanding of anthropogenic effects in the Kathmandu Valley.
12 Gurung, Y.; Zhao, J.; Bal Kumar, K. C.; Wu, X.; Suwal, B.; Whittington, D. 2017. The costs of delay in infrastructure investments: a comparison of 2001 and 2014 household water supply coping costs in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. Water Resources Research, 53(8):7078-7102. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/2016WR019529]
Households ; Water supply ; Infrastructure ; Wells ; Private ownership ; Pumping ; Wastewater treatment ; Water storage ; Rainwater ; Water harvesting ; Financing ; Investment ; Estimated costs ; Models ; Strategies ; Regression analysis ; Socioeconomic environment / Nepal / Kathmandu Valley
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048323)
(1.70 MB)
In 2001, we conducted a survey of 1500 randomly sampled households in Kathmandu to determine the costs people were incurring to cope with Kathmandu’s poor quality, unreliable piped water supply system. From 2001 until 2014, there was little additional public investment in the municipal water supply system. In the summer of 2014, we attempted to reinterview all 1500 households in our 2001 sample to determine how they had managed to deal with the growing water shortage and the deteriorating condition of the piped water infrastructure in Kathmandu and to compare their coping costs in 2014 with those we first estimated in 2001. Average household coping costs more than doubled in real terms over the period from 2001 to 2014, from US$5 to US$12 per month (measured in 2014 prices). The composition of household coping costs changed from 2001 to 2014, as households responded to the deteriorating condition of the piped water infrastructure by drilling more private wells, purchasing water from both tanker truck and bottled water vendors, and installing more storage tanks. These investments and expenditures resulted in a decline in the time households spend collecting water from outside the home. Our analysis suggests that the significant increase in coping costs between 2001 and 2014 may provide an opportunity for the municipal water utility to substantially increase water tariffs if the quantity and quality of piped services can be improved. However, the capital investments made by some households in private wells, pumping and treatment systems, and storage tanks in response to the delay in infrastructure investment may lock them into current patterns of water use, at least in the short run, and thus make it difficult to predict how they would respond to tariff increases for improved piped water services.
13 Mishra, B. K.; Regmi, R. K.; Masago, Y.; Fukushi, K.; Kumar, P.; Saraswat, C. 2017. Assessment of Bagmati River pollution in Kathmandu Valley: scenario-based modeling and analysis for sustainable urban development. Sustainability of Water Quality and Ecology, 9-10:67-77. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.swaqe.2017.06.001]
Rivers ; Water pollution ; Sustainability ; Urban development ; Hydrology ; Models ; Performance evaluation ; Stream flow ; Water quality ; Assessment ; Wastewater management ; Waste water treatment plants ; Chemicophysical properties ; Pollutant load ; Dissolved oxygen / Nepal / Kathmandu Valley / Bagmati River
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048440)
(1.29 MB)
Water pollution remains a challenging issue for the sustainable development of Kathmandu Valley despite several infrastructural, awareness-raising and policy measures. The paper assesses the sustainability of the surface water resources of Kathmandu valley by analyzing the water quality parameters such as Dissolved Oxygen (DO) and Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD). The case study of Bagmati River pollution is analyzed for current and future wastewater production and treatment scenario based on the two important indicators of aquatic health. The DO and BOD were simulated to assess river pollution along a 25 km stretch between Sundarijal and Chovar. Water Evaluation And Planning (WEAP) model was used to simulate the current (year 2014) and future (year 2020 and 2030) river water quality conditions. The results showed that the water quality of the Bagmati River is relatively better during monsoon season due to higher river flow in comparison to the dry season. A comparison of simulated DO and BOD values for 2020 and 2030 with 2014 values indicated that the water quality of the Bagmati River within Kathmandu Valley will not significantly improve as a result of the planned wastewater treatment plants requiring additional countermeasures. The study pointed out the inefficiencies of the current practice of discharging untreated sewage into the surface water and causing largely in the river water and unsuitability of river water of water from the Gaurighat to the Chovar area. It is recommended to integrate river water pollution management and maintain ecologically to achieve the healthy urban development.
