Environmental and Irrigation Issues in Nepal - An Integrated Approach

Nepal has varied topography from Himalayan peaks (more than 8000 m altitude) to the flat plain landscape of Terai region (around 100 m altitude), and so as its climatic settings from arctic in the north to sub-tropical in the south. It has rendered it to develop multiple cultural society and their developments. The variations are reflected in the agricultural practices and livelihood variations, so the irrigation systems developed by the indigenous peoples living in its different physio-graphic conditions also varied. This book is about the irrigation systems developments and its related issues and findings of agriculture and environment. The author's involvement in various projects with its formulations to the implementation were documented through papers prepared during his time in the services. This book is a collection of those papers published or unpublished in the past. It will illustrate how the sector approach only in the development of water utilization could not be sustainable in the long run. An integrated approach of the principles of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) is the final tool to drive the water sector sustainable in the long run.