ABSTRACT
In order to improve our understanding of climate, regional and local hydrological systems, water uses and society, we must appreciate the interdependence of climate and landscape. The Himalayan region that straddles northern Nepal determines its climate, and, in turn, the climate affects the topographical system. The Himalayan region serves as a barrier between the Tibetan plateau and the Gangetic plain and contributes to the creation of a rich water regime with marked seasonal and spatial variations. Because of the complex topography and geology of this tectonically active region, rainfall and stream fl ows vary signifi cantly over short distances. The extent and magnitude of precipitation in the region, whether it falls as rain or snow, is infl uenced by temperature, wind speed, radiation and location.
