New Chudamani Stamba at Bhimeshor Temple in Dolakha

Newly constructed Chudamani

Old wooden Chudamani Stamba, also known as Chulkjapsi in local Dolkhali language, situated at the back site of Dolakha Bhimeshwor Temple, fell down on April 3, 2014. The new wooden Chudamani was made and  put  at its original place back site of the Temple on 6 April 2014. 

 Old Chudamani Stamba

Glacial hazards in the Rolwaling valley of Nepal and numerical approach to predict potential outburst flood from glacial lake

In recent years, climate change and retreating glaciers constitute a major hazard in the Himalaya of South Asia. Glacial lakes are rapidly developing or increasing due to climate change. The rapid development of the lake may cause outburst of the lake. The outburst discharge from the glacial lake can cause catastrophic flooding and disaster in downstream area. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the impact of climate change on glacial lakes and to understand the characteristics of the glacial lake outburst. In this study, the field assessment of Tsho Rolpa Glacial Lake in the Himalaya of Nepal has been presented and the impact of climate change on this glacial lake has been discussed. The Tsho Rolpa Glacial Lake is the largest and most potentially dangerous glacial lake in Nepal. In addition, a numerical model has been also developed for computing the characteristics of glacial lake outburst due to moraine dam failure by seepage and water overtopping. The numerical model is tested for the flume experimental cases. The simulated results of the outburst discharge, the dam surface erosion, and the temporal variation of the moisture movement in the dam are compared with those obtained from the hydraulic model experiments. The moisture profile calculated by numerical model was agreeable with the experimental moisture profile. The simulated failure surface of the dam due to seepage by considering the suction in slope stability analysis gave more agreeable results than the Janbu's simplified method. The results of the outburst discharge and dam surface erosion also agreed with the experimental results.

Abstract of: Shrestha BB, Nakagawa H, Kawaike K, Baba Y and Zhang H: Glacial hazards in the Rolwaling valley of Nepal and numerical approach to predict potential outburst flood from glacial lake. Landslides, Vol. 10 (3), pp.299-313, 2012.

Glacial and Sediment Hazards in the Rolwaling Valley, Nepal

Glacial lake outbursts are a major hazard in the South Asian Himalaya and other glacier regions of the world. Climate change and glacier retreat have heightened the danger of outburst events, as new glacial lakes have formed and expanded. The outburst discharge from glacial lakes may cause catastrophic flooding and damage in downstream areas. It is thus important to investigate the impact of climate change on glacial lakes and to understand lake behavior. This study examined glacier- and sediment-related hazards in the Rolwaling Valley of Nepal, and field-assessed the Tsho Rolpa glacial lake in the valley. Potential causes of moraine dam failure at Tsho Rolpa include overflow and erosion of the dam caused by ice or boulders falling into the lake, seepage inside the dam, melting of the ice core inside the dam, or an earthquake. The peak outburst discharge from Tsho Rolpa was estimated to range from 7,759 to 90,296 m³/s using different empirical equations. The resulting flood would cause serious damage up to 100 km or more downstream, threatening many people, agricultural lands, forests, hydroelectric projects, and other infrastructure.

Abstract of: Shrestha BB, Nakaawa H, Kawaike K and Zhang H. Glacial and Sediment Hazards in the Rolwaling Valley, Nepal, International Journal of Erosion Control Engineering, Vol. 5 (2), pp.123-133, 2012

Simigaun Primary School

Simigaun Primary School at Simigaun village in Gaurishanker-3 was established in 2031 BS, i.e. in 1974 AD, 38 years before. This school is located at 1900m altitude. The school has two buildings with seven class rooms in total including office room of the school.

Building-one has one office room and two class rooms.

 Building-two has four classrooms.

The construction of the Simigaun school buildings shown in the photographs was supported by Roman mueller and his friends, Germany. Still some help for maintenance of buildings is necessary.

