Projects
S4W-Nepal Projects
Citizen Science-based Hydro-meteorological Monitoring of the Kathmandu Valley
The project focuses on the Kathmandu Valley, where extreme population growth has led to extensive stress and water resources degradation and associated ecosystems. The project focuses on mobilizing young researchers and citizen scientists with simple field data collection methods, low-cost sensors, and a mobile data collection platform that can be standardized and scaled. The ultimate goal is to improve our understanding and management of water through filling data and knowledge gaps in resource and data-scarce regions while enhancing the quality and applicability of young researchers’ efforts. The project aims to monitor rainfall, stream and groundwater levels and quality, freshwater biodiversity, and conduct several short-term measurement campaigns focused on monsoon rainfall, land-use changes, stone spout flow, and quality, streamflow, and stream-aquifer interactions. This is a one-year project funded by SmartPhones4Water (S4W). The project is a continuation of a citizen science project (2016-2019) funded by the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) and SmartPhones4Water (S4W).
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S4W-Nepal Projects
MESSHI
The MESSHI (Monitoring and Evaluating Suspended Sediment in the Himalayas) project is a collaborative initiative between S4W-Nepal and the University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania USA. This project embraces a citizen science approach, wherein citizen scientists are actively involved in collecting suspended sediment samples and other essential data at certain time intervals. This innovative approach is further complemented by the integration of cost-effective sediment sensors, enhancing the project’s data collection capabilities. The ultimate goal of the project strives to provide valuable insights into the intricate sediment dynamics of the rivers of Nepal, facilitate a deeper understanding of potential impacts on rivers, and support the development of research-based effective river management strategies.
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S4W-Nepal Projects
REAMO
REAMO (Real-time Asian Meteorological Observatory) aspires to make meteorological data freely available and develop applications throughout (High Mountain) Asia by promoting and developing extensive networks of weather stations from the plains to the mountains. REAMO is a joint initiative of Utrecht University, S4W-Nepal, ICIMOD, and USOME and builds on years of scientific expertise, regional knowledge, and the latest web and weather station technology.
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S4W-Nepal Projects
VICTORY
VICTORY (Visualizing the Power of Citizen Science Through Observations and Repository for Anticipatory Action) project is a collaborative initiative of S4W-Nepal and the Institute of Himalayan Risk Reduction Center (IHRR) and funded by the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC). The project is implemented in the Bhimeshwor Municipality, Dolakha, and Barbaribiya Municipality, Bardiya for a year. The project harnesses the collective strength of communities, turning everyday individuals into scientific contributors for the Early Warning System (EWS) in floods and landslides via the use of low-cost hardware (precipitation and water level sensors) and software solutions (citizen science crowdsourcing mobile application).
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S4W-Nepal Projects
CSDRR
CSDRR (Empowering Communities: Visualization of Citizen Science Contribution in Disaster Risk Reduction) Project is led by S4W-Nepal with financial support from APN. It is implemented in collaboration with IHRR, CREEW, HDCS, and CDHM, TU. The project harnesses the power of citizen science and low-cost tools—such as soda bottle rain gauges (for rainfall measurement) and bamboo staff gauges (for surface water level monitoring)—to support disaster risk reduction in a landslide- and flood-prone areas, specifically Dordi Rural Municipality (Lamjung) and Nason Rural Municipality (Manang). The project aims to strengthen local resilience by improving disaster preparedness, response, and decision-making. By utilizing citizen science data, the project enables anticipatory action and promotes evidence-based strategies for mitigating disaster risks.
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S4W-Nepal Projects
Smartphone-Based Urban Flood Modelling
This project aims to develop and implement a citizen science-based streamflow monitoring network to address the severe urban flooding challenges of the Kathmandu Valley. The project focuses on operationalizing a unique smartphone-based technology called the Discharge app to generate high-resolution time-series data of streamflow, overcoming the limitations of traditional measurement techniques. The Discharge app is an innovative smartphone application that enables users to conduct non-contact optical flow measurements of streams. This project is carried out in collaboration with Photrack AG.
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