144 cumulative impact assessment and management

144 Cumulative Impact Assessment and Management: Hydropower Development in the Trishuli River Basin, Nepal

145

CHAPTER 9:

MITIGATION, MONITORING, AND MOVING TOWARD SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PATHWAYSSeveral sections of this report have summarized emerging recommendations and proposed mitigation measures for aquatic and terrestrial biodiversity and the social aspects of the valued environmental components (VECs). (See the “Proposed Mitigation” sections in Chapters 5 and 6 and the “Proposed Mitigation” subsections under “Religious and Cultural Sites” and “Livelihoods” in Chapter 7.) This section summarizes the monitoring regime based on emerging recommendations identified for selected VECs for the Trishuli River Basin (TRB) in order to mitigate cumulative impacts on valued ecosystem components (upstream, midstream, and downstream).

Cumulative Impact Management Framework

Each river reach of the TRB (municipalities within specific districts) can implement a localized impact management and monitoring framework that will address the following issues in order to mitigate impacts from multiple project development and construction projects: population influx, water resources, and health implications.

This framework will be developed as a component of the high-management action as recommended in Table 9.2—in particular, it can be part of the Developer’s Charter on Sustainable Hydropower Development in the basin. Actions and measures described as follows will be addressed by hydropower project (HPP) developers to manage their contribution to cumulative impacts.

• Ensure at least all mainstem HPPs operate in a run-of-river mode to maintain natural hydrology and water quality.

• Manage riparian landscapes surrounding reservoirs and areas upstream of reservoirs to minimize hypoxia in reservoirs.

• Monitor extent of in-migration and target local benefit-sharing/community investment funds to increase infrastructure and services capacity.

• Coordinate with rafting agencies to maintain flows suitable for recreational use, if any, and potentially provide suitable flows on specific days during the peak recreation period.

• Provide sufficient flows to maintain water levels for irrigation intakes during the dry season.

The proposed monitoring mechanism (see Table 9.1) provides a framework for developing the scope and framework for the implementation of the high-management action outlined in Chapter 10 and includes monitoring elements that can adapt pressure-state-response (PSR) models in Cumulative Impact Assessments as described in Neri et al. (2016) as well as the ESG Gap Analysis Tool (IHA 2018).

The Proposed High-Management Action

Ecological and social VECs in the TRB are presently under pressure from business as usual hydropower development, and they increase with the intensity of identified stressors. The recommended mitigation measures for each VEC can collectively contribute toward a high-management action that balances energy needs, environmental protection, stakeholder concerns, livelihoods, and management of water resources.

Here we present such actions as a road map to improving the ecosystem integrity of the TRB through collaboration and willingness across stakeholder groups (including developers and the government authorities) and through a commitment around actions that will cumulatively enhance the environmental and social aspects of the basin. The outcomes on


Table 9.1 Summary of Cumulative Impacts in TRB: Mitigation and Monitoring

Continued on the next page

Iden

tifi

ed V

EC

Key

non

-HP

P

stre

ssor

sC

um

ula

tive

im

pact

from

H

PP

s

Cu

mu

lati

ve im

pact

si

gnifi

can

ceP

ropo

sed

mit

igat

ion

mea

sure

s

Hyd

ropo

wer

de

velo

pers

Gov

ern

men

t au

thor

itie

sLo

cal c

omm

un

itie

s

Terr

estr

ial

biod

iver

sity

: La

ngt

ang

Nat

ion

al P

ark

(LN

P)

• In

fras

truc

ture

de

velo

pmen

t as

soci

ated

wit

h up

grad

ing

of t

he

Prit

hvi H

ighw

ay

and

the

prop

osed

One

B

elt,

One

Roa

d in

itia

tive

roa

d in

fras

truc

ture

co

nnec

ting

in

to t

he C

hina

bo

rder

• D

eclin

ing

popu

lati

ons

of s

peci

es o

f co

nser

vati

on

sign

ifica

nce

thro

ugh

illeg

al

extr

acti

on,

expl

oita

tion

, an

d ex

port

• N

o si

gnifi

cant

im

pact

s en

visa

ged

on

wild

life

disp

ersa

l an

d m

igra

tory

bi

rd c

orri

dors

• A

cces

s ro

ads

and

tran

smis

sion

lin

es w

ill p

rovi

de im

prov

ed

acce

ss a

nd p

oten

tial

ly

incr

ease

ille

gal e

ntry

into

the

LN

P, r

esul

ting

in t

he lo

ss a

nd

degr

adat

ion

of h

abit

at fr

om

logg

ing

and

wild

life

thro

ugh

poac

hing

.

