Understanding Himalayan water resources : a mixed methods analysis of water resource management and high mountain aquifers in the Sagarmatha National Park (SNP), Nepal

Water scarcity is a global issue. In the Sagarmatha National Park (SNP), located in the High Himalayas of Nepal, threats to clean water access are compounded by climate change, splintered governance, an influx of tourists that climbs every year, and a lack of updated infrastructure that struggles to keep up with those visitors. Previous studies have identified that a significant fraction of water used for drinking and hygiene is contaminated, so even the installation of new infrastructure is not enough to provide residents with clean water resources. This mixed-methods case study utilizes qualitative interview responses provided by SNP locals, specifically those who live in Phortse, combined with quantitative geophysical analysis, Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) to understand the dynamics in which existing water resources may be improved and in which new alternative water may be procured to supplement those who dwell in the park as well as those who visit with clean, safe water. Common themes arose from interview participants concerning climate change, exponential glacial melting rates, shifting economic industries, and the desire for better education in the region. ERT analysis revealed several groundwater potential zones believed to be productive enough to provide the SNP villages of Phortse, Khumjung, and Khunde with significant alternative fresh water.