LOCATING GEOPHYSICAL GROUNDWATER POTENTIAL ZONES IN THE VILLAGE OF PHORTSE, SAGARMATHA NATIONAL PARK (KHUMBU), NEPAL

Potable water abundance and availability have been dwindling globally for decades because of the exponential increase in human population, heavy urban development, exploitative agricultural practices, and climate change. Communities living in developing nations are particularly vulnerable to increased risk of poor water quality and quantity due to fractured governments, socio-political unrest, and economic problems among other challenges. Nepal has been identified as a country that suffers from these vulnerabilities, particularly in the Sagarmatha National Park (Khumbu) where high altitudes add difficulties to the already existing challenges of resource availability. In this region, previous research provides evidence that surface water and runoff collected and used for drinking water is heavily contaminated via animal feces, open defecation by tourists, and a lack of updated storage and treatment infrastructure. These factors combined with a growing population and increasing tourism contribute to the mounting need for additional clean water resources in the Khumbu. Aquifers, though not well studied at high altitudes, could be a potential source of supplementary potable water. In a first-ever attempt in the region, an Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) survey was conducted in the village of Phortse in the Khumbu to identify anomalies in the subsurface that correspond with potential groundwater zones. Methodology was adapted and modified with each trial due to the terraced terrain and varied elevation levels in the village. EarthImager subsurface maps were produced from the ERT readings, and one potential anomaly was identified starting at roughly 45 meters depth in the southeastern corner of the village. When preliminary findings are confirmed, the village of Phortse will have the potential to utilize this groundwater zone to supplement their current diminishing water resources. Given current climate change trends in this rugged and remote region, the future of water management in the SNP will benefit from having access to multiple water sources.