This presentation is the part of 12-day (28 January–8 February 2019) training workshop on “Multi-scale Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM) from the Hindu Kush Himalayan Perspective” organized by the Strengthening Water Resources Management in Afghanistan (SWaRMA) Initiative of the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), and targeted at participants from Afghanistan.

1. Role of hydrometeorological monitoring for IRBM in Nepal
Dr. Rishi R. Sharma
Joint Secretary
Water and Energy Commission Secretariat
Kathmandu, Nepal
rishisharm@yahoo.com
Training Program on Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM)
International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD)
29th January 2019

2. What is Integrated River Basin Management?
"Integrated river basin management (IRBM) is the process of coordinating conservation,
management and development of water, land and related resources across sectors within
a given river basin, in order to maximise the economic and social benefits derived from
water resources in an equitable manner while preserving and, where necessary, restoring
freshwater ecosystems."
(Adapted from Global Water Partnership Technical Advisory Committee Background Papers, No. 4, 2000.)
Why River Basin?
Because it is a natural unit or boundary (basin, sub-basin)
(Inter-basin transfer, ground water flow may go beyond the basin).

3. • IRBM is a holistic approach to manage entire river basins.
• Multiple and sometimes mutually exclusive use of Water, for example
Drinking Water, Food security (irrigation), Hydropower, Environment and Bio-diversity
conservation (wild life, aquatic species), Tourism and Recreation (aesthetic value,
rafting), Navigation, Ground water recharge, Industry etc.
• A basin or catchment is a house for flora and fauna, human being, aquatic species,
micro-organism and so on.
• IRBM can be done through a conceptual MODEL using mathematical equations which
assumes to represents a process and interaction of a real basin and demands various
input data. (Quality Input Data Quality Output)

4. What type of data are necessary to develop a IRBM Plan?
Hydro-meteorological data (A time series data of rainfall, snowfall, temperature, humidity,
water discharge, solar radiation, wind speed, wind direction, evaporation, transpiration,
various indices to map the drought and human comfort, water melt, mass balance, water
quality, infiltration and percolation, seasonal and annual variability, climate change etc.)
Socio-economic data (human population, age, sex, education, gender, economic activity,
external and internal pressure etc.)
Land use and Land cover data (area coverage by different vegetation, settlement, Industrial
area, religious places, utilities etc.)
Topographic Data (Area, Elevation, slope, cross-section, aspect etc.)
Soil Data and Much More…….

5. An Example:
SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) Model Conceptualization

6. Why we need Hydrometeorological Data?
• To monitor the existing weather parameters and predict for the future
• To create a hydrological and meteorological time series data for climate and climate
change study,
• Time series data are necessary to design the developmental infrastructures
• To study the water availability in a basin
• Flood forecasting and early warning
• Agro-meteorological services and Food Security
• Aviation services, and Disaster Risk Reduction
• Water allocation and distribution
• Hydrological modelling
• Data sharing to the international community etc………
Therefore, Hydrometeorological monitoring stations are instrumental in disaster risk
reduction and is essential for planning, operation and management of water resources.
World Meteorological Organization has established a general norms and standards for
hydrological and Meteorological observation networks.

7. Stevenson screen
• Thermometers or Sensors should be between 1.25m
to 2m above surface Door of the screen should face
North in Northern Hemisphere
• The Surface for Sensors
and thermometers should be in
Natural grass.
Meteorological Observation Air temperature
 Where a continuous record of temperature is not possible, the maximum and minimum
values should be recorded at two or three levels.
 Such measurements should generally be made under standard conditions, namely, over a
short grass cover maintained as far as possible
 Exposure to radiation is a serious source of error in measuring atmospheric temperature
so it is necessary to protect thermometers in the open from precipitation by small roof-
shaped shelters.

8. Radiation and sunshine
 Obtained from radiation instruments.
 global solar radiation,
 photosynthetically active radiation (PAR, 0.4 to 0.7 micrometer)
 net all-wave radiation.
 Most commonly, a solarimeter (pyranometer) is mounted horizontally and measures the total solar
irradiance
Meteorological Observation
Atmospheric pressure
 Mercury filled or aneroid barometer is used to measure
the atmospheric pressure. Usually measured in milli-
bar.

