Foreword
Groundwater has played an important role in the sustainable development of many parts of the world by providing water for domestic, industrial and agricultural uses. However, the indiscriminate and excessive use of groundwater is posing serious threats to its sustainability. Much emphasis has been given to groundwater resources develop- ment without giving careful attention to its management despite its strategic role in sustainable development. This is mainly due to lack of comprehensive understanding of groundwater systems. Need for visualization of a bigger picture incorporating the different aspects of this resource has been strongly felt. Therefore, it is imperative to increase the scientific understanding of occurrence and behavior of ground- water systems and its associated demand, use, governance and institutional mechanisms for the sustainable groundwater management.
The Kathmandu Valley Groundwater Outlook is the outcome of an excellent joint effort of different institutions, all conducting scientific research aimed at sustainable development and management of groundwater. The Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) is honored to work together with the Center of Research for Environ- ment Energy and Water (CREEW), The Small Earth Nepal (SEN) and International Research Center for River Basin Environment-University of Yamanashi (ICRE-UY) to make this publication possible. AIT is committed to contribute significantly in the areas of water resources management and the AIT Research Strategy (2012- 2016) features water resources management prominently in conjunction with sustainable land management. The critical relation between water resources and land management was evidenced through the Great Thailand Flood of 2011 which signified effective water resources management can only be possible through integrated land and water resources management.
This book provides an in-depth and up-to-date information on the status of the groundwater resources in the Kathmandu Valley by compiling the findings of research in groundwater aquifers and their hydrogeologi- cal characteristics, groundwater storage potential, recharge dynamics, groundwater quality, suitable treatment technology, characteristics of water use and contribution of groundwater, groundwater-based water markets and institutional and legal setups. Adequate scientific basis and background is provided for the issues dealt in all chapters. The book has been authored by and subsequently undergone a process of extensive review by experts in the respective fields.
I am confident that the book will benefit a wide range of readers from policy-makers in governments, affiliates of INGOs, NGOs and civil societies, researchers to graduate students from universities and academic institu- tions in the area. Though the book features specific case-studies at the local level, I strongly believe that the issues dealt, approaches followed, and conclusions drawn will be interesting and beneficial to the readers glob- ally. I sincerely hope that this book will provide a sound basis for the respective decision making bodies of the Government of Nepal in addressing the valley’s groundwater issues at the policy level giving due consideration to its sustainable development and management.
