Policy and institutional study on the strategic role of water storage in Nepal

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cg.contributor.affiliationInternational Water Management Institute
cg.contributor.donorUnited States Department of State
cg.contributor.donorCGIAR Trust Fund
cg.contributor.initiativeNEXUS Gains
cg.contributor.programAcceleratorPolicy Innovations
cg.coverage.countryNepal
cg.coverage.iso3166-alpha2NP
cg.coverage.regionSouthern Asia
cg.creator.identifierRadheeka J.: 0000-0002-3625-5721
cg.creator.identifierSanjiv de Silva: 0000-0001-8852-800X
cg.creator.identifierMatthew McCartney: 0000-0001-6342-2815
cg.creator.identifierAnil Aryal: 0000-0001-9319-4315
cg.creator.identifierJibesh Kumar KC: 0000-0003-0791-2486
cg.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.5337/2025.207
cg.identifier.iwmilibraryH053825
cg.identifier.projectIWMI - D-0470
cg.identifier.projectIWMI - C-0057
cg.placeColombo, Sri Lanka
dc.contributor.authorJirasinha, Radheeka
dc.contributor.authorde Silva, Sanjiv
dc.contributor.authorMcCartney, Matthew
dc.contributor.authorAryal, Anil
dc.contributor.authorK.C., Jibesh Kumar
dc.date.accessioned2025-06-25T09:37:10Z
dc.date.available2025-06-25T09:37:10Z
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10568/175306
dc.titlePolicy and institutional study on the strategic role of water storage in Nepalen
dcterms.abstractThis policy and institutional study was conducted as part of the Built Water Storage in South Asia (BWSSA) project (2023–2026) implemented by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and the Global Water Partnership (GWP). The BWSSA initiative aimed to transform how water storage—both built (gray) and natural (green) infrastructure—was perceived, planned, and managed across five countries: Nepal, India, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. The project sought to strengthen national capacity for integrated storage planning, promote data-informed decision-making, support regional dialogue, and address inequities in access and benefit-sharing related to water storage. The policy and institutional study, conducted in each country, focused on six core questions: the types and roles of water storage across geographies and sectors; current and planned investments; the institutional and decision-making landscape; the alignment of sectoral storage plans with integrated water resources management (IWRM); opportunities for inclusive planning; and key knowledge gaps. It involved a three-phase process: (1) a review of national policy and strategy documents; (2) key informant interviews with stakeholders from government, civil society, academia, and the private sector; and (3) validation of findings through consultations. This iterative, participatory process helped surface implementation challenges, build credibility, and foster alignment among actors. In Nepal, the study found that despite abundant water resources, access and availability were highly uneven due to temporal and spatial variability. A diverse portfolio of storage solutions suited to the country’s varied biophysical and socioeconomic contexts are needed. In the agriculture sector, inter-basin transfer (IBT) – rather than storage - have gained traction as a policy focus. In the domestic sector, small-scale systems—rainwater harvesting, dug wells, and spring sources—had been promoted but remain inconsistently implemented. Hydropower, a cornerstone of Nepal’s energy economy, relies on both micro and large-scale storage reservoirs. The value of natural storage (e.g., wetlands and ponds) is widely acknowledged, but these are rarely prioritized in implementation. The study also assessed how Nepal’s federal governance system - established by the 2015 Constitution - shapes water governance and storage planning. Responsibilities are now divided among three levels: the federal government leads on national policy, transboundary waters, and large infrastructure; provinces manage water within their jurisdiction; and local governments are responsible for water supply, small-scale irrigation, and community-based storage. However, unclear mandates, limited coordination, and capacity gaps—particularly at subnational levels—pose significant challenges to effective governance and integrated planning. A key recommendation was to revise outdated legislation, especially the 1992 Water Resources Act – currently being updated - to align with the federal system and integrated resource management principles. Although Nepal’s policies included provisions for community participation and gender and social inclusion (GESI), these are unevenly applied. Transboundary governance remains politically sensitive, with Nepal engaged solely in bilateral agreements with India and China, limiting progress on regional cooperation. The study ultimately underscored the need for coherent multi-level governance, inclusive planning, and strategic investments in both gray and green infrastructure to enhance Nepal’s water security and resilience.en
dcterms.accessRightsOpen Access
dcterms.bibliographicCitationJirasinha, Radheeka; de Silva, Sanjiv; McCartney, Matthew; Aryal, Anil; K.C., Jibesh Kumar. 2024. Policy and institutional study on the strategic role of water storage in Nepal. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI). 39p. [doi: https://doi.org/10.5337/2025.207]
dcterms.extent39p.
dcterms.issued2024-12-31
dcterms.languageen
dcterms.licenseCC-BY-4.0
dcterms.publisherInternational Water Management Institute
dcterms.subjectwater storage
dcterms.subjectwater policies
dcterms.subjectinstitutions
dcterms.subjectstrategies
dcterms.subjectwater resources
dcterms.subjectplanning
dcterms.subjectwater management
dcterms.subjectwater governance
dcterms.typeReport

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