Smriti Gurung

• Kathmandu University

Understanding the hydrology of the Himalayan region and its response to current and future climate scenarios is crucial for identifying the region's future water availability for infrastructural development. For this, the hydropower potential and the impact of future change on the hydrology of the Bheri River basin (BRb) and the Marsyangdi River ba...

Inter-basin water transfer (IBWT) involves moving water across drainage divides to address water scarcity, support agriculture, industry, recreation, and generate hydropower. While practiced since ancient times, modern IBWTs gained momentum in the 19th century and have since expanded globally. These projects range from small-scale transfers to larg...

Interpreting long-term variability in mountain stream ecosystems is challenging where potential causes such as climate change and altered land-use act simultaneously. The scarcity of historical data also limits research opportunity, especially at low latitudes. Here we assess the macroinvertebrate fauna of 12 Himalayan streams in Nepal covering an...

PREFACE This research work titled, 'River Ecological Study: Building the Base for Policy Making' is a scientific and potentially trend setting study that tries to build primary or baseline information of Nepalese rivers and its resources including water quality, fisheries and macroinvertebrates in a holistic manner, which will have widespread appli...

This research investigates the heavy metals (Zn, Cd, Cu, and Pb) concentration in water, sediments, and macrophytes in Ghodaghodi Lake during the winter and summer seasons of 2019 to find out the bioaccumulation of metals and phytoremediation potential of locally available macrophytes. An atomic absorption spectrophotometer with an acid digestion m...

The present study highlights the water quality of two important Ramsar sites of western Nepal (Ghodaghodi and Rara lakes) in terms of irrigation use. Based on land use patterns and location accessibility, 13 sites in Ghodaghodi and 18 in Rara were considered and the samplings were performed in the pre-monsoon and post-monsoon seasons. Different phy...

Freshwater fish are crucial components of aquatic ecosystems that are affected by a range of anthropogenic activities. Freshwater bodies in Nepal are under different threats affecting biodiversity. Inter-basin water transfer (IBWT) involving damming and diversion of water from one river basin to another is considered a major threat to aquatic biodi...

Climate change can have significant impacts on crop yields and food security. This study assessed the linkages between climate change and crop yields to obtain a better understanding on the drivers of food security. The study was conducted in Pasagaun village of Lamjung District in Nepal, where household surveys and focus group discussions (FGDs) w...

Inter Basin Water Transfer (IBWT) is a water resource stressor globally with negative environmental impacts. This study describes the major ions and hydrochemistry of the first ever ongoing IBWT from snow-fed Bheri River to rain-fed Babai River in Western Nepal. Water samples from 10 sites, five from each river system, were collected in HDPE bottle...

This study analysed factors influencing the decision to use chemical fertilisers by farmers at the household level, and it included a related assessment of nutrients in nearby water bodies. One focus group discussion was held at each site, and then a total of 198 and 58 households in Lake Phewa and Kulekhani Reservoir, respectively, were surveyed....

The concentration and composition of different salts in natural water bodies determine the water quality for various purposes. This study assesses the water quality of two mid-mountain lentic water bodies, Lake Phewa and Kulekhani Reservoir. For this purpose, selected physico-chemical parameters along with major ions such as HCO3-, SO42-, PO43-, NO...

Planktons are the community of pelagic organisms, composed of different groups, which are in suspension in water and hence restricted mobility, often less than that of the water which carries them. The study was carried out during the winter of 2019 to observe the phytoplankton and zooplankton abundance and distribution in Ghodaghodi Lake, Nepal. T...

The main purpose of this study was to assess the irrigation water quality of the Bheri and Babai Rivers and their tributaries prior to the proposed inter-basin water transfer (IBWT) in western Nepal. A total of 40 water samples from five sites in each river system were collected from January (winter), March-April (spring), June (summer) and October...

This research investigates the heavy metals (Zn, Cd, Cu and Pb) concentration in water, sediments and macrophytes in Ghodaghodi Lake during winter and summer seasons of 2019 to find out the bioaccumulation of metals and phytoremediation potential of locally available macrophytes. Atomic absorption spectrophotometer with acid digestion method was us...

Drinking water supply systems in Nepal, originally designed to meet domestic water needs, are currently being used to fulfill the multiple water needs beyond domestic use which created inefficiency, risking water shortage and even causing premature system failure and breakdown. International Development Enterprises (IDE) first implemented the schem...

