Spatial Variation of Nutrient Concentrations (NH<sup>+</sup><sub style="margin-left:-5px;">4</sub> and Cl<sup>-</sup>) in the Dudhkoshi River Basin, Sagarmatha National Park, Nepal

Abstract

The Sagarmatha National Park (SNP) in Nepal is home to unique natural beauty and cultural significance. While the SNP has a relatively small local population, it has drawn thousands of visitors since Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay reached the peak of Mt Everest in 1953. Importantly, the tourists and their concurrently generated refuse have caused massive anthropogenic pressure with serious environmental consequences for the unique SNP and SNP Buffer Zone ecosystems. This study aimed to understand the spatial variation of nutrient concentrations in stream water and drinking water (primarily shallow springs) using analyses of nitrogen as NH