Farmer based irrigation management in Nepal

1. Water Resources in
Nepal
Ashok Parajuli
Forest Officer
Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation
NAMASTE and WELCOME

2. Table of Content
• Government Policy, Legislation Regarding
Water Resource
• Institutional framework
• Irrigation Schemes and Farmer Managed
Irrigation Schemes.
• Water Resource Management

3. Government Policy, Legislation
Regarding Water Resource
Background :
 About 67% of the freshwater is used in irrigation
for the production of food grains worldwide.
 One in three people are already facing water
shortages (IPCC,2007).
Nepal has abundant water resources, with annual
discharge of total 150 billion m3, and capable of
irrigating 6-8 MT/ha.
Hydropower potential is 83000 MW. Out of this,
45610 MW have been identified as economically
feasible (WECS 2011)
Less than 8% of the country’s water potential is
used for irrigation (WECS, 2011)

4. History of Irrigation Schemes
 Agrarian communities in the Terai used to involve
in irrigation development and management much
before the 6th century B.C.
 In 17th Century, a number of Raj Kulo were built
with the initiative and financial support from the
state.
 During early period of irrigation development,
farmers themselves used to divert water from
streams and rivers to farm lands
 Between 19th a first half of 20th century, a large
number of irrigation facilities were already
developed by local farmers by using their local
resources.
 Its planned development began only after 1951.
The Department of Irrigation (DOI) was
established in 1952.
 The 7th five-year plan (1985 - 90) brought a major
change in irrigation development

5. Nepali Laws in Chronological Order
i) Essential Commodity Protection Act 1955 (2012 BS)
• Deems drinking water an essential commodity and strictly
protects drinking water.
• Prohibits any unauthorized use or misuse, stealing,
damaging etc. of drinking water.
ii) Muluki Ain 1963 (2020 BS)
• Customary right over water is codified by Muluki Ain,
2020.
• Sets out the order of priority of use of water for irrigation.
• The right to access on drinking water and irrigation was
based on prior use i.e. first come first service.
• Regulates traditional farmer managed irrigation systems.
iii) Soil and Watershed Conservation Act, 2039(1982)
• Provision of declaration of conserved watershed area

6. Nepali Laws in Chronological Order
iv) Nepal Water Supply Corporation Act 1989 (2046 BS)
• Establishes the Nepal Water Supply Corporation as the
perpetual, autonomous government controlled corporation
responsible for the supply of drinking water.
• Prohibits certain acts and provides penalties/punishment for
violation.
v) Water Resource Act 1992 (2049 BS)
• Declares the order of priority of water use i.e; (a) Drinking
and domestic use (b) Irrigation (c) Agricultural uses such as
animal husbandry and fisheries (d) Hydroelectricity (e)
Cottage industry (f) Navigation (g) Recreational use and (h)
Other uses
• Vests ownership of water in the State.
• Provides for the formation of water user associations and
establishes a system of licensing.
• Prohibits water pollution.

7. Nepali Laws in Chronological Order
vi) Electricity Act 1992 (2049 BS)
• Governs the use of water for hydropower production.
• Establishes a system of licensing.
• Sets out the powers, functions and duties of a liscence holder.
• Provides certain financial incentives for license holders.
• Sets out the powers of the government.
vii) Water Resource Regulation 1993 (2050 BS)
• Sets out the procedure to register a Water User Association
and to obtain a license.
• Establishes the District Water Resource Committee.
• Sets out the rights and obligations of Water User
Associations and licence holders.
• Deals with the acquisition of house and land and
compensation.

8. Nepali Laws in Chronological Order
viii) EPA, 1995 (2053 BS) and EPR, 1997 (2054 BS)
• Requires certain persons/bodies to conduct an EIA or
IEE.
• Lists the water related projects required to conduct an
EIA or IEE.
• Deals with the control of water pollution and pollution
control certificate Governs the use of water for
hydropower production.
ix) Drinking Water Regulation 1998 (2055 BS)
• Regulates the use of drinking water
• Provides for the formation of Drinking Water User
Associations and sets out the procedure for registration.
• Deals with licensing of use drinking water.
• Deals with the control of water pollution and
maintenance of quality standards for drinking water.

9. Nepali Laws in Chronological Order
x) Local Self Governance Act 1999 (2055 BS)
• Establishes a decentralised governance structure
• Sets out the powers, functions and duties of the VDC,
Municipality and DDC in relation to water and sanitation.
Policies/Strategies /Rules :
 Water Resource Strategy, 2002 AD
 Drinking Water Rule, 2055 BS
 Rafting Rule, 2063 BS
 Irrigation policy, 2070 BS

10. INSTRUCTIONAL FRAMEWORKS

14. Irrigation Schemes and Farmer
Managed Irrigation Schemes

15. Types Irrigation Systems
• On the basis of Development
– Traditional farmer irrigation systems
developed, owned, managed by
communities
– Traditional farmer system supported
by Government
– Government developed surface
irrigation systems
– Government developed tube well
irrigation schemes
– Individual farmer owned and operated
tube wells and pumps

