Technical Assistance Consultant’s Report

Project Number: 44168-012 Capacity Development Technical Assistance (CDTA) October 2013

Nepal: Mainstreaming Climate Change Risk

Management in Development (Financed by the Strategic Climate Fund)

District Baseline Reports: Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development (MoFALD)

Prepared by ICEM – International Centre for Environmental Management

This consultant’s report does not necessarily reflect the views of ADB or the Government concerned, and ADB and the Government cannot be held liable for its contents. (For project preparatory technical assistance: All the views expressed herein may not be incorporated into the proposed project’s design.

MOSTE | Mainstreaming climate change risk management in development | MoFALD-GLoF district baselines

TA – 7984 NEP October, 2013

Mainstreaming Climate Change Risk Management in Development 1 Main Consultancy Package (44768-012)

DOLAKHA DISTRICT BASELINE: MINISTRY OF FEDERAL AFFAIRS AND LOCAL DEVELOPMENT (MOFALD) - GLOF

Prepared by ICEM – International Centre for Environmental Management

METCON Consultants

APTEC Consulting

Prepared for Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, Government of

Environment Natural Resources and Agriculture Department, South Asia Department, Asian Development Bank

Version B

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MOSTE | Mainstreaming climate change risk management in development | MoFALD-GLoF district baselines

TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 ...... 1 1.1 Sector baseline in Dolakha District ...... 1 1.2 District sector master plan ...... 1 1.2.1 Sector budgeting and staffing ...... 1 1.2.2 Sector trends and issues ...... 2 1.2.3 Asset inventory ...... 2 1.2.4 Past extremes in the district ...... 2 1.2.5 Linkages to other sectors ...... 3 1.3 Priority infrastructure in Dolakha District ...... 4 1.3.1 Prioritisation process ...... 4 1.3.2 Siprin Khola Hydropower Plant ...... 4 1.3.3 Jamune and Jagat bridges ...... 5 1.3.4 Beding village houses and Buddhist Gomba ...... 6 1.3.5 Suspension bridge and houses in Bhorle village ...... 6 1.3.6 Buildings of Upper Tama Koshi hydropower plant ...... 7 1.3.7 Gravel road from Chhetchhet to Singati ...... 8 1.4 Adaptation audits in Dolakha District ...... 9 1.5 Threat description ...... 9

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1 DOLAKHA DISTRICT 1.1 Sector baseline in Dolakha District 1.2 District sector master plan

There is no any master plan of GLOF in Dolakha like that of road, drinking water and others. There is only District Disaster Preparedness and Response Plan 2011. The main highlights of this plan are:

1) It is prepared with extensive consultations with District disaster relief committee members, UNDP, experts and with many consultation workshops in different settlements

2) Based on 40 years history of disaster records, flood and landslide is considered as the number one disaster in Dolakha

3) 21 VDCs and one municipality are considered as highly vulnerable to flood and landslide, 23 VDCs are medium vulnerable and 7 are in low vulnerable to flood and landslide in Dolakha. The estimated number of household and population that can be affected by flood and landslide are 2400 and 14400, respectively.

4) The plan consists of vulnerability and internal capacity assessment to cope with disaster, necessary resources in the district, trained manpower, available food and non food items and resources which are not available.

5) To make the response plan more effective it has formed 8 clusters and work division is also carried out with members and focal persons in each cluster. They have also prepared work plan for quick response of disaster, emergency activities and tentative budget for different activities.

1.2.1 Sector budgeting and staffing

There is no specific budget allocated for GLOF activities in Dolakha district. The district is spending some fund in the name of environment and disaster management. For an example, tentative budget allocated for communication and coordination for disaster management activities is given in Table 1 which is taken from the District Disaster Preparedness and Response Plan 2011. Table 1. Tentative budget for communication and coordination for disaster management activity S. N. Materials / Activity Number Rate (Rs.) Total (Rs.) 1 Coordination meetings 15 2000 30,000 2 Establishment of early warning system and 52 5000 2,60,000 management 3 Preliminary quick damage assessment 2 60,000 1,20,000 training 4 Preliminary quick damage assessment 5000 15 75,000 stationary 5 Disaster information posters 52 5000 2,60,000 6 Preliminary quick damage assessment 4 40,000 1,60,000 7 Baseline survey and analysis 52 5,000 2,60,000 8 Field monitoring 4 15,000 60,000 9 ID printing for displaced persons 10,000 5 50,000 10 Emergency planning and other report 3 50,000 1,50,000 printing 11 Awareness activities 200 500 1,00,000

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12 Transportation and others LS 1,00,000 1,00,000 TOTAL 16,30,000

Similarly, tentative budget for search and rescue operation: Rs. 2,553,000; for food Rs. 6,617,600; for shelter and non food items Rs. 17,451,550; for health, nutrition and primary health care sector Rs. 1,532,000; for drinking water, sanitation and health care sector Rs. 2,404,500; for education sector Rs. 2,950,000; and for conservation sector Rs. 717,000.

