WATER QUALITY MONITORING AND HYDROLOGIC EDUCATION IN THE THULOKHOLA WATERSHED, NUWAKOT, NEPAL

Water quality monitoring and the training of local residents and university students in assessing water resources is part of a larger study to enhance livestock climate change adaptation in the mid-hill region of Nepal. The Thulokhola watershed is a relatively small (c. 10 sq km) agricultural watershed in the Gandaki River basin in west-central Nepal located about 2.5 km southwest of Devighat in Nuwakot district. It is a mixed farming livestock production system that has concerns in light of potential climate change impacts. Nine Community Livestock Groups (CLGs) were established to monitor various factors related to climate change adaptation, agricultural productivity, and water monitoring and evaluation.

For surface water, each CLG was given a portable water monitoring kit for testing surface water on a monthly basis for one year although not all parameters were evaluated at every site. Altogether, the CLGs monitored coliform bacteria, pH, turbidity, dissolved oxygen (DO), phosphate, and nitrate. The CLGs were given a demonstration, trained in the field with the proper techniques, and given a booklet with easy-to-read instructions for monitoring water quality. In addition, six university students were trained in ground water hydrology and then administered a 42-page survey to 97 households in the watershed that included evaluation of water resources and other factors related to livestock climate change adaptation and agricultural productivity. Lastly, 41 springs with a representative sampling from each CLG area were visited and categorized hydrogeologically and according to flow data from local residents’ recollections.

In summary, a large amount of data was collected in a relatively short time interval by training CLG members, local residents, and university students in basic hydrology and related fields. Surface water quality evaluations show that every CLG tested positive for fecal coliform every month whereas about half of CLG sites were excellent for pH (pH from 6 to 8) and had good DO (DO 90-110% saturation). Other factors were variable at different times and places. As far as ground water is concerned, about 85% of springs have diminished flow over the past 10-20 years.