Natural springs in many contexts, including in mountain and water-limited (arid or semi-arid) landscapes, are often biodiversity hotspots and keystone ecosystems that have a disproportionate influence on surrounding landscapes given their usually small size.
When the rains wreaked havoc in Nepal in September 2024 and the centralised water supply system broke down, a couple of villages sought refuge in those enduring entities, which the villagers had largely forgotten about: springs.
Upon initial gaze, the Chattogram Hill Tracts greets you with lush green hills, lakes, waterfalls, and thriving forests that stretch endlessly. One might ponder: how can such a place grapple with water scarcity?
Chhirak Maya Rai, 82, has witnessed remarkable changes throughout her life, though water was never an issue in her community.
Time to move away from a hard-engineering approach and embrace nature-based solutions for water security in hill and mountain communities