• Lo

wer

cap

acit

y tr

ansm

issi

on

lines

wit

hin

the

park

hav

e a

min

imal

foot

prin

t an

d th

ereb

y do

not

impa

ct h

abit

at

for

thre

aten

ed o

r en

dem

ic

spec

ies.

• Tr

ansm

issi

on li

ne n

etw

ork

is u

nlik

ely

to e

ndan

ger

any

maj

or fl

yway

for

mig

rato

ry

bird

spe

cies

.

• C

ontr

acto

r M

anag

emen

t Pl

ans

to r

aise

aw

aren

ess

of c

ontr

acto

rs

enga

ged,

in

coor

dina

tion

wit

h lo

cal a

cces

s ro

ad

cont

ract

ors

• In

crea

sed

fund

ing

and

reso

urce

s to

LN

P fo

rest

gua

rds

• Sh

ared

acc

ess

road

dev

elop

men

t pl

an b

y ad

join

ing

mun

icip

alit

ies

to

redu

ce a

cces

s an

d di

stur

banc

e in

par

k

Aqu

atic

h

abit

at:

Hab

itat

qu

alit

y

• Sa

nd a

nd g

rave

l m

inin

g an

d pr

oces

sing

• So

il fr

om

land

slid

es a

nd

dum

ping

of

spoi

l fro

m r

oad

cons

truc

tion

de

grad

ing

aqua

tic

habi

tat

• A

lter

atio

n of

aqu

atic

ha

bita

ts a

nd

dete

rior

atio

n of

w

ater

qua

lity

as in

dica

ted

by e

cosy

stem

in

tegr

ity

resu

lts

acro

ss p

roje

ct

deve

lopm

ent

scen

ario

s

• Si

gnifi

canc

e w

as e

valu

ated

on

the

bas

is o

f eco

syst

em

inte

grit

y as

pre

dict

ed b

y th

e D

RIF

T m

odel

at

diff

eren

t EF

low

s si

tes.

Eco

syst

em

inte

grit

y is

exp

ecte

d to

pr

ogre

ssiv

ely

dete

rior

ate

base

d on

the

thr

ee s

cena

rios

m

odel

led

from

exi

stin

g ec

osys

tem

inte

grit

y ca

tego

ries

B

, C, a

nd D

(sl

ight

ly,

mod

erat

ely,

and

larg

ely

mod

ified

) to

cat

egor

ies

D

and

E (l

arge

ly a

nd s

erio

usly

m

odifi

ed)

for

the

full-

deve

lopm

ent

scen

ario

.

• R

elea

se o

f ade

quat

e EF

low

s fo

r aq

uati

c bi

odiv

ersi

ty

• D

evel

opm

ent

and

test

ing

of r

obus

t m

etho

dolo

gy fo

r aq

uati

c ba

selin

es

and

mon

itor

ing

• Tr

aini

ng o

f en

viro

nmen

tal

staff

in s

urve

y an

d m

onit

orin

g m

etho

ds

• R

esea

rchi

ng a

nd

test

ing

nove

l sur

vey/

mon

itor

ing

met

hods

(f

or e

xam

ple,

eD

NA

).

• •F

ish

surv

eys

carr

ied

out

by t

he F

ishe

ries

R

esea

rch

Stat

ions

• H

abit

at R

esto

rati

on

Plan

s to

be

prep

ared

• C

apac

ity

build

ing

for

staff

for

aqua

tic

base

line

surv

eys

and

mon

itor

ing

• R

evie

win

g an

d up

dati

ng o

f re

gula

tion

s fo

r aq

uati

c ha

bita

t pr

otec

tion

as

need

ed

• R

egul

atin

g sa

nd

min

ing

thro

ugh

mun

icip

alit

y le

vel

gove

rnan

ce

• C

omm

unit

y-ba

sed

prot

ecti

on

and

stew

ards

hip

of r

iver

rea

ches

w

ithi

n th

eir

area

of

infl

uenc

e/us

e

• Im

plem

enti

ng

acti

ons

for

cont

rolli

ng e

rosi

on

and

runo

ff in

to

the

rive

r, w

ith

emph

asis

on

thos

e pe

rtai

ning

to

acce

ss r

oads

Chapter 9: Mitigation, Monitoring, and Moving Toward Sustainable Development Pathways 147