14 Ching, L. 2018. The paradox of social resilience: explaining delays in water infrastructure provision in Kathmandu. Water Alternatives, 11(1):61-85.
Water supply ; Water policy ; Social aspects ; Public opinion ; Development projects ; State intervention ; Economic aspects ; Costs ; Political aspects ; Rivers / Nepal / Kathmandu Valley / Melamchi Water Supply Project
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048522)
http://www.water-alternatives.org/index.php/alldoc/articles/vol11/v11issue1/409-a11-1-4/file
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H048522.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H048522.pdf
(0.85 MB) (868 KB)
One of the enduring puzzles within the management of water and other environmental resources is the sustained under-investment despite their critical importance. This paper brings together two emerging lines of research in answering this puzzle: first, that the blame-averse nature of governments leads them to avoid tackling issues which are perceived to have low payoff, and second, that the paradox of social resilience by which acts of coping with natural disasters and adverse events have led to a self-perception of resilience. While the motivations behind blame aversion are well researched, how the paradox of social resilience contributes to and interacts with such bureaucratic motivations remains little understood. Using a quantitative investigation of narratives of a more than 10-year delay to the Melamchi Water Supply Project in Kathmandu, Nepal, this paper reveals the dynamics of this interaction; it finds that a self-perception of resilience leads to narratives of low emotional intensity or 'valence', which in turn feed the perception of low payoffs for governments. This accentuates motivations of blame aversion, thus creating a vicious cycle of inaction. In Kathmandu, the self-perception of resilience is partly due to the coping mechanisms provided by a large, informal water-vending market. This paper suggests that one way of breaking the cycle is to increase the emotional intensity of the narratives by focusing on the true cost of coping with the delay in water supply. Our study further predicts that this vicious cycle is generally extant in policies with low negative valence – that is, in most environmental policies.
15 Shrestha, P. K.; Shakya, N. M.; Pandey, Vishnu Prasad; Birkinshaw, S. J.; Shrestha, S. 2017. Model-based estimation of land subsidence in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. Geomatics, Natural Hazards and Risk, 8(2):974-996. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/19475705.2017.1289985]
Land cover ; Subsidence ; Estimation ; Groundwater extraction ; Aquifers ; Water supply ; Development projects ; Hydrology ; Models ; Calibration ; Meteorology ; Forecasting ; Flow discharge ; Recharge ; Valleys ; Population growth ; Urban areas / Nepal / Kathmandu Valley
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048977)
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/19475705.2017.1289985?needAccess=true
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H048977.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H048977.pdf
(2.21 MB) (2.21 MB)
This study is the first to assess land subsidence in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. Land subsidence simulations were based on a fully calibrated groundwater (GW) flow model developed using a coupled surface–subsurface modelling system. Subsidence is predicted to occur as a result of deep aquifer compaction due to excessive GW abstraction. The north and north-east areas at the periphery of the GW basin are hotspots for this subsidence. The estimated subsidence is most sensitive to changes in land cover within the recharge areas. The model shows the Melamchi water supply project assists in the control of subsidence to some extent. In the absence of land subsidence measurements, this paper highlights the location and the potential levels of the subsidence hazard which will be useful for hazard prevention management. Additionally, this work provides a basis to design field investigations, monitoring networks for land subsidence and upgrading the present GW monitoring network. Although the study has presented a preliminary analysis, a more comprehensive model inclusive of clay subsidence is required to address the subsidence vulnerability of the central densely populated core of the valley, which reflects the need for a comprehensive database of the hydrogeology in the valley.
