The Kaligandaki A hydropower plant is operated by the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) and is the largest power plant in Nepal. Kaligandaki A has faced sedimentation challenges since becoming operational in 2002. In order to better manage sedimentation, the Kaligandaki A Hydropower Plant Rehabilitation Project includes a $0.8 million subcomponent – Catchment Area Treatment (CAT) plan – to manage sediment through investments in the 7,618 km2 upper catchment area.

The upper reaches of the Kaligandaki river originate in the high Himalayas, above about 2,500m elevation. At about 2,500m, the river enters a gorge which extends to and beyond the Kaligandaki dam. Sediment load in Nepalese rivers is among the highest in the world, with the majority of sediments transported during the monsoon season. These high sediment loads are mainly due to the young geologic age of the Himalayas, their active geology, and heavy seasonal rainfall. Natural disasters such as landslides, mass wasting (or slope movement) and debris flows, and glacial lake and landslide dam outburst floods are very frequent and also cause high sediment loads. Anthropogenic activities also contribute to excessive sediment loads, where a lack of integrated spatial planning and development leads to inappropriate land uses implemented in high-risk areas. These include expansion of agriculture onto steep slopes, forest degradation and conversion to anthropogenic uses, and rural road construction without proper sediment management practices.