From the mountains to the plains: impact of climate change on water resources in the Koshi River Basin

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dc.creatorBharati, Luna
dc.creatorBhattarai, Utsav
dc.creatorKhadka, Ambika
dc.creatorGurung, Pabitra
dc.creatorNeumann, L. E.
dc.creatorPenton, D. J.
dc.creatorDhaubanjar, Sanita
dc.creatorNepal, S.
dc.date2019
dc.date2019-05-13T04:45:05Z
dc.date2019-05-13T04:45:05Z
dc.date.accessioned2026-06-27T18:25:28Z
dc.descriptionThe Koshi Basin, spread across China, Nepal and India, is perceived as having high potential for hydropower and irrigation development, both seen as ways to promote economic development in the region. This paper quantifies and assesses the past and projected future spatial and temporal water balances in the Koshi Basin. Results show that precipitation and net water yield are lowest in the transmountain region and the Tibetan plateau. The values are highest in the mountain region, followed by the hills and Indo-Gangetic Plains. Approximately 65% of average annual precipitation is converted to flows, indicating high water availability. Actual evapotranspiration is highest in the Indo-Gangetic Plains region due to the presence of irrigated agriculture and a few forested mountain watersheds. As most of the water from the mountain and hill regions eventually flows down to the plains, the mountain and hill regions in Nepal are important for maintaining agriculture in the plains in both Nepal and India. Results from the flow analyses indicate the high temporal variability of flows in the basin. The frequent occurrences of both high- and low-flow events demonstrate the existing vulnerability of the region to both floods and droughts, leading to a very risk-prone livelihood system. Climate change projections show an increasing trend in precipitation and net water yield for most of the basin, except the transmountain region. Therefore, it is important to consider the climate change impacts on water resources in future planning.
dc.formatapplication/pdf
dc.identifierhttps://hdl.handle.net/10568/101252
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/123456789/155405
dc.languageen
dc.publisherInternational Water Management Institute
dc.rightsOpen Access
dc.sourceBharati, Luna; Bhattarai, Utsav; Khadka, Ambika; Gurung, Pabitra; Neumann, L. E.; Penton, D. J.; Dhaubanjar, Sanita; Nepal, S. 2019. From the mountains to the plains: impact of climate change on water resources in the Koshi River Basin. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI). 49p. (IWMI Working Paper 187) doi: 10.5337/2019.205
dc.subjectclimate change
dc.subjectclimatic data
dc.subjectwater resources
dc.subjectwater balance
dc.subjectwater yield
dc.subjectwater availability
dc.subjectmountains
dc.subjectplains
dc.subjectriver basin management
dc.subjectsoil analysis
dc.subjectsoil water balance
dc.subjectcalibration
dc.subjectspatial distribution
dc.subjecthydropower
dc.subjectprecipitation
dc.subjectevapotranspiration
dc.subjecttemperature
dc.subjectrainfall
dc.subjectmonsoon climate
dc.subjectcatchment areas
dc.subjecthydrological data
dc.subjectimpact assessment
dc.subjectmodels
dc.subjectflow discharge
dc.subjectrunoff
dc.subjectland use
dc.subjectseasonal variation
dc.titleFrom the mountains to the plains: impact of climate change on water resources in the Koshi River Basin
dc.typeWorking Paper

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