Iden

tifi

ed V

EC

Key

non

-HP

P

stre

ssor

sC

um

ula

tive

impa

ct

from

HP

Ps

Cu

mu

lati

ve im

pact

si

gnifi

can

ceP

ropo

sed

mit

igat

ion

mea

sure

s

Hyd

ropo

wer

dev

elop

ers

Gov

ern

men

t au

thor

itie

sLo

cal

com

mu

nit

ies

Aqu

atic

h

abit

at:

Hab

itat

co

nti

guit

y

• Sa

nd a

nd

sedi

men

t m

inin

g

• A

cces

s ro

ads

that

may

ren

der

stre

tche

s of

the

ri

ver

upst

ream

ac

cess

ible

w

ith

pote

ntia

l in

crea

se in

un

regu

late

d fi

shin

g

• C

limat

e ch

ange

re

sult

ing

in

long

-ter

m

tem

pora

l ch

ange

s in

flow

in

div

ersi

on

reac

hes

alre

ady

com

prom

ised

by

low

flow

s ca

used

by

dam

s

• Im

pedi

men

ts t

o up

stre

am a

nd

dow

nstr

eam

m

igra

tion

in b

oth

mai

n st

em a

nd

trib

utar

ies

as a

re

sult

of m

ulti

ple

HPP

dam

s le

adin

g to

dec

lines

of S

now

Tr

out

and

Mah

seer

po

pula

tion

s

• •D

egra

dati

on o

f aq

uati

c ha

bita

ts

and

low

ered

w

ater

dep

ths

from

mod

ifica

tion

of

nat

ural

flow

re

gim

es le

adin

g to

impe

dim

ents

to

ups

trea

m

mig

rati

on

• Si

gnifi

canc

e is

ev

alua

ted

base

d on

D

RIF

T m

odel

ing.

Fi

sh in

tegr

ity

is e

xpec

ted

to

prog

ress

ivel

y de

teri

orat

e ba

sed

on t

he fo

ur

scen

ario

s m

odel

led.

Ex

isti

ng in

tegr

ity

rang

es fr

om

ecos

yste

m in

tegr

ity

cate

gory

B (

slig

htly

m

odifi

ed)

to

cate

gory

C o

r D

(m

oder

atel

y or

la

rgel

y m

odifi

ed).

Thes

e ar

e pr

edic

ted

to d

eter

iora

te

to c

ateg

orie

s. E

(s

erio

usly

mod

ified

) an

d F

(Cri

tica

lly

or e

xtre

mel

y m

odifi

ed)

for

the

full-

deve

lopm

ent

scen

ario

.

• Pr

ovis

ion

of fi

sh p

asse

s w

ith

desi

gn v

alid

atio

n by

a fi

sher

ies

expe

rt (

For

mos

t ex

isti

ng p

roje

cts,

th

e ex

pect

atio

n to

ret

rosp

ecti

vely

ad

d a

fish

pas

s or

fish

ladd

er

has

been

con

side

red

likel

y no

t pr

acti

cal.)

• En

hanc

ing

conn

ecti

vity

bet

wee

n m

ain

stem

and

tri

buta

ries

, in

clud

ing

rive

r tr

aini

ng, t

o be

m

aint

aine

d

• M

ahse

er a

nd S

now

Tro

ut

sanc

tuar

ies

• Pr

ovis

ion

of a

ppro

pria

te E

Flow

s ba

sed

on h

olis

tic

asse

ssm

ents

of

affec

ted

rive

r se

gmen

ts

• D

evel

opm

ent

and

test

ing

of

robu

st m

onit

orin

g m

etho

dolo

gy:

trai

ning

of e

nvir

onm

enta

l sta

ff

• M

onit

orin

g of

fish

pas

sage

and

ab

unda

nce

duri

ng m

igra

tory

se

ason

• M

onit

orin

g an

d en

forc

emen

t of

fu

ncti

onin

g fi

sh

ladd

er a

nd E

Flow

s re

leas

es

• C

apac

ity

build

ing

for

mon

itor

ing

fish

pas

sage

s an

d m

igra

tory

fish

es

• En

forc

emen

t of

fi

shin

g an

d m

inin

g re

gula

tion

s

• En

hanc

emen

t of

fi

sh b

reed

ing

area

s in

tri

buta

ries

• A

ddit

iona

l res

earc

h on

fish

hat

cher

ies

to in

tern

atio

nal

stan

dard

s

• C

omm

unit

y-ba

sed

regu

lati

on

of c

aptu

re

fish

erie

s fo

r Sn

ow T

rout

an

d G

olde

n M

ahse

er

• C

omm

unit

y-ba

sed

prot

ecti

on o

f fi

sh b

reed

ing

area

s in

tr

ibut

arie

s

Cu

ltu

ral a

nd

relig

iou

s si

tes:

