Présentations Colloques

The Hindu Kush Himalayas (HKK) is called the water towers of Asia as it is the source of ten major rivers and has the largest snow and ice deposit outside of the two Poles. Much of the recent literature looks at long term climate change impacts on snow, glacier and on rivers, but ignores the localized springs, which is the main supplier of fresh water in the mid hills of the Himalayas. These spring systems are the source of domestic and irrigation water and also provide very important ecosystem and cultural services. Recent assessment from various pilot areas have estimated that there are over 4 million springs and 90% of the population living in the region are directly dependent on these resources.**However, there is very little current scientific understanding about the hydrogeology of springs and the way they are managed by local communities. Anecdotal evidence is emerging from around the HKH area that springs are increasingly drying up, leaving the women, the poorest and the most vulnerable at risk of water and food insecurity. Reviving drying springs through a thorough understanding of hydrogeology and through involvement of local communities can be an important climate change adaptation policy. **This paper will present findings from three springsheds in Nepal and focus on the links between spring discharge and long term rainfall trends, and categorize springs based on patterns of annual and seasonal discharge and the underlying geology. It will also correlate spring hydrogeology with social rules that are in place for managing those springs – for example, springs where discharge has reduced drastically over the years, local rules and regulations has been formulated to maintain equitable distribution of water.**