16 Thapa, Bhesh Raj; Ishidaira, H.; Pandey, Vishnu Prasad; Bhandari, T. M.; Shakya, N. M. 2018. Evaluation of water security in Kathmandu Valley before and after water transfer from another basin. Water, 10(2):1-12. [doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/w10020224]
Water security ; Evaluation ; Water supply ; Development projects ; Water transfer ; Drinking water ; Water demand ; Estimation ; Freshwater ; Reservoirs ; Water distribution ; Population growth ; Households ; Valleys ; River basins / Nepal / Kathmandu Valley / Melamchi Water Supply Project
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048978)
(2.98 MB) (2.98 MB)
Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited (KUKL) has planned to harness water from outside the valley from Melamchi as an inter-basin project to supply water inside the ring road (core valley area) of the Kathmandu Valley (KV). The project, called the “Melamchi Water Supply Project (MWSP)”, is expected to have its first phase completed by the end of September 2018 and its second phase completed by the end of 2023 to supply 170 MLD (million liters a day) through the first phase and an additional 340 MLD through the second phase. The area has recently faced a severe water deficit and KUKL’s existing infrastructure has had a limited capability, supplying only 19% of the water that is demanded in its service areas during the dry season and 31% during the wet season. In this context, this study aims to assess the temporal trends and spatial distribution of household water security index (WSI), defined as a ratio of supply to demand for domestic water use for basic human water requirements (50 L per capita per day (lpcd)) and economic growth (135 lpcd) as demand in pre and post-MWSP scenarios. For this purpose, data on water demand and supply with infrastructure were used to map the spatial distribution of WSI and per capita water supply using ArcMap. Results show a severe water insecurity condition in the year 2017 in all KUKL service areas (SAs), which is likely to improve after completion of the MWSP. It is likely that recent distribution network and strategies may lead to inequality in water distribution within the SAs. This can possibly be addressed by expanding existing distribution networks and redistributing potable water, which can serve an additional 1.21 million people in the area. Service providers may have to develop strategies to strengthen a set of measures including improving water supply infrastructures, optimizing water loss, harnessing additional water from hills, and managing water within and outside the KUKL SAs in the long run to cover the entire KV.
17 Shrestha, A.; Roth, D.; Joshi, D. 2018. Socio-environmental dynamics and emerging groundwater dependencies in peri-urban Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. Water Alternatives, 11(3):770-794. (Special issue: Local- and National-level Politics of Groundwater Overexploitation).
Groundwater extraction ; Water supply ; Periurban areas ; Socioeconomic environment ; Water management ; Water institutions ; Water policy ; Water governance ; Water use ; Water insecurity ; Drinking water ; Urbanization ; Population ; Conflicts / Nepal / Kathmandu Valley / Dadhikot / Lamatar
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048990)
http://www.water-alternatives.org/index.php/alldoc/articles/vol11/v11issue3/464-a11-3-17/file
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H048990.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H048990.pdf
(1.03 MB) (1.03 MB)
Groundwater is an increasingly important source of water supply in Kathmandu Valley, one of the fastest-growing South-Asian urban agglomerations. A groundwater policy drafted in 2012 was partly an outcome of an institutional restructuring of water management in Kathmandu Valley. Our findings in this article show that this policy lacks attention to peri-urban dynamics of change and growth and does little to address the unplanned and unregulated groundwater use in peri-urban locations in the valley, which urbanises at a faster rate than the main city. This article discusses the growing use of, and dependence on, groundwater in these rapidly evolving peri-urban spaces. Groundwater use continues to increase, despite growing protests and worries about its consequences. Our findings show that the polarised views and local conflicts around groundwater exploitation are the outcome of multiple entanglements: sectoral divides and overlapping responsibilities in water institutions, governance and management; social and economic transformations in peri-urban spaces; the invisibility of groundwater; and ambiguity in the hydrological dynamics of conjunctive water use. While we see no easy solutions to these problems, the policy-relevant recommendations we derive from our analysis of the drivers and the dynamics of using, governing and managing groundwater draw attention to the complex on-the-ground realities that need to be better understood for addressing macro-micro gaps in (ground)water management.
18 Raina, A.; Zhao, J.; Wu, X.; Kunwar, L.; Whittington, D. 2019. The structure of water vending markets in Kathmandu, Nepal. Water Policy, 21(S1):50-75. [doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/wp.2019.181]
Water market ; Market structure ; Water supply ; Supply chain ; Water rates ; Pricing ; Drinking water ; Bottled water ; Pipes ; Tanks ; Profit ; Households ; Dry season ; Wet season / Nepal / Kathmandu Valley
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049460)
(0.63 MB)
To date, there has been limited empirical research on the structure of informal water vending markets in developing countries. From fieldwork conducted in Kathmandu in 2014, including a survey of different types of water vendors, household interviews, and in-depth interviews with key informants, we provide a detailed description of the activities of multiple types of water vendors and examine the profitability of tanker truck vendors and water source vendors. We find that several distinctive markets operate along the supply chain between source water and end users. We conclude that a detailed understanding of the different vending activities in which water vendors engage is essential to the design of public sector policy interventions aimed at improving performance in informal water markets.
