Did you know that a man-made pond at the top of a mountain can recharge the water springs downhill?

Yes, this is the case in Salang Rural Municipality of Dhadhing District in Nepal. With the support from the Local Climate Adaptive Living Facility (LoCAL), under Environment-Friendly Local Governance (EFLG), a pond has been constructed at the top of a mountain. The pond, which gets filled up with rain water, seeps fresh water to the dried spring at the bottom. This method of replenishing springs aids the continued access to water in this region.

This technique offers an alternative to the lessening levels of water in the essential lakes or springs that are the lifeline for the local population and the surrounding flora and fauna in this ‘last mile’ location in the foothills of Nepal ­­– an LDC that aims to strengthen the impact of local government, considering its mountainous and diverse terrain.

Mr. Bhuwan Adhikari, Communications and Knowledge Management Officer for LoCAL in Nepal, said: “While on the way to the pond through a bumpy track, I was wondering how a pond can be constructed in such a difficult terrain when there is barely any flat land. But, after observing it, I found that the rain water is channelized through surrounding mountains. The location of the pond is such that it benefits communities living in both sides of the mountain.”

There were plenty of water springs around the area where the community used the water for various domestic purposes. But, after the earthquake the springs have suddenly dried up. To make the community cope better with this natural disaster-induced water scarcity, the pond was planned and constructed. This year after the monsoon period is over, it is expected that the rain water will fill up the pond thereby recharging the springs. This method of aggregation is essential for secluded districts with little infrastructure to support agriculture and other uses for water. This is a real case of how man-made structures can complement nature and make people more resilient and more likely to boost local development.

The aim of LoCAL in Nepal is to demonstrate the role and ability of local bodies in promoting climate change resilience through mainstreaming climate finance into the inter-governmental fiscal transfer system and the local planning and budgeting process.

For more information, please contact:

Mr. Bhuwan Adhikari
Communications and Knowledge Management Officer
bhuwan.adhikari@uncdf.org