Navigating the Waters of Nepal: Insights on Flood Impacts, Infrastructure, and Resilience
Join the American Society of Nepalese Engineers (ASNEngr) for an engaging online panel discussion on flood hazards, infrastructure challenges, and strategies for strengthening resilience in Nepal.
Our distinguished panelists:
Lalit Jha, P.E., D.WRE, CFM — Vice President, JEO Consulting Group, USA
With over 28 years of providing water resources engineering to the region, he is currently the Vice President of the Water Resources department at JEO Consulting Group. At JEO, he specializes in delivering services through business development, client management, and project management for communities big and small. Throughout his career, he has focused on increasing the resilience of communities across the US Midwest. He has led multiple large-scale flood risk reduction projects through planning, design, and implementation, and has helped create hazard mitigation plans. While locating funding sources to meet jurisdictions’ needs, he has developed more than $500 million in Capital Improvement Program (CIP) projects. To help highlight the importance of community resilience, he frequently presents at national and international industry conferences.
Ranjan Kumar Dahal, PhD — Professor, Central Department of Geology, Tribhuvan University, Nepal
Dr. Dahal is a professional Engineering Geologist and Professor at the TU Central Department of Geology. His research areas include landslides, debris flow, earthquakes, hazard assessment, disaster management, foundation analysis, and geology for roads and dams. With a strong background in geology and geotechnical engineering, he is passionate about applying new technologies to solve real-world challenges. His goal is to advance engineering geological research in Nepal, support sustainable development in the Himalayas, and promote education as a driver of progress and poverty reduction. He has also served as a visiting professor at Kagawa University, Shimane University, and Ehime University in Japan. With 28+ years of experience, he has published 80+ research papers in the field.
Deepak Bikram Thapa Chhetri, PhD — Director of Engineering at Kantipur City College, & Disaster Advisor to CM of Bagmati Province, Nepal
Dr. Deepak Bikram Thapa Chhetri, Ph.D., is a Civil and Environmental Engineer, disaster risk reduction expert, researcher, and academic professional with extensive experience in disaster management, climate change adaptation, resilient infrastructure, and higher education. He currently serves as the Director of Engineering and Head of Civil Engineering at Kantipur City College in Kathmandu and is actively engaged in academic, research, and professional initiatives in disaster risk reduction and climate resilience. He also serves as a Disaster Expert to the Chief Minister of Bagmati Province, providing technical expertise in disaster preparedness, emergency response, recovery, and resilient reconstruction. In addition, he has extensive experience working with Nepal’s security forces, contributing his expertise to disaster preparedness, response, training, capacity development, and emergency management. He also serves as a Visiting Associate Professor at Ehime University in Japan and at the University of the Fraser Valley in Canada. Dr. Chhetri’s professional career encompasses collaboration with universities, government agencies, security institutions, development organizations, and professional bodies in Nepal and internationally. He is committed to bridging engineering, science, policy, and community-based action to support safer, more resilient, and climate-adaptive societies.
Narayan Pokhrel, M. Sc., P. Eng., M. ASCE — Senior Hydrotechnical and Dam Safety Engineer, City of Calgary, Canada
He has more than 30 years of experience in water resources management, hydropower development, water infrastructure, dam engineering, flood risk management, and hazard mitigation projects. Throughout his career, he has led and contributed to numerous high-profile projects involving dam safety assessments, flood modeling, river engineering, and emergency management planning. His notable project experience includes the Tsho Rolpa Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) study and dam-breach modeling undertaken in 1996, the development and implementation of the City of Calgary Flood Emergency Response Online Platform, dam-breach analyses, and river-hazard mapping initiatives. He has also played a key role in advancing flood resilience and risk-informed decision-making through the application of hydrologic and hydraulic modeling. Mr. