In this e-conference I like to raise two issues. Firstly I like to comment about the glacier threat and suggest alternative measures to prepare against the hazard. Secondly I suggest mountain legacy for running similar e-conference on water related other myth.
Glacier threat reality and preparation against it
With my limited knowledge I find difficult to believe that the glacier hazard is a myth.
We know that the earth quack events in the Himalayan region are common. If the epicentre of a large earth quack occurs in the glacier lake areas during raining season, it may break glacier lakes and contribute on increasing river level significantly. If this event occurs simultaneously with intense/heavy rainfall the effect can be catastrophic for the downstream dwellers. However the degree of effect depends on amount of flash water discharge from the lake and the stream flow regulated by other natural barriers.
Glacier tourism is the adventure tourism where tourists become well prepared against uncertain hazards. Despite very often experiencing many people are unable to prepare against the hazard of intense rainfall it could be impractical to make them prepare against such uncertain rare events. Communication networks developed in safe sites and provided its services in the hazard potential localities could be more practical to save human lives if any case such events occur. In my opinion, the government budget (if any) allocated for preparation against the hazard make the societies better off investing in alternative development activities.
If external agencies propose special grants it is okay for trying.
Increase forest cover increases water yield: myth or reality?
In my knowledge mountain people have been suffering from the myth that "forest cover increase water yield". Many experiment based researches contradicted the sponge theory of forest hydrology and show that dry season water stream flows decrease with increase in forest covers.
These articles are well compiled in Forest Science Encyclopaedia 2004 Volume 1. The local governments and hydropower companies of developed countries aware of the knowledge are discouraging landholders of water catchment areas for increasing forest areas. Other measures are used to reduce sedimentation problem if any. But increase forest covers are increasing practices for increasing water yield in the Himalayan region. International agencies (expert knowledge) have also given similar advices. For example, you may access an article titled "
Investigating the Delivery of Ecosystem Economic Benefits for Upland Livelihoods and Downstream Water Users in Nepal
. Policy Brief 3: The Costs and Benefits of Conserving Shivapuri
National Park Catchment, Nepal" in the webpage nemed
http://www.frp.uk.com/dissemination_documents/R8512_-_policy_brief_3_-_05-04-06.pdf. The article is prepared by IUCN (2006) in the involvement of many organizations.
The experts' advices are contradictory with experiment based knowledge. If you look at situation of the Himalayan mountain region, the forest cover and land abandonment are increasing. Based on the research theory the dry season stream flows should be decreasing and affecting water supplies. Certainly natural resources theories do not differ between developed and developing countries. The expert advices seem wrong which could be due to their vested interest on the forest resources. In my assessment the increase land use in forestry has very serious consequences in the lives of poor people and economy of the poor countries. Be honest ICIMOD would be appropriate organization to run such e-conference. In the organization I see lack of visionary intellectuals to put forth emerging challenging issues of the mountain societies and suggest innovative solution. Therefore I suggest to the Mountain Legacy for running similar discussion about "relationship between forest cover and water yield" that could benefit many poor people of the Himalayan region.
Regards
Bhubaneswor Dhakal
