Structural

Sub-basins were identified as high or medium priority for structural investments (check dams, settling basins, channel engineering) based on the relative effectiveness and cost of non-structural investments in reducing sediment in the Kaligandaki Basin.

• Five basins met the criteria for high priority for structural investments, meaning that the possible reduction in sediment was very low, even if all land management activities were implemented everywhere possible. One of these (sub-basin #89) is located just west of the Kaligandaki reservoir.
• Two sub-basins that met the criteria for “medium” priority for structural investments. These sub-basins had high baseline sediment loads, but the cost-effectiveness of reducing those loads through the modeled land management activities was an order of magnitude lower: 0.006 and 0.003 tons of sediment reduced per USD spent, versus 0.011 tons/USD in the highest-ranking sub-basin. These were sub-basins 76 and 84, located in the lower portion of the watershed.