A Map Based Inventory of Lakes in Nepal

Abstract

An inventory of lakes in Nepal based on desktop study of topographic maps published between 1992 and 2001 was produced, as a part of the National Lake Strategic Plan for Nepal. As all earlier studies reported only partially the number of lakes in the Terai and the high mountains, the scope of this study was to produce a complete list of lakes useful in planning for lakes conservation and management. Closed water bodies indicated in the topographical sheets were considered as lakes. The inventory included name, location, altitude, grids X and Y, and sheet number. An alpha-numerical code was generated to identify lakes by districts. The study also included surveillance with 121 researchers in the team representing Nepal Academy of Science and Technology, National Trust for Nature Conservation and Tribhuvan University - Central Department of Environmental Science. They gathered photographic evidences and some geographical information of 229 lakes in 49 districts from August through October 2009. They also consulted with over 1,700 stakeholders through focus group discussions and consultation meetings in the districts for the strategic plan. A list of 5,358 lakes has been prepared. Of the 75 districts, 74 contain lakes. There are 21 districts containing less than nine lakes in each, and 16 districts containing over 100 lakes in each. Among the rest of the districts, 16 contain 10 to 29 lakes, and 22 contain 30 to 99 lakes. The eight districts containing high number of lakes are Humla (381), Taplejung (380), Kapilbastu (351), Solukhumbu (339), Rupandehi (289), Banke (243), Dhanusa (230), and Dolpa (210). Altitudewise, 2,712 lakes (51%) are distributed below 500m, and 2,227 (42%) above 3,000m. Only 419 lakes (<8%) are in the mid hills of altitudinal range between 500m and 2,999m. Names are available only for 472 lakes in the topographical sheets. The lists of lakes are maintained at the National Lake Conservation Development Committee and its key partner institutions. The significant lakes included the largest Rara lake (800ha), and the longest Phoksundo lake (5.15km), and the highest placed Dhau Dhundhun Tal (5,905m).

Key words: lake; inventory; topographical sheet

DOI: 10.3126/njst.v11i0.4141

Nepal Journal of Science and Technology 11 (2010) 173-180