U

ttar

gaya

an

d D

evig

hat

• Sa

nd-

and

grav

el-m

inin

g ac

tivi

ties

re

sult

ing

in

degr

adat

ion

of

rive

r ba

nks

wit

h ri

ver

subs

iden

ce

alte

ring

wat

er

qual

ity

• R

educ

tion

in fl

ow

in s

peci

fic

rive

r se

gmen

ts (

for

exam

ple,

div

ersi

on

reac

hes)

• Si

gnifi

canc

e is

ev

alua

ted

base

d on

w

ater

qua

lity

and

flow

. Fl

ow im

pact

s ar

e ex

pect

ed t

o be

mor

e pr

ojec

t-sp

ecifi

c ra

ther

tha

n cu

mul

ativ

e an

d be

st m

anag

ed a

s pa

rt o

f ind

ivid

ual

proj

ect

EIA

rev

iew

pr

oces

s.

• U

nder

taki

ng a

n as

sess

men

t of

the

act

ual r

equi

rem

ents

for

wat

er fl

ow in

dew

ater

rea

ches

for

norm

al r

itua

ls a

s w

ell a

s du

ring

sp

ecifi

c ti

mes

thr

ough

the

yea

r, es

peci

ally

dur

ing

the

dry

seas

on

peri

od

• R

egio

nal p

olic

y di

rect

ives

to

tem

pora

rily

sto

p m

inin

g ac

tivi

ties

at

leas

t du

ring

ke

y fe

stiv

als

and

pilg

rim

ages

an

d re

gion

ally

si

gnifi

cant

rit

uals

• R

aisi

ng

awar

enes

s am

ong

loca

l co

mm

unit

ies

and

sand

- an

d gr

avel

-m

inin

g en

titi

es fo

r m

anag

emen

t of

was

te

alon

g w

ith

spec

ific

zone

s be

ing

decl

ared

for

muc

k/sp

oil

disp

osal


Iden

tifi

ed V

EC

Key

non

-HP

P s

tres

sors

Cu

mu

lati

ve im

pact

fr

om H

PP

sC

um

ula

tive

impa

ct s

ign

ifica

nce

Pro

pose

d m

itig

atio

n m

easu

res

Hyd

ropo

wer

de

velo

pers

Gov

ern

men

t au

thor

itie

sLo

cal

com

mu

nit

ies

Cu

ltu

ral a

nd

relig

iou

s si

tes:

U

ttar

gaya

an

d D

evig

hat

(c

onti

nu

ed)

• Q

ualit

y of

wat

er li

nked

to

incr

ease

d fe

cal c

olifo

rm

and

pollu

tion

load

un

trea

ted

sew

age

from

ne

arby

tow

ns w

ill fu

rthe

r co

ntri

bute

tow

ard

loss

of

her

itag

e re

sour

ces

and

inta

ngib

le c

ultu

ral

serv

ices

rel

ativ

e to

the

ba

selin

e co

ndit

ion

• Im

plem

enti

ng

dom

esti

c w

aste

wat

er

trea

tmen

t fo

r to

wns

cur

rent

ly

disc

harg

ing

untr

eate

d se

wag

e in

to

the

rive

r

• Ed

ucat

ion

to

stop

dis

posi

ng

solid

was

te in

ri

verb

ed a

nd

trib

utar

ies

• C

onst

ruct

ion

of

sept

ic s

yste

ms

Live

lihoo

ds

• Sa

nd a

nd s

edim

ent

min

ing

lead

ing

to

degr

adat

ion

of a

quat

ic

habi

tat

and

wit

h im

plic

atio

ns o

n fi

sh

reso

urce

s

• In

the

full

deve

lopm

ent

scen

ario

, fish

in

tegr

ity

likel

y to

be

sign

ifica

ntly

impa

cted

in

the

ups

trea

m

reac

h, in

dica

ting

a

gene

ral d

eclin

e in

the

po

ssib

ility

of fi

shin

g-ba

sed

livel

ihoo

ds

• Li

velih

ood

impa

cts

on c

erta

in v

ulne

rabl

e so

cial

gro

ups

(Rai

, M

agar

, and

Dal

it)

