Watershed Management in Nepal: Challenges and Constraints

Nepal’s terrain is dissected by many rivers and streams to form a complex of watersheds. Natural and human-induced processes operate on these watersheds. The main processes that lead to the degradation of watersheds are landslides, soil erosion, floods, biodiversity loss, and unsustainable water extraction and farming practices. These lead to the loss of soil fertility, the depletion of water tables, the drying up of springs, desertification and sedimentation. A study carried out 20 years ago found that about 10 percent of Nepal’s area was covered with very degraded watersheds (Table 1). Only 33 percent of the country was under “very good condition” watersheds.