Vol. 4 No. 1-3 INTERNATIONALPathak JOURNAL./Int. J. L OFsld. LANDSLIDE Env.(2016) 4 (1AND-3),1 ENVIRONMENT-8 Dec embe r 2 01 6 Water Induced Disaster Mitigation from Watershed Management Perspective in Nepal - An Example from Dobhan Khola Watershed, West Nepal Dinesh Pathak1 Central Department of Geology, Geodisaster Research Center, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal ORIGINAL ARTICLE CorrespondenceCorrespondence to:to: DineshDinesh Pathak Pathak CentCentralal Department Department of of Geology, Geology, Geodisaster Research Center, Tribhuvan University Email: Kathmandu, dpathaktu
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[email protected] Abstract Water induced disasters are common phenomenon in the mountainous region of the active Himalayan belt. It is the major cause of annual loss of lives and properties in Nepal. The water induced disaster management is generally carried out in basin, sub-basin or watershed level through watershed management approach. Exploration of water induced disaster and evaluation of appropriate watershed management in Dobhan watershed in Palpa district, west Nepal has been carried out. Water induced disaster events like landslide, bank cutting, flood and sediment transportation are common in the watershed. Around 20% of the Dobhan watershed is covered by agriculture land and majority of it is on the sloping terrace. Though more than 65% watershed area is covered by forest, there is significant encroachment leading to degradation of the forest area and natural condition of the forest. Watershed related information, like geology, geomorphology, river morphology, land use, socio-economic conditions of the people in the watershed are some of the factors to be considered in the watershed management leading towards water induced disaster risk reduction.