There is a dearth of scientific information on climate and hydrology for the Himalayan region as a whole, and the Koshi Basin in particular. IWMI researchers took up the challenge and assessed the possible impact of climate change on irrigation and hydropower development in Nepal’s largest Koshi River Basin, whose potential remains largely untapped. The researchers predict bigger climate change impacts on smaller rivers. They ask policy makers to opt for better water storage and distribution infrastructure for resolving water scarcity issues at the level of smaller rivers and watersheds, instead of concentrating on bigger rivers.
This piece is based on a blog article from the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS).
Read the research:
Bharati, Luna; Gurung, Pabitra; Jayakody, P.; Smakhtin, Vladimir; Bhattarai, Utsav. 2014. The projected impact of climate change on water availability and development in the Koshi Basin, Nepal. Mountain Research and Development, 34(2):118-130. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1659/MRD-JOURNAL-D-13-00096.1]
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