16. Types Irrigation Systems
• On the basis of Management
–Farmers managed irrigation system (FMIS) such
as traditional system
–Agency managed irrigation systems (AMIS) such
as those operated by the Government through the
Department of Irrigation (DoI)
–Jointly managed irrigation systems (JMIS) run by
Government and Users through mutual
cooperation and understanding
–Private irrigation Systems (PIS) which are
operated and maintained by big farmers

17. Irrigation status
Geographic
region
Total area (1000ha)
Irrigated as
% of
cultivated
Year round
irrigated as
% of irrigatedCultivated Irrigable Irrigated
Year round
Irrigation
Terai 1360 1338 889 368 65 41
Hills 1054 369 167 66 16 40
Mountains 227 60 48 18 21 38
Total 2641 1767 1104 452 42 41
Irrigation potential and development in Nepal (WECS,2003 cited in WECS 2011)

18. Farmer Managed Irrigation System
A self-organized System
• Farmers collectively construct
and govern their systems
• Make decisions on service area,
water allocation rules, other
necessary rules collectively
 Equitable and judicious
allocation of irrigation water
Good governance
Governing FMIS
 Irrigation infrastructures
 Water sharing arrangement

19. Salient Features of FMIS
 Strong social bond and trust
 Maintenance and resource mobilization
 Conflict settlement
 There is the provision of Mauja Muktiyars
(Village level staffs)
 Chhatis Mauja nominates six members and
Sorha Mauja nominates five members from
their respective system level executive
committees.
 The committee has also nominate Meth
Muktiyars(chief staff) and one
Chaukidar(Watchman)
There may also have the provision of Village
watchman (not everywhere). He plays the crucial
role in the exchange and dissemination of the
information.

20. – FMIS has Mauja level general assemblies.
Salient Features of FMIS
High Mountain
Intake diversions are of rock fill with mud mortar
walls, canal have slate lining with mud mortar base
Due to leakage only about 10% of the flow is
received at actual command area
This has been modernized with HDP pipe
conveyance and plastic lining
Mid Hills
Comprised of simple brush wood diversion and open
earthen canal system up to the command area.
Intake structures, canal lining, cross drainage
structures for improved system
Terai
Diversion structures are built with an earthen bund
with shrubs, logs, stones. Modernization through
concrete diversion head works and masonry
structures

21. Management for: Hydropower, Household and other
Uses by State and Communities

22. Introduction
• Water resources are sources of water that are potentially useful.
• Uses of water
include agricultural, industrial, household, recreational and
activities.
• Four major river basins : Koshi , Gandaki, Karnali, and
Mahakali
• Avg. annual precipitation - 1530 mm
• Total surface water - 220 billion m3
• Nepal possesses about 2.27 % of world fresh water
• 80 % of rainfall in summer ( June - September )
• 20 % of rainfall in winter ( October - May )

23. Water Resource Management
• Water resource management is the activity of
planning, developing, distributing and managing the
optimum use of water resources.
• Ideally, water resource management planning has
regard to all the competing demands for water and
seeks to allocate water on an equitable basis to satisfy
all uses and demands.
• Although Nepal has 225 BCM of water available
annually, only a small part of it (estimated at 15
BCM) has so far been utilized for economic and
social purposes.
• Until now, Nepal has utilized mainly medium and
small rivers for different uses such as drinking water,
irrigation and hydropower.
• Most of the drinking water systems in the hill areas
are gravity flow systems using natural spring water.

24. • The Water Resources Management Programme (WARM-P) evolved in the year
2001 by incorporating the substantial experience and learning accumulated by its
predecessor programmes, the Community Water Supply and Sanitation Programme
(1976-1994) and the Self Reliant Drinking Water Support Programme (1995-2000).
• The scope and mandate of WARM-P has been broadened from water and sanitation
towards integrated water resources management
• USAID defines IWRM as a participatory planning and implementation process,
based on sound science that brings the stakeholders together to determine how to
meet society’s long-term needs for water and coastal resources while maintaining
essential ecological services and economic benefits.
• IWRM helps to protect the world’s environment, foster economic growth and
sustainable agricultural development, promote democratic participation in
governance, and improve human health.
Water Resource Management

25. Uses by State and Communities
• The government has been encouraging public sector participation in the
water resource development.
• The initiation through the users by forming Water Users Associations
(WUA) is given more importance for the government support.
• The government has the policy of encouraging the community participation
in the development, operation and maintenance of drinking water supply
systems.
• As a result, a number of communities are taking up the leading role in the
development of drinking water project in most of the rural areas.

