(introduction...)
The BTRT watershed area is located at about 10 Km east of
Pokhara, in the Kaski District of the Western Development Region. In 1985, the
Department of Soil Conservation and Watershed Management initiated a watershed
management project in the BTRT watershed area with the cooperation of CARE
International. The project aims at improving the lives of the approximately
31,000 people inhabiting in the project area. It covers an area of 173
Km2, including the two major lakes Begnastal and Rupatal and three
other minor lakes namely: Khaste, Dipang and Maidi. There are seven Village
Development Committees (VDC) in the watershed area, namely: Rakhi, Kalika,
Majthana, Begnas, Rupakot, Lekhnath and Hanspur. Two motorable roads link the
watershed area to the Kathmandu-Pokhara highway and several foot trails are well
established inside the watershed.
The watershed has steep north and south facing slopes of
40°-65° and 35°-400, respectively. The topography
determines the demographic distribution. The majority of the population is
concentrated on the south-facing slopes suitable for agriculture. North facing
slopes are often covered by forests. The watershed altitude varies from 600 m to
1120 m AMSL (K.C. et al,
1987).
