Building Climate Resilience of Watersheds in Mountain Eco-Regions

Project Description

The project aims to improve access to and enhance the reliability of water supply for domestic, livestock purposes and irrigation among communities living in the watersheds of Nepal river systems which are significantly vulnerable to climate change. The watersheds selected are climate sensitive and contain climate vulnerable communities. Project implementation will commence in two watersheds which lie in 6 hill districts in Far West Region: Achham, Baitaidi, Bagjang, Bajura, Dadeldhura and Doti. It may expand to adjacent watersheds. Access and reliability to water resources will be improved through a participatory program of integrated watershed management with interventions in upland areas to increase surface water storage and groundwater recharge, and to deliver water to locations where the community can use it. The communities in the project area will have more reliable water supplies in dry season. Major beneficiaries will be women and disadvantaged groups The project will demonstrate participatory watershed management planning and build the capacity of all levels of the government for integrated watershed development specifically focussing on water resources. Institutional capacity for watershed planning, and for plan implementation and maintenance, will be increased by the project.

Assignment Description

Identify, collect, acquire and review existing documents, literatures, policies and watershed management strategic guidelines related to watershed management and information related to the scope of the works including methodologies currently applied by the DSCWM, Current design criteria for commonly used micro- and small-scale watershed infrastructure. • Preparation of GIS based map. • Prepare feasibility-level watershed management plans for two watersheds chosen from the sample basin/sub basins. The water management plans identifies the appropriate mix of watershed interventions and essential supporting services to enhance the productivity of water within the watershed and take account of ongoing and planned development projects — both by government and non-government agencies and the private sector • Collection of land, soil, water and forestry related data water resources, bio physical, socio economic, and livelihood aspect, operation and maintenance (O&M) requirements, principles for cost and benefit sharing, upstream-downstream linkages is assessed in terms of water, erosion, floods, nutrient transfer, land acquisition requirements is studied and other services as per the scope of job. • Propose project implementation arrangements taking into account, among other things, the mandates and strength and weaknesses of the DSCWM and other principal stakeholders, the Government's decentralization policies, and institutional and governance aspects at district and watershed level • Institutional strengthening and capacity building interventions incorporations for project design and implementation. • Propose the consulting and NGO services required for project implementation. Project implementation procedures related to, among other things, project management, and budget appropriation, flow of funds, procurement, project accounts, and disbursement in detail along with preparation of manuals to facilitate project implementation. • Develops a comprehensive program to monitor the achievements of the Project's principal outcome of improved water access and reliability, and the immediate effects during Project implementation- Measuring the effect of subprojects on watershed hydrology and hydrologic services, and erosion control and sediment transport as a key element of the program. • Preparation of proposal to share the project experiences, impact assessments and lessons learned within Nepal and globally • Consultation with DSCWM team member, holding key events and producing knowledge products to promote and facilitate the transfer of the new approaches and tools to watershed managers in addressing water stresses exacerbated by climate change. • Preparation of • Project appraisal report with design and monitoring framework (and baseline indicators); • Project administration manual (PAM) with detailed implementation arrangements, costing, fund flow, procurement plan, consultant terms of reference, and implementation procedures; • Social analysis, gender and social inclusion plan, involuntary resettlement framework, indigenous peoples' development framework, and consultation, participation and communications plan; financial, anticorruption, and procurement risk assessment and risk management plan; • EA capacity assessment and detailed description for capacity development TA; • assessment of the forestry and watershed management sector; • financial and economic analysis; • Environmental assessment review framework and sample initial environmental examination and due diligence reports; • watershed management plans and feasibility assessments for two sample watershed subprojects; and • knowledge management plan