Two staff from the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, Gov. of Nepal are stations at the Tsho Rolpa Glacial Lake station.

Some rescue equipments such as live jackets, bells and first aid kits are available in the group of Community based disaster management groups in Suri Dovan, Bhorle and Singati settlements.

1.2.2 Sector trends and issues

Dolakha district is one of the most vulnerable districts among 12 districts which are classified as vulnerable districts in NAPA 2010. The biggest glacial lake of Nepal, Tsho Rolpa Glacial lake lies in the head of Rolwaling River which joins to Tama Koshi River along which there many hydropower project are coming up. Although these are in a state of self destruction we have to be careful when torrential rainfall occurs in such high areas which might trigger glacial lake outburst flood. 1.2.3 Asset inventory

Asset Inventory

1) Road from Tsho Rolpa Glacial Lake to 100 km downstream: 17.3 km 2) Mountain trail from Tsho Rolpa Glacial Lake to 100 km downstream: 46.9 km 3) Highway bridge: 2 4) Truss and suspension bridges: 15 5) Irrigation canal: 16 5) Hydropower: 1 6) Buddhist Gomba: 1 1.2.4 Past extremes in the district Table 1. Past disaster events in Dolakha district Date Event Location Biophysical Sector Impact Adaptive description infrastructure response of the event affected Flood & Suspa 4 dead and Shrawan landslide Chyamawati physical loss 2042 Ward No. 7 Flood & Bonch Ward No 7 houses 16 dead, 50 Bhadra landslide 1 destroyed families 2042 displaced Asar Flood & Ward 1 house 4 dead, 26 2044 landslide No. 1 destroyed houses damaged Flood & Suspa 5 dead and landslide Chyamawati physical loss Ward No. 2, 5, 7

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Flood & Malu Ward No. 50 road 7 Dead landslide 3 damaged Lightning Mali Ward No. 3 dead Jestha 3 2049 Shrawan Flood & 15 dead 2049 landslide Flood & Lakuri danda 2 houses 2 dead landslide destroyed Jestha Epidemic Gaimudhi Ward 4 dead, many 2053 No. 7, 8, 9 affected Flood & Sunkhani Ward Land and 1 dead Shrawan landslide No. 1 physical 2053 damage Landslide Bhyaku Physical 14 dead, 7 damage missing Jestha Epidemic 8 dead 2055

Bhadra Landslide Land and 7 dead 2057 Ward No. 5 physical Aahale damage Asar Landslide 18 houses 11 dead, 5 2058 damaged missing, 22 cattle dead Bhadra Landslide House and 3 dead 2058 physical damage Bhadra Epidemic Ward 8 dead 2059 No. 4 Gujipa Asar Epidemic Khopachagu 4 dead 2061 Ward No. 1 & 3 Shrawan Lightning Khare Ward No. 5 dead 2063 4 & 5 Asar Lightning 2 dead 2064 Shrawan Flood & 11 dead, 5 2067 landslide VDC Siprin injured Khola 1.2.5 Linkages to other sectors

Road, bridge and building sectors are the most vulnerable sectors after the GLOF and seasonal big flood events. If the roads are along the river course then the flood water might washed out those roads or if the roads are at higher places but in the same mountain slopes then landslide or toe cutting of those mountains will damage those roads. In the same way, bridges will also be affected by flood water; it might be completely destroy or partially damage due to flood water.

In case of GLOF and big seasonal flood in Rolwaling and Tama Koshi rivers then mountain trails from Na village to Chhetchhet and then gravel road from Chhetchhet to Singati and further downstream

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will be affected, houses lying along the bank of Tama Koshi river from Chhetchhet to Singati, the Janune and Jagat bridges and suspension bridge and houses at Bhorle will be affected.

Then the drinking water sector will be affected by flood if the system is on the way to flood water or in landslide prone area. Since the topography of Dolakha district is mountainous there is no large scale irrigation system. Therefore, its effect will be very less.

1.3 Priority infrastructure in Dolakha District 1.3.1 Prioritisation process

Priorities are given to those assets which are lying near to river and at lower height from the river water level. A list of priority infrastructures and its reasons in Dolakha is given in Table 1.

Table 1. List of priority infrastructures in Dolakha.

