The main river systems of Nepal like Saptakoshi, Gandaki, Karnali and Mahakali are fed from the melting of snow and glacier ice in the Himalayas. All major rivers are of Nepal are perennial with ample amount of water available throughout the year. There is high possibility to built many new hydroelectric power plants and water supply plants for drinking and irrigation purposes in order to take benefit of this vast natural resource in the economic development of the country as well as development of the other nations of south Asian region by exporting hydropower where power demand is very high. For equal national development as well as local demand of hydropower due to economic activities, hydropower plants are being established on higher elevation, too. Since the higher elevation encountered with glacial environment, it is necessary to give due attention to glaciers and glacier lakes which are highly vulnerable to climatic changes occurring worldwide. In Nepal also, the impact of climate change on glaciers has been seen and many existing glacial lakes are expanding and some new are forming. Water induced disasters are also on increasing. Extreme events of precipitation (drought and flood) are increasing in number. Recent studies showed that most Himalayan glaciers are retreating probably due to increase in air temperature. If the current rate of glacier retreat continues, it will have a direct impact on availability of water on rivers for different purposes such as hydropower generation, irrigation and drinking in near future. Therefore, it is very urgent to study impact of climate change on Nepalese glaciers and consequently on Nepalese water resources for proper and sustainable development of water resources. In this context, till now there is no any institution in Nepal which carries out researches on snow, glaciers, glacier lakes, water induced disaster and climate change which are main influencing components of water resource development in Nepal and produces young researchers in these subjects. Therefore, the Disaster Management and Sustainable Development Center (DMSDC) is renamed to the Himalayan Cryosphere, Climate and Disaster Research Center (HiCCDRC) in October 2009 which is under the Department of Environmental Science and Engineering (DESE), School of Science (SOS) in Kathmandu University (KU), Dhulikhel, Nepal. Objective
The main objective of the center is to carry out research on cryospheric science and climate change related issues and produce young researchers in these fields. The specific objectives of the center include:
Research on snow, glacier, glacial lakes, hydrology, disaster, energy, biodiversity and climate change and related issues- in house, collaborative and cliental
Trainings- in house and outside cliental in the above mentioned topics
Course offerings – M. in Glaciology
Provide services to university in the related expertise
Organize relevant workshop/seminar/conferences
Develops national/international linkage and collaborations
