By Saurav Pradhananga
The International Water Management Institute (IWMI), in collaboration with the Central Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (CDHM) at the Tribhuvan University conducted a three-day SWAT+ hydrological modelling of the Karnali River basin in November 2024. The training was conducted as part of extended collaboration between IWMI and CDHM to integrate the SWAT+ model into the masters’ curriculum on hydrology and meteorology.
SWAT+ is an open source and updated version of SWAT, used in hydrological modelling of river basins, which enables decision making for the sustainable use of water resources. The capacity-building effort not only strengthens academic and research programs but also equips future professionals with the expertise needed to address water management challenges. Trained SWAT+ modelers are vital for understanding complex hydrological systems, guiding sustainable planning, and supporting policy decisions to enhance resilience against climate change and water-related risks.
Thirteen participants, including five women, from CDHM and the Central Department of Environment Studies learned about the model setup, calibration and validation of SWAT+ for a sub-catchment of the Karnali River basin. Two students who participated in this training will also be using SWAT+ as the modelling tool for their thesis work.