ID Name Infrastructure type Reason/s for inclusion

1 Siprin Khola Hydropower plant Lying in the bank of the Hydropower Plant Tamakoshi River at low level

2 Jamune bridge Bridge At low height from the river water level

3 Jagat bridge Bridge At low height from the river water level

4 Beding houses and House and religious building Very next to the eroding river Gomba bank

5 Suspension bridge Suspension bridge and house At low height and houses in Bhorle village

6 Buildings of Tama Building In the bank of Tama Koshi river Koshi hydropower

1.3.2 Siprin Khola Hydropower Plant

Asset location

The Siprin Khola Hydropower plant lies on the left bank of the Tama Koshi river (Fig. 1). It lies on the foot hills of mountain with around 60o - 70o slope on the bank of the river at around 2-3 m above the water level.

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Fig. 1. Siprin Khola Hydropower plant

Asset condition The power house and other infrastructure are in good condition.

Asset design All building are made by Reinforced Cement Concrete with some blocks made by cement, sand and fine gravel. Roof is made by galvanized iron sheet.

1.3.3 Jamune and Jagat bridges

Asset location

Jamune and Jagat bridges are on Tama Koshi river at Jamune and Jagat (Fig. 2), respectively. These bridges are rested on fragile fluvial materials but not on bed rock.

Fig. 2. Jamune (left) and Jagat (right) bridges on Tama Koshi river.

Asset condition Both brides are in good condition.

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Asset design Both bridges are made by steel with galvanized painting. 1.3.4 Beding village houses and Buddhist Gomba

Asset location The houses in Beding village and Buddhist Gomba (Fig. 3) all are lying along the Rolwaling River at very low level and close contact with river water. The river is cutting toe at many sections. The houses are on the right bank of river with average slope of about 40o on fragile geology (without bedrock) with little trees.

Fig. 3. Beding village on right bank of Rolwaling River.

Asset condition All houses are in good mountain condition.

Asset design All houses are made by rock and soil mortar joining with galvanized iron sheet and wooden roofing.

1.3.5 Suspension bridge and houses in Bhorle village

Asset location A suspension bridge and houses in Bhorle lies along and on the left bank of the Tama Koshi river at Bhorle village (Fig. 4). The bridge and houses are in relative lower level and there is a high chances of inundation during flood time.

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Fig. 4. Suspension bridge and houses at Bhorle village.

Asset condition All houses and the suspension bridge are in good condition.

Asset design The suspension bridge is made by galvanized iron plate, rods and iron rope. There are concrete structure at both ends of the bridge.

1.3.6 Buildings of Upper Tama Koshi hydropower plant

Asset location Building of Upper Tama Koshi Hydropower Limited are situated at Gongar village, on right bank of Tama Koshi river (Fig. 2). Most of the building are in the foot hills of mountain with slope around 40o - 50o and reclaimed land along the Tama Koshi river.

Fig. 5. Buildings of Upper Tama Koshi Hydropower Limited surrounding Gongar village

Asset condition All building are new and in good condition.

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Asset design All buildings are made by the Reinforced Cement Concrete materials with galvanized iron sheet roofing. Most building are of 1 or 2 storey. 1.3.7 Gravel road from Chhetchhet to Singati

Asset location The gravel road is along the Tama Koshi river (Fig. 6).

Fig. 6. Gravel road along the Tama Koshi river

Asset condition The gravel road is normally in good condition and year round vehicle movement is possible.

Asset design The gravel road is made by gravel, sand and the debris available in the area.

Past extreme events and impacts The flood in Rolwaling River due to outburst of Chhubung lake inside the Chhubung Glacier nearby the Tsho Rolpa Glacial Lake on 12 July 1991 destroyed few houses, farm lands, play ground of school at Bedding and toe of the Bedding Gomba was scoured.

Landslide was occurred little down to Bhorle and the Tama Koshi river was blocked. Then the landslide dammed lake was formed at Bhorle and farm land and houses were inundated in 2052.

Past adaptation responses Lots of activities are going on along Rolwaling and Tama Koshi Rivers in Dolakha district as an adaptation measures mainly through the UNDP projects. Locals of this regions are now more aware about the possible floods due to monsoon, flash flood and glacial lake outburst. Recently they have formed Community Based Disaster Risk Management Committees in different settlements, such as Singati, Bhorle, Suri Dovan and Lamabagar villages. All committees are equipped with some rescue materials and training. The District Disaster Relief Committee, Dolakha has prepared a District Disaster Preparedness and Response Plan 2011. They have also prepared Local Disaster Risk Management Plan in Suri, Chankhu, , Khare and Jhynku VDCs. With such activities we can take Dolakha district as a model district for disaster preparedness action.

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Design appropriateness Mostly bridges are in very low height and hence must be relocated at higher height from river water level.

1.4 Adaptation audits in Dolakha District

Except threat description all other sub heading are the same (Asset location, asset condition, past extreme events) as in the previous section.

1.5 Threat description The major threat to those assets are the seasonal flood, flash flood and ultimately the Tsho Rolpa Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF). Almost non existence of adaption measures considered to protect assets.

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