26. Contd…
• Besides, a number of NGOs, INGOs and donor agencies are also working in making
the provision of drinking water accessible those who have been facing problems of
access to safe drinking water.
• The hydropower development in Nepal began with the development of 500 kW
Pharping power plant in 1911.
• The government has opened up the policy for the maximization of the private sector's
involvement in hydropower development and expansion of rural electrification with
people's participation and development of the fund.
• Now a number of micro-hydropower projects and some hydropower projects are being
developed privately.
• In the context of increasing energy crisis, the government is seeking to attract private
sector’s investment in the development of hydropower.

27. Principal components of IWRM
• Managing water resources at the basin or watershed scale.
• Optimizing supply.
• Managing demand.
• Providing equitable access to water resources through participatory and
transparent governance and management.
• Establishing improved and integrated policy, regulatory and institutional
frameworks
• Utilizing an inter- sectoral approach to decision-making,

28. Specific objectives of Water Resource Strategy
• To help reduce the incidence of poverty,
unemployment and under-employment;
• To provide people with access to safe and
adequate drinking water and sanitation for
ensuring health security;
• To increase agricultural production and
productivity, ensuring food security of the nation;
• To generate hydropower to satisfy national
energy requirements and to allow export of
surplus energy;
• To supply the needs of the industrial and other
sectors of the economy;
• To facilitate water transport, particularly
connection to a sea port;
• To protect the environment and conserve the
biodiversity of natural habitat; and
• To prevent and mitigate water-induced disasters.

29. Outcomes of Water Resource strategy
1. Water Supply
• Access to water supply and sanitation expanded/ enhanced (strategy for 5 yrs)
• With increasing sanitation and drinking water coverage, service level and quality improved (for 15 yrs)
• Adequate supply of and access to quality potable water, sanitation and hygiene awareness provided for all(25
yrs)
2. Irrigation
• Irrigation systems planned, developed and continued for sustainable management (5yr)
• Reliable irrigation service expanded on the basis of sustainability and wealth creation(15 yrs)
• Appropriate and efficient irrigation available for the optimal use of irrigable land in a sustainable manner(25
Yr)
3. Hydropower
• Hydropower developed for domestic needs and viable export (5 yrs)
• Hydropower development maximized for different uses (including energy-intensive industries and export of
power) providing substantial benefits (15 yrs)
• Hydropower optimally USERS developed (25 Yrs)
4. Other Economic Activities
• Economic activities for fisheries, aquaculture, recreation, tourism, navigation and industrial water uses
implemented (5yrs)
• Economic uses of water and water bodies by recreation, tourism, fisheries, aquaculture, navigation and
industries enhanced (15yrs)
• Economic uses of water and water bodies by recreation, tourism, fisheries, aquaculture, navigation and
industries optimized (25 Yrs)

30. Issues of Water Resources
1. Water Supply and Sanitation Issues
• Lack of adequate planning, design and construction of
water supply and sanitation projects
• Lack of appropriate approach towards rural water
supply system
• Improper management of water supply systems of
Kathmandu Valley and other urban centers
• Lack of water quality standards for drinking water
2. Hydropower Issues
• Improving power system planning
• Increasing access to electrification in rural areas
• Encouraging private investment in hydropower
• Reducing cost of development

31. Irrigation
• Cultivated Area : 26,42,000 ha (18 %
of Land Area)
• Potential Irrigable Area : 66 % of
cultivated area
• Present Status 42 % of Cultivated
Area has some sort of irrigation 17 %
Cultivated Area has year - round
Irrigation
• In Terai Irrigated Area: 8,89,000 ha
82 % by Surface Irrigation 18 % by
Ground Water (Tube wells)
• Existing Irrigation System Contribute
33 % of Country’s Current Agriculture
Production
• By 2027, Irrigation water demand
will grow by 185 % as of today (from
13 mill m3 to 37 mill m3)

32. Drinking water
• BY 1970, – 6 % of the population
in rural area had access to a
protected water source
• At present, – 66 % of the
population has access to drinking
water systems • Future
consumption will grow steadily
• By the year 2027, – Domestic
water consumption would grow
from about 800 to 1800 mill m3
per year (125 %)

33. Hydropower
• Hydropower Potential (Theoretical) :
83,000MW
• Techno-Economically Viable :
43,000MW – Storage potential 49 % –
R-O-R potential 51 % Hydropower
Development opportunities
• The first Hydropower Project -
PHARPING HPP PHARPING HPP (500
KW in year 1911)
• Present Installed capacity 609 MW, of
which 553 MW ( hydro )
• Private sector contribution 144 MW
(out of 553 MW)

34. Industrial Use
• Current estimate –
Industrial consumption is
about 80 mill m3 per year
• By the year 2027 –
Expected to increase to 180
mill m3 per year

35. Other Uses
• Agricultural uses
• Domestic uses ( Drinking
water, Bathing, Cooking toilet
flushing , cleaning, laundry
and gardening)
• Recreation
• Watershed Management
(Preservation) – protection of aquatic
and natural habitat
• Traditional and commercial fishing
• Navigation
• Cultural and religious purposes

36. THANK YOU
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