that

may

dep

end

on

fish

ing

mor

e th

an

othe

r co

mm

unit

ies

may

incr

ease

• Si

gnifi

canc

e is

eva

luat

ed b

ased

on

DR

IFT-

mod

elle

d ch

ange

s to

ov

eral

l fish

inte

grit

y. A

sses

smen

t in

dica

tes

that

fish

abu

ndan

ce w

ill

be im

pact

ed, a

ltho

ugh

rela

tive

ly fe

w

fam

ilies

rel

y ex

clus

ivel

y on

fish

ing

as

a liv

elih

ood.

• O

vera

ll si

gnifi

canc

e of

impa

cts

upst

ream

is li

nked

to

econ

omic

di

spla

cem

ent

and

will

be

sign

ifica

nt

in v

iew

of m

ulti

ple

proj

ects

.

• O

vera

ll si

gnifi

canc

e of

impa

cts

mid

stre

am is

min

or, b

ut s

peci

fic

com

mun

itie

s su

ch a

s R

ai, M

agar

, an

d D

alit

may

be

impa

cted

due

to

loss

of l

ivel

ihoo

ds li

nked

to

fish

ing.

• O

vera

ll si

gnifi

canc

e of

impa

cts

dow

nstr

eam

is m

inor

; oth

er t

han

for

loca

l com

mun

itie

s th

at s

uppo

rt

raft

ing

and

tour

ism

act

ivit

ies—

loca

lized

impa

ct li

nked

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ecosystem integrity are thereafter inferred based on extrapolation of the DRIFT model results.

The high-management action comprises a combination of quasi-regulatory, incentive-based, and technical measures to manage fish populations in the basin along with regulation of sediment mining and watershed management, which will contribute to the improvement of habitats and consequently reduction of cumulative impacts across VECs. This scenario suggests measures to be jointly implemented by hydropower developers, municipalities, and local communities, facilitated by the perception of shared benefits until a basin-level sustainable hydropower strategy for Trishuli is adopted by the government of Nepal.

The high-management action packages and complements the actions provided in Table 9.1 and enables the formation of a local institutional and community-based framework to implement the actions.

Assumptions

The high-management action is premised on the following assumptions:

• Hydropower developers across the TRB will sign on to a Cumulative Impacts Management Charter that goes beyond compliance requirements of Environment Management Plan (EMP) implementation of individual HPPs. This charter will form the basis of a formal structure to set up the Trishuli Hydropower Developer’s Forum (THDP) as a developer-driven institution to manage cumulative impacts.

• Municipalities will be empowered under the proposed revisions to the Environment-Friendly Local Governance Framework (2013) to form Local Impact Management Committees (LMCs), which will include participation from hydropower developers and local nongovernmental organizations and community-based organizations.

• A Technical Resource Group (through participation by government ministries and conservation and research agencies) will provide strategic support and guidance for approval by the THDF and implementation by the LMCs.

Summary of Sustainable Development Pathways

Table 9.2 summarizes sustainable development pathways that can be conceptualized and implemented under the high-management action.

Changes in Ecosystem Integrity in the High-Management Action

This section compares the ecosystem integrity across project development scenarios (existing, under construction, and full development) to extrapolate implications for the high-management action.

The present ecological status (PES) of the river was first established on the basis of the recommendations of the EFlows assessment team, which visited the basin in March 2018. Available ESIA reports for HPPs in the basin, including that for the UT-1 project and baseline studies conducted as a part of the CIA, also provided a basis for determination of the PES of the basin.

The DRIFT modelling presents impacts as changes in the abundance of indicators that represent the river ecosystem compared to the present day status of the indicators. The indicators include fish species and other elements in the food chain, such as the macroinvertebrates and algae, and habitat characteristics such as flow, hydraulics, and river morphology. In addition to the impacts of hydropower development in the basin, there are a number of anthropogenic pressures that reduce fish populations on the river ecosystems, such as fishing, itself; extraction of sediments, including sand, gravel, and boulders forming the riverbeds, that damages aquatic habitats; and disposal of polluted water and solid waste in the river, which affects the water quality and consequentially the habitat quality.

