A Community participatory Workshop was conducted with Dhakarjhong and Phalyak community of Kagbeni Village development Committee, Mustang on November 12, 2016. Number of people including Mukhiyas, members of youth club, women group and school teachers were actively participated in the programme. The programme was chaired by Mr. Jagat Kumar Bhusal, Chairperson. On behalf of SOHAM-Nepal, Mr. Suman Kumar Regmi, General Secretary, Mr. Barun Paudel, Secretary, Mr. Santosh Regmi, Researcher, Ms. Praju Gurung, Researcher and Dr. Timos karpouzoglou, Research Fellow,Wageningen University were present during the occasion.

On behalf of SOHAM-Nepal, Mr. Jagat Kumar Bhusal and Mr. Santosh Regmi shared the finding of three year’s Mountain Environmental Virtual Observatories (Mountain EVO) Research programme, implemented by SOHAM-Nepal with support from Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DHM), District Development Committee (DDC), Mustang, International Hydrological Programme-Nepal (IHP-Nepal) and lead by Imperial College, London, UK. During the workshop, some useful scientific tools were handover to the community as a part of knowledge transfer activities. These tools along with findings are very useful to the community for water and land use management for agriculture and other purposes. During the occasion, SOHAM-Nepal team visited stream gauging site at Lumbhuk Khola and rainfall station at Phalyak village and handover the installed equipment to Dhakarjhong and Phalyak community. Similarly another equipment installed at Tangbe khola also handover to the Tangbe community.

A discussion Program on ”Daily Rainfall Measurement in Nepal via Citizen Science” was organized by Community Based Rainfall Measurement-Nepal (CORAM-Nepal) with support from University of Wyoming USA; Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DHM), Government of Nepal (GoN); Society of Hydrologists and Meteorologists-Nepal (SOHAM-Nepal); UNESCO International Hydrological Programme (UNESCO IHP-Nepal); Central Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (CDHM), Tribhuvan University; Institute for Social and Environment Transition-Nepal (ISET-Nepal); Kathmandu Institute of Applied Sciences (KIAS) and RECHAM Consult (Pvt.) Ltd. in Kathmandu.

Dr. Rishi Ram Sharma, Director General, DHM is the chief guest of the programme. The programme was chaired Mr. Kiran Sankar Yogacharya, Former Director General, DHM and Former Chairperson, SOHAM-Nepal. The programme began with warm welcome speech by Dr. Basant Giri, KIAS. Mr. Suresh Marahatta, RECHAM delivered a technical presentation on “Installation of Raingauge; Data Collection and Analysis”. Similarly, Mr. Ajaya Dixit, ISET Nepal also spoke on the various aspect of “Community Based Science and Research”. Three students and two teachers from high schools involved in the daily rainfall measurement programme also shared their experience.

During panel discussion session, Dr. Rishi Ram Sharma, Director General, DHM; Mr. Jagat Kumar Bhusal, Chairperson, SOHAM-Nepal; Prof. Peter Stahl, University of Wyoming and Prof. Stefan Becker, Lehman College, CUNY, New York, highlighted various issues on rainfall measurement and its application. At the end, Mr. Kiran Sankar Yogacharya gave concluding remark. On the occasion high school students and teachers, representative from various government and non-governmental institutions also took part in the programme.

SOHAM-Nepal announced the publication of the first issue of VARSHA Hydrology and Meteorology Bulletin during 15th Annual General Meeting (AGM), which was held on Bhadra 31, 2073 (September 16, 2016) in Kathmandu. On the occasion, Mr. Kiran Sankar Yogacharya, life member, former Chairperson of SOHAM-Nepal and former Director General of Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, Government of Nepal, released VARSHA Hydrology and Meteorology Bulletin. This yearly bulletin comprised 13 articles both in English and Nepali.

A reward fund has been established by SOHAM-Nepal. This was announced during 15th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of SOHAM-Nepal, which was held on Bhadra 31, 2073 (September 16, 2016) in Kathmandu. Dr. Rishi Ram Sharma, life member of SOHAM-Nepal and Director General of Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DHM) was the first contributor in the reward fund by providing cash amount Rs. 1,00,000/- (One Lakh).

Dr. Rishi Ram Sharma was honored by a certificate of appreciation for his contribution to to establish a fund. The amount will be deposited in a separate bank account and the yearly interest received from the fund will be used to recognize those dedicated in the early warning information dissemination in Nepal as per Dr. Sharma’s wishes.

15th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of SOHAM-Nepal was held on Bhadra 31, 2073 (September 16, 2016), Friday at Indreni Banquet, New Baneshwar, Kathmandu.

At first, a minute of silence was observed to mourn the loss of late SOHAM life members Purna Bahadur Shrestha and Sudeep Prasad Kayastha.

On the occasion, Dr. Rijan Bhakta Kayasta, Vice-Chairperson, delivered a warm welcome speech. Mr. Suman Kumar Regmi, General Secretary presented annual progress report for the fiscal year 2072/73 and proposed programme for 2073/2074.  Similarly, Mr. Rameshwar Rimal also presented financial report 2072/2073. Meeting decided to form a five member land acquisition committee comprising Mr. Jaga Kumar Bhusal, Chairperson, Mr. Suman Kumar Regmi, Secretary General, Dr. Janak Lal Nayava, Adviser and Chief, project Monitoring and Evaluation Committee, Dr. Kiran Shankar Yogacharya and Mr. Ghana Shyam Gautam, life member. Mr. Suresh Marahatta, Coordinator, Regulation Revised Committee presented proposed regulation. Dr. Rishi Ram Sharma, Chief Editor, Journal of Hydrology and Meteorology, Mr. Mani Ratna Shakya, Chief Editor, VARSHA Hydrology and Meteorology Bulletin, and Dr. Janak Lal Nayava, Chief, Project Monitoring and Evaluation Committee, briefly highlighted respective committee activities. At the end, Mr. Jagat Kumar Bhusal gave closing remarks. A dinner programme was also arranged following the AGM. The programme was conduced by Mr. Barun Paudel, Secretary.