Photos- Mero Dolakha
www.dolakhatown.blogspot.com/
Badri Shrestha

Suspended Bridge at Chetchet

Photo shows the suspended bridge at Chetchet to cross Tamakoshi River. This is the way to go Rolwaling valley in Gaurishanker range and Tsho Rolpa Glacial Lake, Dolakha District.

Murleshwor Baba, Dolakha

Murleshwor Baba at in front of Puranchhe, Dolakha.

Pashupati Temple of Dolakha

Recently Pashupati temple of Dolakha which is located at Syambhuthan has been reconstructedand renovated. The photos below show the after and before the reconstruction of the temple.

After reconstruction

Before reconstruction

Related Old post:

http://dolakhatown.blogspot.com/2009/07/blog-post_27.html

Benefit of Landslide dam at Tamakoshi River

Landslide dam at Tamakoshi River, Lamabagar

Any hazard events do not create always disasters sometimes we can get advantage from these events. The hazard events itself is not a disaster unless they do not affect to human being. Several years ago, landslide occurs at Tamakoshi River in Lamabagar Village of Dolakha and formed a landslide dam. After few years, the landslide dam became stable and upstream of the dam filled up by river sedimentation. Due to stability of this dam at the river, the high head is created to generate a large amount of electricity. Currently, the Upper Tamakoshi Hydroelectric Project of 456MW is in under construction to produce a electricity utilizing the benefit of the landslide dam which facilitates high head for the power generation.

View of Landslide dam and Tamakoshi River

Koshi River

After long time back, today I could manage a free time to post something in this blog and I thought to share some experience of my Koshi River visit on January 16. 2012. My office, ICHARM, organized a Knowledge Sharing Workshop on Water-related Disaster Risk Management on January 15-18, 2012 in Kathmandu Nepal. During the workshop, we also had a field site survey at Koshi River Barrage for the site survey of flood affected areas of Koshi flood 2008. There was severe damaged by 2008 flood.

The Kosi River for its seven Himalayan tributaries—is a trans-boundary river flowing through Nepal and India. Some of the rivers of the Koshi system, such as the Arun, the Sun Koshi and the Bhote Koshi, originate in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. It is one of the largest tributaries of the Ganges. Along with its tributaries, the river drains 29,400 km2 (11,400 sq mi) in China (mainly the upper Arun basin north of the Mount Everest region), 30,700 km2 (11,900 sq mi) in Nepal (the eastern third of the country), and 9,200 km2 (3,600 sq mi) in India. Over the last 250 years, the Koshi River has shifted its course over 120 km (75 mi) from east to west. Its unstable nature has been attributed to the heavy silt it carries during the monsoon season. Flooding in India has extreme effects, and the country is second in the world after Bangladesh in deaths due to flooding, accounting for one fifth of global flooding deaths. The Koshi River (The Sorrow of Bihar) is one of two major tributaries, the other river being the Gandaki, draining the plains of north Bihar, the most flood-prone area of India.

Koshi flood disaster of 18th August 2008

The breach on the embankment of the Koshi River (12.6km upstream of barrage) occurred on 18th August 2008 at 12:45PM. At the time of breaching, about 168 thousand cusec of water diverted into Kusaha, Laukahi, Ghuski, Sreepur, Haripur, Narshimha, Madhuban and Basantapur VDC of Sunsari district. It caused the displacement of more than 107,200 people in Nepal. Progression of embankment breaching took place at the rate of about 500m in every five hours. It is the countr’s worst flooding in five decades. Rains during caused the embankment to collapse. When the Koshi River changed its course towards the east, beaching 1.7km of its left embankment and it deposited silt on the flood affected area and adjoining villages covering 5475 hectors of agricultural land. About 80% of flow passed through the breached section. The death toll would have been very high if the flood had occurred at night. At the time of disaster about 15kilometers of the East West highway was obstructed and 3 kilometers was destroyed. About two thirds of houses were severely damaged as most of them were huts made of mud, bamboo and thatch. These houses were generally one story high. The floor and walls were mud plastered. It caused extensive damage to the optical fiber cable network laid along the highway.