As indicated in Figure 9.1, the PES of the TRB was assessed as 67% or slightly/moderately modified. The PES is shown as a horizontal line for reference purposes. Thereafter, changes in PES over time and with increasing hydropower development, represented in the project development scenarios, are predicted across the set-ups indicated.


Theme Description Responsibility

Developer’s Charter on Sustainable Hydropower in the Trishuli River Basin

This is anticipated to be a vision- and commitment-driven document that will include the following:

• Applying a uniform set of standards for including fish passes in the design of projects based on a review of contemporary and innovative designs for fish passes in conjunction with leading experts in this discipline

• Developing guidelines to prepare and implement an environmental flow management framework for each HPP based on available secondary guidance on adaptive management (This should be project- or reach-specific, keeping in mind ecological, cultural, and social sensitivities inherent for the river reach.)

• Researching and developing a robust standard methodology for aquatic baseline surveys and monitoring for Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs) to be used by all HPPs and possibly adopted into government regulations (and training HPP and government staff in methodologies)

• Assessing land-based and livelihood impacts from projects in order to develop and fund livelihood restoration measures (focused on fishing, skills development, and agricultural intensification schemes as identified in the recent free, prior, and informed consent agreement for UT-1) as a form of local community development around HPPs

• Expanding the regulatory EMPs into a comprehensive Environment and Social Management Plan (such as in the case of Upper Trishuli-1), which will incorporate safeguards to manage localized social impacts linked to in-migration, resource requirements, and community health and safety

• Conducting issue- and theme-specific studies for sensitivities within the area of influence of the HPP, such as assessment of flows for cultural practices; inventory of springs, and so forth

• Developing principles for all future land acquisition based on avoidance measures, compensation at replacement cost, informed consultation and participation, and emphasis on livelihood restoration of affected communities

• Supporting suppliers of sand, gravel, and aggregates to implement sustainable mining techniques

• Creating overarching framework on contractor management with specific safeguards to manage unregulated fishing, access into forest areas, muck disposal, and any other waste dumping related to project-induced influx

• Developing and monitoring project-specific grievance redress mechanisms

Representatives from key developers; such as NWEDC, Super Trishuli, and NEA, may come together to agree on provisions of the charter. The Technical Resource Group can help the THDF formulate a charter. The charter will be monitored by a subgroup of each LMC. Based on the recommendations outlined in the CIA, the Developer’s Charter on Sustainable Hydropower can be prepared within a three-month timeline, after which, each HPP can develop an implementation plan for relevant commitments.

Trishuli Hydropower Developers Forum (THDP) with support from Local Impact Management Committees (LMCs) as per Chapter 10

Table 9.2 Proposed High-Management Action




Community-based river guards across river reaches

Each LMC will deploy community-based river guards and associated field-level supervision to undertake the following:

• Detect violation of restrictions, rules, and regulations approved by the LMC for protection of the river and tributaries and take corrective actions as permissible

• Maintain contact with the local community and promote awareness and education on the importance of natural resources (including illegal sand mining and unregulated fishing)

• Support implementation of incentive-based measures such as community-based sustainable fishing

• Collect data on status of protection and awareness, record grievances, and report

LMCs as per Chapter 10

Preparation and implementation of Sustainable Fishing Plans

Mechanisms on regulated fishing managed by local communities in coordination with hydropower developers can be prepared by LMCs with support from the Technical Resource Group. The basic principles followed include establishing a conservation program, conducting research to estimate sustainable harvesting quotas, setting up a system of permitting for harvesting, utilizing the revenues generated to manage the conservation and harvesting program, and monitoring to ensure the program objectives—including protection of fish populations and sustainability of the program—are met.


Development of indigenous fish hatcheries for fish stocking

Where an HPP limits the access of the fish to its breeding areas that are generally located in the tributaries, stocking of fish bred in a hatchery can be considered as a means for mitigating the loss of breeding areas. It is advisable to consider captive breeding and stocking as a measure that is supplemental to other management measures such as protection, habitat management, and fish passes, rather than a substitute for them.

LMCs as per Chapter 10 supported by Fishery Research Center (Fisheries Research Stations Nuwakot and Dhunche).