SOHAM Nepal organized a training programme on “Basic Geographic Information System (GIS)(With Surfer handling” under a SOHAM summer training programme from 28th August to  9th September, 2016 in Kathmandu. The training is targeted to B.Sc fourth year students.  Altogether,  14 students participated in the programme.

A closing and certificate distribution programme was also arranged at the end of the training programme on 9th September, 2016 at SOHAM-Nepal office. Mr. Jagat Kumar Bhusal, Chairperson, SOHAM-Nepal  chaired the  programme. Dr. Janak Lal Nayava, advisor, SOHAM-Nepal was the chief guest. On the occasion, Mr. Sumar Kumar Regmi delivered welcome speech and highlighted the programme activities. Mr. Janak Lal Nayava  distributed certificate to all the participants and also gave his remark.On behalf of training participant, Ms. Sanskriti Khanal shared the training experience. At the end, Mr. Jagat Kumar Bhusal gave closing remarks. Mr. Barun Poudel, Secretary, SOHAM-Nepal  conducted the programme.

A discussion Program on ”Climate Change and Citizen Science” was organized by Central Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (CDHM), Community Based Rainfall Measurement-Nepal (CORAM-Nepal), Institute for Social and Environment Transition- Nepal (ISET-Nepal), Kathmandu Institute of Applied Sciences (KIAS) and RECHAM Consult (Pvt.) Ltd. with support from University of Wyoming, Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DHM) and Society of Hydrologists and Meteorologists-Nepal (SOHAM-Nepal) on July 8, 2016 at Nepal Tourism Board Hall, Bhikutimandap, Kathmandu.

The programme began with warm welcome speech by Mr. Suresh Marahatta, RECHAM Consult.  During the technical session, four technical presentations were delivered.

• “Weather Forecasting Practices in Nepal” by Mr. Suman Kumar Regmi, Secretary General, SOHAM-Nepal/DHM
• “Flood Forecasting Practices in Nepal” by Mr. Rajendra Sharma, DHM
• “Community Based Science and Climate Research” by Mr. Ajaya Dixit, Executive Director, ISET Nepal
• “Use of GPS in Weather Forecasting” Dr. Loknath Adhikari, RECHAM Consult

Mr. Jagat Kumar Bhusal, Chairperson, SOHAM-Nepal, Mr. Kiran Shankar Yogacharya, Former Chairperson, SOHAM Nepal and Former DG, DHM, Prof. Dr. Sadhana Pradhananga, CDE/TU and Dr. Laxmi P Devkota, Chairman, IHP Nepal and Budhigandaki Hydroelectric Project Development Committee (BHPDC) also expressed their views on Climate Change and Citizen Science. The programme was targeted to twenty six science school teachers of Kathmandu valley. On the occasion, representatives from various institutions also took part in the programme. The programme was chaired by Prof. Dr. Deepak Aryal, Head, CDHM. The chief guest of the programme was Dr. Jagadishwor Karmacharya, Deputy Director General, DHM.

An inception meeting on “Citizen science based Hydrological monitoring practices for flood forecasting and early warning systems (EWSs)” was organized  in Kathmandu on May 30, 2016. The meeting was a part of the Ecosystem Services for Poverty Alleviation- Regional Opportunity Fund (ESPA-ROF) project led by the Grantham Institute, Imperial College London in partnership with Practical Action Nepal, the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DHM) and the Society of Hydrologists and Meteorologists-Nepal (SOHAM-Nepal).

The main purpose of the meeting was to share and to discuss about current practices of flood forecasting and early warning systems (EWSs) in Nepal, low-cost sensors for participatory environmental monitoring, some results from ongoing Mountain-EVO project in Mustang and the role of citizen science practices in flood resilience programme of Nepal.

Dr. Wouter Buytaert and Dr. Bhopal Pandey from Imperial College were the key experts in the meeting. Local experts representing various institutions engaged in EWSs were also present in the meeting. On behalf of SOHAM-Nepal, Mr. Jagat Kumar Bhusal-Chairperson, Mr. Suman Kumar Regmi-Secretary General, Mr. Barun Poudel-Secretary, Mr. Binod Parajuli-Executive Member, Dr. Prem Sagar Chapagain-Senior Researcher and Mr. Santosh Regmi-Researcher, attended the programme. There were altogether four technical presentations during the technical session. On behalf of SOHAM-Nepal, Mr. Santosh Regmi also delivered a technical presentation on Participatory monitoring: Impact & Outcomes – A case study from Upper Kaligandi Basin, Mustang.

Mr. Kiran Shankar Yogacharya was recognized by Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) for remarkable contribution in the field of science and technology. He was awarded by a certificate of appreciation with cash amount NPR 15,000/- on December 6, 2015 in Kathmandu.

Mr. Yogacharya is a life member, former Chairperson of SOHAM Nepal and former Director General of Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, Government of Nepal. He is also well known as Swami Shivalingam Saraswati, a prominent Master of Yoga and  the founder of the Yoga Mediation Center in Kathmandu, Nepal.