Global climate models predict temperature rises and changes in precipitation regimes that will shift regional climate zones and influence the viability of agricultural crops in Nepal. Understanding the influence of climate change on local climates and the suitability of specific sites for the production of individual crop types at present and in the future is crucial to increasing local crop resilience and ensuring the long-term viability of plantations-especially of high-value, perennial tree crops that require significant investment. This paper focuses on two cash crops, Macadamia and Juglans. A literature review summarises data on temperature, precipitation, and other macro-and microclimatic requirements of both genera. On this basis, we investigate the short-and long-term suitability of areas in Nepal for production of the two crops by means of a spatial model based on extensive in situ measurements, meteorological data, and climatic layers from the WorldClim dataset. Finally, we track changes in potential cultivation area under four Representative Concentration Pathways. Results show that climatic requirements for the cultivation of Macadamia and Juglans are fulfilled across a large part of Nepal at present and in the future: the total suitable area for both trees shrinks only marginally under all four scenarios. However, suitable areas shift considerably in spatial and altitudinal terms, meaning that some currently productive areas will become unproductive in the future, while currently unproductive ones will become productive. We conclude that the consideration of macro-and microclimatic changes in agricultural planning is essential to long-term agricultural success in Nepal.

In terms of erosion and elevated suspended sediment concentrations, road construction has a major impact on the environment, which is described in this paper. In the Andheri Khola catchment, Nepal, the sediment regime of a stream at different locations within the catchment suddenly changed between 1999 and 2000. The only explanation for this change was the construction of the Bardibas-Dhulikhel highway, which was initiated in this area in January 2000 and completed in March 2000. The changes in suspended sediment concentration could be shown both visually as well as statistically at three different locations in the catchment with a catchment without any impact of the road as a control. Other possible reasons for the change could be excluded by using the available data from the catchment. The impact of the road was estimated to range from 300 to 500 per cent in terms of change in sediment yield per annum.

No abstract

Low flows prevail during about nine months of the year in Himalayan rivers as a result of the influence of the monsoon climate. They account for a large portion of the annual water balance and accurate information about these flows is therefore critical for water resources planning, development, management and hydropower design. Issues that occur with the neighbouring country India are often related to low flows and make exact information on low flows a prerequisite for successful transboundary water management.However, reliable and long-term information on low flows are generally not available as most basins are ungauged. In addition low flow measurements are often associated with measurement errors as measurement cross-sections change during the flood season. Changes in measurement cross-sections are natural, but need frequent re-surveying of the sections in order to obtain good quality discharge measurements. This is often done on in-frequent basis and changes between big flood events are not recorded. The equipment used for discharge measurements is rarely recalibrated leading to additional errors.Internationally, in the last two decades river and stream discharge measurements have been improved with the introduction of Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) technology. This new technology for hydrologic data acquirement has so far not been used extensively in the Himalayan region. First experiences with a StreamPro ADCP in Nepal as a part of a technology evaluation confirmed the commonly stated advantages of this technology compared to current-meter measurements, and showed its promising potential for various future applications including the application for accurate low flow measurements.

No abstract