WATERS in Nepal - Summer 2008

Rice paddies in the Annapurna region

In August 2008 seventeen people participated in an interdisciplinary watershed science program in Nepal that is an international extension to CWU's WATERS Program (Watershed Science To Enhance Research in Schools; see also http://www.cwu.edu/~waters).

Khudi River swollen by monsoon rains (stage poles on right side)

The program was led by CWU Geological Sciences professor, Beth Pratt-Sitaula, but included watershed-related research projects in environmental chemistry, biology, geology, and resource management.

Jeff Hashimoto and Jyoti Kumar discuss river sediment sampling sites

Participants attended an orientation workshop at Kathmandu's Tribhuvan University and then spent several weeks in the Himalayan mountains doing field projects and helping teach English and science in a rural government school. Three CWU professors, 5 CWU MS students, 3 Kittitas county science teachers, and 6 Nepali MS students were included in the program.

Nepal WATERS participants group photo