| Overview : UNDP’s ‘Comprehensive Disaster Risk Management Programme (CDRMP) has been working with Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DHM), Ministry of Population and Environment for strengthening the capacity of DHM in quality data collection, analysis for Flood Early Warning Systems (EWS) for the dissemination of weather and stream-flow forecasts. DHM and UNDP/CDRMP have been working in joint collaboration towards the establishment of the telemetric stations in Rolwaling valley – Tsho Rolpa, Dolakha; Riu- Khola sub watershed, Chitwan, one AWS station in Kunathari, the downstream of Sot Khola subwatershed, Surkhet district. The installation of hydrological and AWS stations in Sindhupalchok district have been already started. Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DHM) monitors hydrological and meteorological activities in Nepal. DHM monitoring systems are primarily based on the guidelines provided by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The equipment that has been installed in the telemetric stations meet the WMO standard so as to acquire quality data. UNDP/CDRMP is planning to support DHM for upgrading 3 hydro-met stations in three districts namely Dolakha (Melung), Sindhupalchok ( Sarmanthang) and Surkhet ( Sot Khola- upstream- Gadhi). Considering the high vulnerability of the selected districts, Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DHM) has initiated activities in partnership with different stakeholders in collecting, analyzing and disseminating disaster preparedness programs with state of the art hydro met stations. These automatic stations have been instrumental to develop/ establish the Early Warning System (EWS) which is likely to save lives and valuable properties. Community Based Early Warning System (CBEWS), a people-centered approach to EWS, has strong training and awareness components, which will be instrumental in empowering the vulnerable to become climate resilient communities. The proposed stations are primarily designed for quality data collection for flood and general weather forecasting purpose. The weather and hydrological information can be utilized for increasing agricultural productivities and for developing climate smart agricultural system contributing to enhanced livelihood of the communities. Combination of such activities can provide scope for adaptation opportunities to climatic changes. Table 1 presents the Hydrological and meteorological stations that are proposed in three districts with the details of the selected instrumentation and stations. The hydrometric station will be equipped with staff gauge, radar-based water level recorder and rain gauge, Water level and rainfall data need to be transmitted on real time basis. All the stations need to be equipped with real time data acquisition system. The collected data needs to be linked with existing server of DHM with proper dissemination in the existing website and portal. Data received from the established system will be used to predict warnings, which need to be disseminated in real time basis to the public. With the knowledge awareness about these data, people will enhance their adaptability to the changing scenario of climate improving their agricultural practices. The station will be operated by DHM for maintaining long term hydrological and meteorological data. Besides hydrological and agro-meteorological modeling, the data will also be used for monitoring climatic variability and climatic changes. | 