The present study was conducted in two Ramsar sites, Lake Rara and Lake Ghodaghodi, of the western Nepal covering pre-monsoon and post-monsoon seasons of 2019 to find out the dynamics of the hydrochemistry. A total of 11 major ions (Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, NH4⁺, F⁻, Cl⁻, SO4²⁻, NO3⁻, NO2⁻, HCO3⁻) along with six on-site parameters (temperature, pH, ele...

Benthic macroinvertebrates, encompassing large taxonomic groups of invertebrate organisms, are important components of aquatic ecosystems and play crucial roles in aquatic food webs. These organisms are also extensively used in water quality assessments as bioindicators for a range of stressors. Inter-basin water transfer (IBWT) is the transfer of...

While river macroinvertebrates are the most widely used form of bioindicators, their baseline information, although crucial, is scarce in Nepal. The main objective of this study was to assess the macroinvertebrate assemblages in mountain tributaries of the glacial-fed Tamor and rain-fed Kamala rivers. A total of eight sites were sampled during Marc...

Eutrophication is one of the growing environmental concerns and is affecting and compromising freshwater bodies across the world making the trophic status assessment of water bodies crucial for their restoration and sustainable use. This paper describes the trophic status of Lake Phewa and Kulekhani Reservoir from Nepal. Sampling was conducted duri...

Multiple use water system (MUWS) is an approach to water services planning and design of new and rehabilitated systems. It is informed by input on people's multiple water uses, reuses, and needs at their preferred sites within communities. Although MUWS has been implemented in different parts of Nepal to address water security, the motivating facto...

Soilless growing is expanding worldwide because it offers methods of growing food (including fish in aquaponics) at high densities in small spaces, features that are advantages in urban agriculture. Nepal is experiencing rapid urbanization with associated loss of agricultural land near cities. Distant import of vegetables and fish can be problemati...

This review describes the current status of freshwater fish diversity, their IUCN categories and threats to fish fauna in Nepal. The freshwater systems of the country are known to harbor over 220 fish species, thereby indicating a rich ichthyofaunal diversity. However, this number varies from author to author. Cyprinidae is the most common and domi...

Appropriate irrigation water quality is essential for maintaining soil properties. This study investigates numerous physicochemical properties of irrigation water in three Himalayan valleys in northern Pakistan, receiving water from different sources. A total of 36 samples (3 replicates from four points at each site) were randomly collected and ana...

The water quality of lakes and reservoirs worldwide are being affected by eutrophication, sedimentation, acidification, and invasive species. Thus, water quality monitoring with the aim to develop effective management strategies for sustainable use of lakes and reservoirs is important. However, Nepalese lakes and reservoirs in terms of their water...

Wetlands are one of the most dynamic ecosystems that provide unique ecological functions and economic values such as water purification, ground water recharge, nutrient retention and biodiversity conservation. This study was conducted at Ghodaghodi lake-one of the Ramsar sites in Nepal to generate baseline information on a range of physico-chemical...

Eutrophication assessment is an important component of water quality assessment of lakes and reservoirs. A preliminary assessment of trophic status in Kulekhani Reservoir in Makwanpur and Lake Phewa in Kaski district was conducted in July 2017. Water samples were collected for chlorophyll-a and total phosphorus (TP) determination from 4 sites in bo...

Multiple use water system (MUWS) is considered to be a participatory, integrated and poverty-focused approach to water resource management that accommodates both domestic and productive water use in order to meet multiple livelihood potential. This study assessed the implications of MUWS in terms of water accessibility, availability and quality in...

Mountain pastoralism is the one of the important traditional farming systems for livelihood of the local communities in the Hindu Kush Himalayan regions. This system is continuously deteriorating in recent decades due to socio-political and environmental changes. Therefore the study was conducted to analyze existing socio-political changes particul...

The International Conference entitled “Natural Resources, Agriculture and Society in a Changing Climate” was successfully conducted in Kathmandu, Nepal during the period 17-19 August 2019. This multi-stakeholder interdisciplinary conference represents an important milestone of the NORAD funded NORHED project entitled, “Sustainable natural resource...

The physico-chemical characteristics of soils under forest and grazing land were studied in Rara Lake catchment of Mugu district. Soil samples were collected from two depths (0-15 cm and 15-30 cm) respectively and soil profiles were studied. Soil physico-chemical parameters, including Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) and micronutrients were determined and...

