Nepal flood warning system coverage is set to grow. A new 2026-27 white paper from the Hydrology and Water Resources Research Centre lays out plans to install flood early-warning systems in six more river basins and to lower water levels in four glacial lakes that are considered high risk. For families building homes near rivers in the Terai or below glacier-fed valleys, this is useful news, because early warnings save lives and give people time to protect property.
What happened
The Hydrology and Water Resources Research Centre, set up in July under the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, has published its first white paper, as reported by The Kathmandu Post. The centre brings together hydrology divisions and sections that used to sit inside the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, and it now works under the Water and Energy Commission Secretariat.
The paper puts disaster risk reduction, climate-resilient infrastructure, open data and scientific research at the centre of its plans. Its headline priority is expanding the Nepal flood warning system network and reducing the danger of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), which are becoming more likely as warmer temperatures speed up glacier melt in the Himalayas.
Key details of the Nepal flood warning system plan
- Six river basins: New early-warning systems will go into the Mawa-Ratuwa, Bakraha, Lakhandehi, East Rapti, West Rapti and Mohana-Khutiya basins under the Priority River Basins Flood Risk Management Project.
- Timeline and budget: That project started in 2022, runs until 2028 and has a budget of US$7.54 million.
- Four glacial lakes: The GLOF Sanjibani Project aims to lower water levels in Thulagi (Manang), Lower Barun (Sankhuwasabha), and Lumding Tsho and Hongu-2 (Solukhumbu).
- Glacial lake budget: The Sanjibani project runs from 2026 to 2033 with about US$49.9 million in total, including US$20 million allocated to the centre.
- Past experience: The work builds on earlier lake-lowering efforts at Tsho Rolpa in Dolakha and Imja Lake in Solukhumbu.
- Monitoring network: The country already has 250 river-level stations (230 of them automated), 15 glacial-lake stations, 13 glacier and water stations, 50 automatic rainfall stations, and 33 stations each for sediment and water quality.
- Regional offices: The centre has opened offices in Dharan, Pokhara, Kohalpur and Attariya, plus field project offices in Sindhuli and Jumla. The National Water Resources Laboratory in Godawari is also being upgraded for hydraulic modelling and sediment testing.
Why it matters for homeowners in Nepal
Floods and landslides damage thousands of homes in Nepal almost every monsoon. Many of the basins named in the plan, such as East Rapti and West Rapti, flow through fast-growing towns and farmland in the Terai, where new houses are often built on low ground close to rivers. A working warning system can give families the minutes or hours they need to move people, vehicles and valuables to safety.
Warnings do not replace good building choices, though. A house that sits on a raised plinth, away from the riverbank and outside known flood zones, will still fare far better than one built in the river’s path. This year’s floods on the Bhotekoshi and other rivers showed how quickly roads, bridges and power plants can be cut off, and we have covered that damage in posts like the Benighat to Tatopani road reopening.
The glacial lake work matters for the hills and mountains. A GLOF can send a wall of water and debris many kilometres downstream, so lowering lake levels protects villages, hydropower projects and roads far below the lakes themselves.
What to do next if you are building near a river
- Ask your municipality whether your plot is in a mapped flood or landslide risk zone before you finalise your naksa (building plan).
- Raise the plinth level above the highest flood mark neighbours remember, and keep drainage paths around the house clear.
- Keep a safe setback from the riverbank, and never build on filled land near a stream without a soil test.
- Follow official flood bulletins from the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology during the monsoon, and make sure your family knows where to go if a warning comes.
- Budget for flood-resistant details from the start. Our look at Nepal’s national pride projects also shows how long big public works can take, so plan your own protection rather than waiting.
FAQ
Which rivers will get the new Nepal flood warning system?
The Mawa-Ratuwa, Bakraha, Lakhandehi, East Rapti, West Rapti and Mohana-Khutiya river basins.
Which glacial lakes will be lowered?
Thulagi in Manang, Lower Barun in Sankhuwasabha, and Lumding Tsho and Hongu-2 in Solukhumbu, under the GLOF Sanjibani Project running from 2026 to 2033.
Who is in charge of this work?
The Hydrology and Water Resources Research Centre, formed in July under the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation and operating under the Water and Energy Commission Secretariat.
Does a warning system make it safe to build near a river?
No. It gives people time to get out, but the safest choice is still to build outside flood zones, on a raised plinth, with proper setbacks and drainage.
Source: The Kathmandu Post, October 26, 2026. Additional reference: Department of Hydrology and Meteorology.