Data Source links: (online accessed December 30, 2011)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koshi_River

Sunset from Koshi River bank

Koshi River Barrage

River Bank protection structures

Koshi Barrage

Koshi River

Koshir Barrage

Simigau Monastery: Dolakha

Simigau Monastery is situated at an altitude of 2000m in Simugau Village of Dolakha. It takes three days walk from Charikot bazar or two days walk from Singati Bazar to reach there. We can go directly by bus within 5-6hrs from Charikot to Singati except monsoon season. Before reaching there, we have to climb up very dangerous vertical hill about 500m high from Chhet Chhet after crossing the Tamakoshi River (Photo below). Chhet Chhet is located at the foot of this hill. But stair steps with hand railing were constructed to climb up this hill. So we can climb up easily but we need to be careful. It takes 1-2hrs to go up this hill. Before construction of stair steps and hand railing, it was highly risky to climb up this hill. We can also view beautiful scenery from the Monastery.

Cliff to go up Simigau

Stair steps and hand railing at cliff

Tsho Rolpa Glacial Lake in Rolwaling Valley, Dolakha

(Photo: Badri Shrestha, August 2010)

Tsho Rolpa lake (27^o51’N, 86^o29’E) is located in the Rolwaling valley of Nepal at an elevation of 4555m (measured at the field). The lake has been developed only in the last 50 years, as the glacier feeding it has begun to melt rapidly. The trakarding glacier above the lake is retreating at a rate of over 20 meters a year due to rising temperatures. During the field visit, it was observed that the maximum temperature at the lake is about 18^oc at sunny time in the month of August, 2010. The lake is 3.23 km long and 0.5 km wide, and 1.76 km² surface area and contained 86 million m³ water. The lake is considered one of the most dangerous glacial lakes in Nepal.

(Photo: at lake, August 2010)

Staff house at top of moraine dam (Photo: Badri Shrestha, August 2010)

15kw micro hydropower is in operation from lake water (Photo: Badri Shrestha, August 2010)

For more detail information click on:

Shrestha, B. B., Nakagawa, H., Kawaike, K., Baba, Y. and Zhang, H.: Field assessment of Tsho Rolpa Glacial Lake in Rolwaling valley of Nepal, Newsletter, NEA-JC, Vol. 4, No. 2, pp.13-14, 2011. (http://neajc.org/links/NEAJCNewsletterYear4Issue2.pdf)

Charikot in Camera shot

View of Charikot Bazar from Gaurishankar Hospital area.

Swayambunath Temple: Memory remind

Swayambunath temple is located on the top of the hill at the north-west of Kathmandu city. This is the most popular temple for the Buddhist. The most important part of this temple is the great stupa, great Buddha, the temples, and monasteries. From this temple, we can also view Kathmandu city.

Great Buddha

Surrounding area of temple

Buddha's eyes

View of Kathmandu city

(Photos were taken in November 2010)

Improved Watermill

Photographs show the improved watermill installed at Rolwaling away in between Simigau and Kyalchhe of Dolakha District. This watermill is constructed in the remote area of the district at an altitude of about 2500m. Local people of the area use this water mill for the flour production.

एक झलक जनजाती भेला र सातदोबाटो बजार: चरिकोट

भीमेश्वर नगरपालिकाको चरिकोटमा गत श्रावन महिनामा भएको जनजाती भेलाको साथै सातदोबाटो बजार वारीपरिको केही झलकहरु फोटोमा ।

भेलाको द्रीश्य साथै सायद चरिकोटको सबै भन्दा ठुलो भवन ।

दर्शकहरु ।

Chhetchhet Waterfall

Chhetchhet waterfall is located at Chhetchhet village of Lamabagar VDC of Dolakha District. It takes two days walk from the Charikot bazar and one day walk from Singati bazar to reach there. The stream water is falling from the more than 100m height into the left bank of the Tamakoshi River. The fall has very nice scenery. The falling water is hit on the hard rock at the foot of the fall. The falling warer splaches in a large area. These all photographs were taken in August 2010.

Scatter water of the fall also reaches in the right bank of the Tamakoshi River.

Foot part of the fall.