Farming of commercially valuable fish species

Providing alternative means of incomes or livelihoods through promotion of fish farming can help reduce anthropogenic pressures on the river ecosystems. There are several Brown Trout (Salmo Trutta) and Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) farms, some of them started with international assistance (for example, JICA) with considerable capacity and commitment. Such farms should be developed in areas where indigenous fish stocks are depleted due to overfishing. It is to be emphasized here that farming of indigenous fish species is far more preferable than farming invasive trout species that may compete and suppress wild populations of indigenous species.

LMCs as per Chapter 10 supported by Fisheries Research Centre

Preparation and implementation of Sustainable Sediment Mining Plans

Given that it is entirely plausible that the demand for sediment will continue to increase in the foreseeable future, achieving the high management will necessitate management and control that will limit the impact of mining on the river and its tributaries in the face of increased demand and volumes being abstracted. These mining plans will be elaborated to include the following:

• Ban of mining in sensitive areas and identifying nonsensitive areas to focus mining activities

• Implementation of on-site control of mining activities related to equipment and techniques used, manage spoil disposal, and so forth

• Rehabilitation and restoration of habitats already degraded by mining, especially in the midstream reach

LMCs as per Chapter 10 with potential assistance from the District Coordination Committee




Preparation and implementation of Sustainable Sediment Mining Plans (continued)

• Identification of alternative sources of aggregate for construction, including (i) reuse of spoil from construction of HPPs and (ii) use of open rock quarries on hillsides (with due recognition of any springs) as source of gravels

• An important component of the sustainable sediment-mining plans will be to appoint community-based mining supervisors and river guards from within the LMCs to enforce restrictions on mining. Depending on the level of pressure from mining, the number of supervisors and guards assigned for this purpose can vary, and where pressures are low, the responsibilities for implementation of the sustainable sediment-mining plan can be assigned to the river guards.

• These mining plans should be developed by municipalities, as sand and sediment mining enterprises are a major source of revenue. There is also an overlap between owners of sand-mining entities and key local leaders (including municipality representatives). Municipalities may seek support from the Technical Resource Group for (i) the identification of mining areas through modelling (to predict the location, quality, and quantity of sediment deposits linked with HPPs); (ii) identification of key ecological sites or reaches within the system, to ascertain no-go or restricted use areas; and (iii) define the necessary engagement with the affected mining and local community.

Watershed management

A watershed management program can help improve water quality in the basin and play a critical role in protection of biodiversity and river-based livelihoods. Actions that can be supported by the THDF and LMCs include (i) programs focusing on areas needing reforestation to meet community requirements for fuel wood and timber, while being watchful of the limits of sustainable harvesting to reduce erosion and risk of landslides; and (ii) land use management. The watershed management program should also have a link to any basin-level plans, benefit-sharing plans. It should be developed and implemented in partnership with the provincial government to allow for the coordinated planning and implementation of watershed and community investment initiatives. Suggestions for management of water use in both agriculture and households and management of water quality at the local level must also be included.


Delineating no-go areas for hydropower development

Management committees should strongly advocate for the setting aside of stretches of river and tributaries that are of high ecological importance and can help in preservation of key features of aquatic biodiversity in the basin. They can include spawning grounds of fish and stretches and certain tributaries that are still in pristine condition. An example is the undammed Nyam khola, a tributary of the Mailung Khola, which is an important source site for Common Snow Trout of the Mailung Khola downstream of the dewatered area of the Mailung Khola HPP. LMCs, through the THDF, will recommend certain no-go areas for consideration by DoED, NEA, and MoEWRI. The Technical Resource Group will support in capacity building and in reaching out to the provincial and national government ministries and departments to identify and manage these no-go areas.


Mahseer and Snow Trout sanctuary

Consider designating one or more important fish spawning tributaries (for example, the Tadi Khola) as a Mahseer and Snow Trout sanctuary, which would remain free flowing (that is, no hydropower development) and develop and foster domestic wastewater treatment and solid waste management to improve water quality and riparian and river health.

THDF with support from the LMCs


Figure 9.1 Comparison of Business-as-Usual and High-Management Development Action

E

D

C

B

A100%

90%

80%

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%

1000

900

800

700

600

500

400

300

200

100

0

MW BAU All Projects HM PES

Ecol

ogic

al in

tegr

ity

Cap

acit

y of

pro

ject

(MW

)

Present ecological status:Baseline status of river

If projects were limited in the basin

Business As Usual: If pressures continueunchecked and hydropower development occurs against existing regulations

ExistingScenario 1

Under-constructionScenario 2a

Under-construction and committed

Scenario 2b

Full developmentScenario 3

If all developers were toimplement high management

actions

Results from the Jhelum-Poonch Basin, Pakistan, were used to prepare indicative predictions for impacts of the high-management actions to control anthropogenic pressures in the TRB on the ecosystem integrity of the river.

