Jack Hayes, Class of 2024
In the summer of 2023, I had the opportunity to join an interdisciplinary team under the guidance of Dr. Sapana Lohani and Associate Professor Robert Dongol for the Nepal Water Initiative—a project dedicated to ensuring the persistence of critical water resource management and supporting local communities among Nepal’s watersheds. Alongside my colleague Joseph Baca and two remarkable graduate students from Nepal Engineering College, Srijan Regmi and Roshan Poudel, we journeyed to diverse communities along the Karnali and Gandaki River Basins, including Chisapani, Bardiya, Chitwan, and Lamjung. Our methods were clear: to document community perceptions and practices through participatory mapping, surveys, and in-depth discussions that honor both rigorous scientific inquiry and indigenous ecological knowledge. (Photo: Scientific computing study group at a local school)
Our research quickly underscored the importance of traditional ecological knowledge, a reservoir of insights that modern scientific methods too often overlook. In each community, we encountered narratives interwoven with deep cultural and spiritual ties to water and surrounding land. These local insights not only enriched our data but also revealed the necessity of integrating community-led mapping and participatory approaches into policy development. While quantitative data can offer clarity, it is the qualitative, place-based narratives that lend both depth and direction to effective water resource management strategies.
We spoke with communities where livelihoods depended on a nearby river and where national park regulations imposed unique challenges on resource access. In these settings, environmental and hydropower development debates were not merely technical or bureaucratic; they were integral to the social fabric in shaping cultural rituals and spiritual practices. Through direct engagement, we witnessed firsthand how traditional practices and ecological stewardship continue to serve as indispensable guides amid the misunderstood evolution of our natural environment. (Photo: Community discussion on water resource management)
Yet, navigating these complex landscapes was not without its challenges. A significant hurdle was overcoming the skepticism directed at junior American researchers in communities facing economic hardships, concerns that were deeply justifiable and reflective of long-held local experiences. Early on, some community members questioned our intentions and the relevance of our work to their immediate concerns.(Photo: Community fishing in the Karnali River)
To bridge this cultural divide, we leaned heavily on the expertise and local credibility provided by Dr. Lohani and our colleagues from Nepal Engineering College. Their involvement was crucial in reinforcing our commitment to respectful, inclusive research practices. Gradually, through shared efforts and genuine engagement, we built the trust necessary for honest dialogue. In several memorable instances, this trust was cemented during moments of shared cultural expression—like an impromptu dance with community members at a local dinner—where academic roles faded, and authentic human connection took center stage. (Photo: Posing for a photo during a participatory mapping session)
Our fieldwork further revealed critical insights into the interplay between developmental infrastructures, such as hydropower dams and diversion canals, and the sustainability of local fisheries and ecosystems. Documenting the community’s lived experiences allowed us to pinpoint the gaps in modern scientific approaches that often neglect socio-cultural and geo-political dimensions. Stakeholders consistently emphasized that conservation strategies cannot succeed without integrating local values, traditions, and wisdom. This feedback reinforced the broader lesson that effective water resource management must be a collaborative endeavor, merging robust scientific methodologies with time-honored community practices.
As I spend more time in my current position within a rigorous engineering program focused on geodesy and the physics of remote sensing, I often reflect on how refreshing my experience with the Nepal Water Initiative was. I deeply value the clarity and precision of well-established physical laws and quantitative spatial statistical theory in my field, yet I sometimes find that these “hard science” approaches can be too rigid for addressing complex, real-world challenges. In many respects, engineering in academia seems to be perpetually playing catch up to the innovative methods developed in proprietary research by private corporations and the military, while the qualitative, community-engaged approach of NWI directly tackles pressing global problems by working hand in hand with communities in need who hold crucial perspectives. This approach not only measures the world with a delicate precision but also listens to its myriad voices, providing a deeper understanding that is essential for meaningful change.