19 Chinnasamy, Pennan; Shrestha, S. R. 2019. Melamchi water supply project: potential to replenish Kathmandu’s groundwater status for dry season access. Water Policy, 21(S1):29-49. [doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/wp.2019.080]
Groundwater assessment ; Water supply ; Projects ; Water resources ; Groundwater table ; Water storage ; Water balance ; Dry season ; Water availability ; Water stress ; Water demand ; Groundwater recharge ; Aquifers ; Groundwater extraction ; Economic aspects / Nepal / Kathmandu Valley / Melamchi Water Supply Project
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049433)
(0.80 MB)
Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited (KUKL) currently uses 35 surface and 57 groundwater sources to supply water for Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu. It is necessary to understand if the Melamchi Water Supply Project (MWSP) can assist lean period water supply by indirectly increasing groundwater storage, through diverting excess water supply to groundwater recharge zones. The current study analyzed long-term groundwater depletion to assess available groundwater storage, followed by assessment of groundwater balance for the Kathmandu Valley. Results show that total groundwater extraction for Kathmandu was 69.44 million cubic meters (MCM) and drawdown of the groundwater surface was 15–20 m since the construction of wells in 1984/85, indicating substantial overexploitation. Results indicate that the ongoing unmet demand of 170 MCM/year can be easily satisfied if groundwater storage is recharged effectively, as underground water storage potential is 246 MCM/year due to a groundwater depletion rate of 2–10 m. From results, it is evident that that the timely implementation of the MWSP can help ease ongoing water stress and aid in reversing the damage caused to groundwater storage. In the long run, MWSP can supply water and recharge groundwater during monsoon periods, thus improving the quality of life and socio-economic status in Kathmandu.
20 Thapa, Bhesh Raj; Ishidaira, H.; Gusyev, M.; Pandey, Vishnu Prasad; Udmale, P.; Hayashi, M.; Shakya, N. M. 2019. Implications of the Melamchi water supply project for the Kathmandu Valley groundwater system. Water Policy, 21(S1):120-137. [doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/wp.2019.084]
Water supply ; Groundwater management ; Groundwater flow ; Models ; Groundwater extraction ; Pumping ; Wells ; Water resources ; Water deficit ; Water demand ; Watersheds ; Aquifers ; Valleys / Nepal / Kathmandu Valley / Melamchi Water Supply Project
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049465)
https://iwaponline.com/wp/article-pdf/21/S1/120/632511/021000120.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H049465.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H049465.pdf
(0.89 MB) (912 KB)
To meet the demand deficit in Kathmandu Valley, the Government of Nepal has planned to supply an additional 510 million liters per day (mld) of water by implementing the Melamchi Water Supply Project (MWSP) in the near future. In this study, we aim to assess the spatial distribution of groundwater availability and pumping under five scenarios for before and after the implementation of the MWSP using a numerical groundwater flow model. The data on water demand, supply infrastructure, changes in hydraulic head, groundwater pumping rates, and aquifer characteristics were analyzed. Results showed that groundwater pumping from individual wells ranges from 0.0018 to 2.8 mld and the average hydraulic head declined from 2.57 m below ground level (bgl) (0.23 m/year) to 21.58 m bgl (1.96 m/year). Model simulations showed that changes in average hydraulic head ranged from þ2.83 m to þ5.48 m at various stages of the MWSP implementation, and 2.97 m for increased pumping rates with no implementation of the MWSP. Regulation in pumping such as monetary instruments (groundwater pricing) on the use of groundwater along with appropriate metering and monitoring of pumping amounts depending on the availability of new and existing public water supply could be interventions in the near future.
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