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Water balance estimation and runoff simulation of Chameliya Watershed, Nepal

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Abstract

Sustainable water resource management has become increasingly challenging due to the limited availability of hydrometeorological data in remote mountainous areas, making it difficult to assess water balance and simulate runoff at various spatiotemporal scales. This study aims to assess the 30-year (1990–2019) water balance of the Chameliya Watershed in the Mahakali River Basin, Nepal, with a focus on glacier dynamics, utilizing the Spatial Process in Hydrology (SPHY) modeling tool. The data analysis disclosed that the watershed experienced positive water balance for 6 months, primarily during the monsoon season, while the remaining months exhibited negative values. Additionally, a comparison between the recent decade (2010–2019) and the late 1990s revealed an increase in hydrological components, such as discharge and precipitation, alongside a decrease in evapotranspiration and glacier melt. The dynamics of discharge disclose fluctuations among multiple contributors, with rainfall taking precedence, followed by baseflow, snowmelt, and glacier melt in descending sequence. Overall, the study offers a profound understanding of water availability in the Chameliya Watershed and highlights its dynamic changes over the study period. This knowledge holds great significance, especially in remote, inaccessible, and high-altitude regions. It also underscores the necessity of understanding Himalayan hydrological dynamics for precise flood prediction, climate risk assessment, and sustainable resource management amid global climate change.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China

    Jharana Nepal & Kiran Bishwakarma

  2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China

    Jharana Nepal & Kiran Bishwakarma

  3. Central Department of Environmental Science, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal

    Ramesh Raj Pant, Sudip Paudel & Mahesh Prasad Awasthi

  4. Central Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal

    Suraj Shrestha

  5. Kathmandu Center for Research and Education (KCRE), Kirtipur, Kathmandu, Nepal

    Suraj Shrestha

  6. Institute of Fundamental Research and Studies (InFeRS), Kathmandu, Nepal

    Suraj Shrestha & Yam Prasad Dhital

  7. College of Water Resources and Architectural Engineering, Shihezi University, Shihezi, 832000, China

    Yam Prasad Dhital

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  1. Jharana Nepal
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Contributions

JN contributed research conceptualization, methodology, and first draft preparation. SP, SS, and KB performed GIS and statistical analysis. MPA critically reviewed and properly formatted the manuscript. RRP and YPD contributed with supervision, editing, and approval of the final manuscript. To make this research study publishable, all the authors equally contributed to the research work.

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Correspondence to Ramesh Raj Pant.

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Nepal, J., Pant, R.R., Shrestha, S. et al. Water balance estimation and runoff simulation of Chameliya Watershed, Nepal. Environ Earth Sci 83, 117 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-024-11430-7

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