Improving understanding of flooding and resilience in the Terai, Nepal

This brief documents applications of new science and appropriate technology, and research conducted with communities to better understand and model flood risk in the Karnali river basin, Western Nepal. 

A novel approach was used to assess flood risk in the Karnali River by integrating field techniques used to measure the amount of water flowing down the river (water discharge), channel geometry, and sediment load, with new satellite data coupled with a 2D hydrodynamic flood model (Delft3D). The research also explored community views on their flood experiences, their strategies for building flood resilient dwellings, and how they respond to flooding.