9. Wind
 Meteorological stations need toposcale reference
observations of both wind speed and direction, preferably at
10 m height, but at least at three times the height of any
nearby vegetation (for instance, crops) and any nearby
obstacles, in order to be above significant flow interference.
 Except for layers rather close to the ground, this can be
done by means of sensitive cup anemometers or propeller
vanes, which tend to lose accuracy, Wind Vane
Humidity
 It measures the amount of water vapour present in a surrounding air. Relative
humidity is measured in percentage. It is the water vapour holding capacity of the
air in a given temperature.
 Humidity is closely related to water vapour, wind and temperature. Different
humidity-related parameters such as relative humidity, vapour pressure, dewpoint
and other derived characteristics.
 It is derived from the wet and dry bulb thermometer reading and basic calculation.

10. Precipitation (rainfall, snow, hail)
All form of moisture (water) from cloud including rain,
snow, hail, drizzle and so on.
Usually measured in mm in certain time interval.
Manual raingauge
Tipping bucket

11. Evaporation and water balance measurements
• Potential evapotranspiration is defined as the amount of water that
evaporates from the soil–air interface and from plants when the soil is at
field capacity.
• Actual evapotranspiration is defined as the evaporation at the soil–air
interface, plus the transpiration of plants, under the existing conditions of
soil moisture.
Set this on Surface of water

12. Gauge House for
Water Level
Monitoring

13. Discharge
Measurement

14. Main Functions of Flood Forecasting
Station Office
Stake
Holders
DEOC
LDMC/CDMC
Communication/ Media

15. Evolution of Flood Monitoring and EWS
in Nepal
Telemetric Stations

16. A Combination of Geostationary and Polar Orbiting Satellite
8 5 0 K M
35 800 KmS U B S A T E L L I T E
P O IN T
G O M S
(R u ssia n F e d e ra tio n )
7 6 E
M S G
(E U M E T S A T )
6 3 E
M T S A T
(J a p a n )
1 4 0 E
F Y -2
(C h in a )
1 0 5 E
G O E S -E
(U S A )
7 5 W
N P O E S S
(U S A )
G O E S - W
(U S A )
1 3 5 W
GEOSTA
T
I
O
N
A
R Y
OR B I T
Oc e a nog ra p hic
Missions
Atm osp he ric
C he m istry
Missio ns
Hyd ro lo g ic a l
Missio ns
Hig h-re so lutio n
La nd use
Missio ns
M E T E O R 3 M
(R u s sia n F e d e ra t io n )
Polarorbit
R&Dorbit
M E T E O S A T
(E U M E T S A T )
0 L o n g it u d e
(C h in a )
F Y - 1
M e to p
(E U M E T S A T )

17. 3 Doppler Weather Radar within 2 years
(Udaypur, Palpa and Surkhet)

18. Meteorological Data collection and Dissemination
Meteorological station = 500
Hydrometric Station = 180
Weather certified for Insurance
Purpose
Student discount 75% on Data sale
Gradually shifting to automation
with telemetric system
Web-based system for data dissemination

19. Aviation Service

21. Climate Services:

22. Poor network in overall
and for precipitation

23. Hydrological Networks in Nepal
(1st priority networks = 100
2nd priority networks = 79)
Total 179

24. Purposed Meteorological Network
Optimum hydrometric networks in Nepal (need based)
Rainfall 346
Climate 139, Total 485
RADAR 3, Radiosonde 3,
Lightening detection networks 13
Hydrometric networks 183

25. Flood and Landslide Early Warning System Sites
Total 43 Polygons / River Basins

26. Optimal network for snow and glacier monitoring sites in
Nepal (23 stations)

27. Information Dissemination through Dedicated Web- based

28. Total 76 real-time rain gauge telemetric stations.

29. Total 36 real-time water level telemetric stations from 9 basins.

30. Early Warning System (EWS)
“A system of data
collection and
analysis to monitor
people’s well-being
(including security),
in order to provide
timely notice when
an emergency
threatens, and thus
to elicit an
appropriate
response.”

31. Imja Glacial Lake (5010 m)

32. Imja Lake Lowering Activity (2 m lake level reduced
as of 2073-6-15, target is 3.4 m)
32

33. System Overview
Internet
Satellite
Central Server
Automatic Gauging
Station
Siren System
Mobile
Tower
Sensor
Display Board
Regular DataPosting +Warning (SMS)
Communication

34. 34
GLOF Early Warning System

35. Tributaries of major Rivers extending into India and China

36. Physical Characteristics of River Basin of Nepal

38. Water and Energy Commission Secretariat (WECS)’s current initiatives on IRBM

39. The study is being conducted with four major components:
A. River Basin Plan (RBP)
B. Hydropower Development Master Plan (HDMP)
C. Strategic Environmental and Social Assessment (SESA)
D. Support to Capacity Development
Contract No. IWRMP&PSRSHDP/WECS/S/QCBS-1

40. Thank you for Listening !