The Third Pole region contains the largest reserve of fresh water on Earth, which mainly consists of cations such as Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+ and anions including Cl−, SO42−, HCO3−, CO32−. The sources of the major ions in water are natural rocks and the concentrations of such ions shows seasonal variation. The presence of trace metals such as Hg, Fe, Mn...

The Third Pole (TP), spanning across eight countries in Asia, stores the largest amount of freshwater trapped as ice and snow outside the polar regions; and is home to a vast number of freshwater lakes. Despite tremendous environmental, socioeconomic, and cultural importance, the TP lakes face several natural and anthropogenic threats. The impacts...

Diatoms were investigated in the littoral of Rara Lake, Nepal, to investigate the impact of land use, substratum type and season. Species composition and diversity differed between areas, seasons and between stones, sediment and macrophytes. Both communities on stones and on sediment differed between the settlement and forested areas, but communiti...

A baseline study on fish assemblages of the Bheri and the Babai rivers in mid-west Nepal in the wake of first inter-basin water transfer under the Bheri Babai Diversion Multipurpose Project (BBDMP) was conducted. A total of 10 sites were sampled in these rivers and their upstream tributaries during January 2018 (Winter). To supplement the study s...

Background and aims – Two unknown benthic diatom species belonging to the genus Achnanthidium Kütz., and found in French and Nepalese freshwater habitats, were investigated. Both species are here described as new and compared with the original material of Achnanthes minutissima var. macrocephala Hust. [≡ Achnanthidium macrocephalum (Hust.) Round &...

During the first study of the diverse diatom assemblages in Rara Lake, the largest lake in Nepal, 11 species of Gomphonema, belonging to six morphological groups, and Gomphoneis qii could be investigated using light and scanning electron microscopy. Five new Gomphonema species are described: Gomphonema subodhii, Gomphonema parasundaense, Gomphonema...

Assessment of headwater biodiversity is essential for maintaining upstream downstream ecosystem services of rivers. Fish biodiversity assessment was conducted in the headwater tributaries of the glacial-fed Tamor River and rain-fed Kamala River in eastern Nepal. A total of eight sites were sampled. pH, dissolved oxygen, conductivity and temperature...

Climate change impacts are likely to affect the agricultural production leading to further food insecurity. In this context, the trend of cereal production with climate variables was studied in order to understand the linkages between climate change and crop productivity. The study was conducted in three districts of Sagarmatha zone, namely Solukhu...

High altitude ecosystems have important natural ecological functions but are under increasing impacts from human activities and climate change. A detailed analysis of the water chemistry of Lake Rara, a high mountain lake in western Nepal, was carried out in October 2015 and April 2016. A total of 31 water samples were collected. Major ions (Ca²⁺,...

p>The study was conducted to assess the impacts of trout farming on water quality using macro invertebrates as bio-indicators. Two trout farms were selected for the study, viz., Gandaki Trout Farm (GTF) in Kaski district and Fall & Trout Fish Farm (FTF) in Nuwakot district. Reference and impacted sites were selected in each trout farms from where m...

Four new species are described in the genus Odontidium from the Himalaya in Nepal, and the Garhwal and Kumaon regions in India using light and electron microscopy. We compare the Himalayan taxa to recently described species from the European Alps and Macedonia. In addition we illustrate some specimens of Diatoma rupestris, a species recently descri...

p>Water quality of the West Seti River, a tributary of the Karnali in West Nepal was assessed using macroinvertebrates as bioindicators. The main objective of the study was to assess the ecological water quality of the West Seti River and to generate a baseline data on macroinvertebrate assemblages. The sampling was conducted during December 2015 a...

p class="Default"> Three trout farms from Nepal were studied to investigate the changes in physico-chemical parameters and their potential threat to natural water bodies receiving the effluents. Reference and impact sites were determined in each farm so as to find out the level of impacts due to farming activities. Some of the parameters such as di...

The farmers of Nepal have also experienced changes in climatic variables associated with climate change. Change in seasonal calendar is an important coping option to keep the production system intact even under climate change conditions. The practices of adopting these options were, however, undocumented. Hence, the study was proposed to investigat...

Climate change is now universally acknowledged to be taking place across the globe. It is generally presumed that the impacts of climate change would be more severe in the country like Nepal due to its location, physiography, poverty and lack of preparedness to cope with the changes. The last reason is mainly associated with knowledge, information...

Abstract: Climate change is now universally acknowledged by scientists and international organizations to be taking place across the globe. It is generally presumed that the impacts of climate change would be more severe in the country like Nepal due to its location, physiography, poverty and lack of preparedness to cope the changes. The main obje...