Explanations for the management actions are provided in Table 9.3.

The comparison of project development scenarios (Table 9.3) by incorporating high-management actions suggests that a concerted effort across stakeholders, facilitated by a perception of shared benefits, can help restore ecosystem integrity of the TRB to the PES level.

Table 9.4 summarizes changes in ecosystem integrity under the different management scenarios.

In summary, this analysis indicates the following (refer to Table ES.3 and Table ES.4 for details on ecosystem integrity ratings A to F):

• Present Ecological Status (PES) shows the Trishuli River maintaining its existing ecosystem integrity of B/C assuming no new hydropower development or increase in external stressors.

• Business-as-Usual (BAU) Scenario shows ecosystem integrity of the Trishuli River degrading from existing B/C conditions to C/D as under-construction HPPs come on line, decreasing further to D as the committed project (UT-1 HPP) is constructed, and ultimately falling to D/E as future planned projects are developed. Clearly this would not be a sustainable outcome.


Table 9.3 Interpretation and Inference

Set-up/ scenario Description Responsibility

Hydropower impacts only

This set-up represents the predictions of changes in ecological integrity of the river system in the basin using the DRIFT model on the basis of impact of HPPs alone, and ignoring the impact of anthropogenic pressures or the improvement in ecological integrity due to measures introduced to manage the pressures. This is necessary as all results obtained for the other scenarios refer to this.

For this scenario, over a 30-year period, the ecological integrity is predicted to decline from the PES of 67 percent (slightly modified/moderately modified) with existing projects to 64 percent with under-construction projects, to 59 percent with committed projects, and to 47 percent (moderately/largely modified) under full development.

Business as usual This set-up presents a condition in which anthropogenic pressures on the river ecosystem continue unchecked and increase in line with present trends. This scenario reflects the current state of management in the Trishuli River supported by the observations made by the EFlows assessment team in March and April 2018. The salient anthropogenic pressures considered are unsustainable fishing practices leading to depletion of fish stocks and unchecked sand and gravel mining.

Assuming full development of hydropower in the basin as represented by the planned scenario, the ecological integrity is predicted to decline to seriously/critically modified due to the combined impact of hydropower projects and resource extraction.

High-management actions by all developers

This set-up models the predicted change to ecosystem integrity if all hydropower developers implement high-management measures.

If all the projects in the basin were to implement the high-management action, the ecological integrity of the basin is expected improve by about 35 percent as compared to the business-as-usual scenario with committed developments. This will result in improvement of ecological integrity slightly above the PES, maintaining it as slightly modified/moderately modified.

Limiting project development

This set-up assesses the implications if case projects located in ecologically sensitive areas are avoided.

It will be possible to improve the ecological integrity of the basin to category B, or slightly modified, if some of the projects located in ecologically sensitive areas could be avoided.

• All Projects High-Management Action also shows the ecosystem integrity of the Trishuli River degrading to C/D as under-construction HPPs come on line, but then an improvement to a B ecosystem integrity rating as high-management measures are required for all new HPPs and retro-fitted on the existing HPPs. In the full-development scenario, given the sheer magnitude of the impacts associated with 23 additional HPPs (committed and planned), the Trishuli River ecosystem integrity is ultimately predicted to degrade back to a C, even if all projects

apply good international industry practice (GIIP)

per International Finance Corporation Performance

Standards. An ecosystem integrity rating of B could

be maintained, however, if the future number of

HPPs in the basin were limited.

Based on the DRIFT model results, the analysis above

suggests that implementation of a high-management

action can help maintain, or even improve, the ecosystem

integrity of the TRB.


Table 9.4 Changes in Ecosystem Integrity under Different Management Scenarios

Project development scenarios

Existing (Scenario 1)

Under- construction (Scenario 2a)

Under- construction

and committed (Scenario 2b)

Full development (Scenario 3)

Business-as-usual B/C C/D D E

All projects high-management action

B/C C/D B/C+ C

Limiting projects in the basin, with remaining projects under high-management action, supported by the government of Nepal and other stakeholders

B/C C/D B/C+ B/C+

144 cumulative impact assessment and management

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