There's field work - and then there's field work. CSIRO spatial ecohydrologist Dr Tanya Doody has recently been in the Kamala Basin in Nepal. The lower part of the Basin is home to the Terai, or flatlands, where the majority of agriculture is undertaken. Dr Doody's photo gallery shows how life depends on the river; the river supports agriculture and provides the resources for housing, but is also a resource which needs protecting from erosion and overuse. Her work is part of the Nepal-Australia Joint Advisory Committee on Water Resources Management, funded by the Australian Government under the Sustainable Development Investment Portfolio (SDIP). CSIRO and the International Centre of Excellence in Water Resources Management (ICE WaRM), through SDIP, have been working with partners in Nepal to address knowledge gaps and train local officials to apply basin-planning approaches to water resource management issues. Work in the Kamala Basin will provide the opportunity to develop basin management knowledge and skills, and enable Nepal Government officials to undertake basin planning exercises which can be applied to the rest of Nepal. Nepal has ambitions of sustainably developing its water resources by building infrastructure, hydropower plants and irrigation canals, to generate electricity and increase food production. Sustainable development requires a solid policy platform, the engagement of community, and a comprehensive understanding of the available water resources. Basin planning is key for managing water resources by identifying: Explore CSIRO’s work on hydrology, climate, gender, livelihoods and ecology across South Asia under the SDIP program.