Headwaters and their tributaries serve important ecosystem functions including water quality and biodiversity hotspots. They are often the indicators of ecological health of rivers. Headwater dynamics in glacial-fed and rain-fed rivers may vary in terms of source of origin, climate, biogeography, geology and physico-chemical parameters, which may a...

A detailed analytical study of the physico-chemical parameters of melt water draining from glaciers of Langtang Valley with an elevation ranging from 1395 m a s l to 4200 m a s l in Rasuwa district, Nepal was carried out in order to study the seasonal and altitudinal variation in hydro-chemistry along the Langtang River and glacial melts from the L...

A detailed analytical study of the physico-chemical parameters of meltwater draining from glaciers of Langtang Valley with an elevation ranging from 1395 m.a.s.l. to 4200 m.a.s.l. in Rasuwa district, Nepal is carried out in order to study the seasonal and altitudinal variation in Hydro-chemistry along the Langtang River and Glacial melts from the L...

Reference conditions having no or only minor anthropogenic disturbances, are a basic requirement for ecological studies in rivers. To study ecological impact of a dam, two sites were pre-classified as reference or least disturbed in the Andhi Khola River, Nepal, using Rapid Field Bioscreening (RFB) protocol. Biological (macroinvertebrates) and phys...

Drinking water quality parameters from groundwater source was assessed in Bhajani and Chuha VDCs in Kailali district. A total of 24 groundwater samples were assessed following standard procedures and the results were compared with the national standard. Most of the parameters such as colour, pH, turbidity, TDS, EC and total hardness were within the...

Climate change is now universally acknowledged to be taking place across the globe. It is generally presumed that the impacts of climate change would be more severe in the country like Nepal due to its location, physiography, poverty and lack of preparedness to cope with the changes. The last reason is mainly associated with knowledge, information...

High altitude lakes are very sensitive to climate change due to their small catchment area, limited vegetation cover, surface water with low nutrients, and thin soil and low bedrock weathering rates. The present study was focused on high altitude Himalayan Lake Gosainkunda, situated at an elevation of 4300 m in the Langtang National Park, and carri...

The aim of this study was to investigate for the first time the morphology, physical and chemical characteristics of three high-altitude lakes in the Gokyo Valley, Everest National Park, Nepal. The moraine-dammed glacial lakes were studied for three seasons to create baseline data. The second, third, and fourth lakes in the Gokyo Valley are deeper...

As part of a study on the diatom flora of the Gokyo Valley, Everest National Park, Nepal, eleven species of Cymbopleura (Bacillariophyta), including two new species, Cymbopleura gokyoensis Jüttner et Van de Vijver sp. nov. and Cymbopleura emoda Jüttner et Van de Vijver sp. nov., were investigated using light and electron microscopy. Some taxa could...

A new genus Oricymba is described with its type species based on Cymbella japonica Reichelt. In addition, three new species are described from the Nepalese Himalaya: O. subaequalis, O. latirotundata and O. subovalis. The new genus has slightly dorsiventral or almost symmetrical valves with polar raphe endings deflected to the dorsal side. It can be...

Three new species and one new variety of the genus Cymbella are described from the Gokyo and Dudh Koshi Valleys in Everest National Park, Nepal. Cymbella himalaspera Jüttner & Van de Vijver and C. subhimalaspera Jüttner & Van de Vijver are related to species in the group around C. aspera (Ehrenberg) H. Peragallo but differ from similar taxa with re...

Studies on high altitude lakes in Nepal are scanty compared to other parts of the world. This preliminary study attempted to generate some baseline data on Gokyo wetlands regarding water quality and biodiversity. All the lakes in the Gokyo valley are moraine-dammed glacier lakes. Fourth Lake is the largest lake in the Gokyo valley. Temperature and...

This paper addresses the potential impacts of climate change on high altitude lakes, in particular, those of the Everest region of Nepal, with respect to their biodiversity and pollution levels. Initial investigations indicated that the anthropogenic activities started to show the impacts in Gokyo wetlands. The sedimentation rate of 0.07 cm per...

The Hindu Kush - Himalaya (HKH), extending about 3,500 km from east to west in Asia from Myanmar in the east to Afghanistan in the west, form the water sources for many rivers that have spiritual, cultural and economic values. The biodiversity is unique and rich yet not adequately explored and studied. Some studies have been carried out in the Kash...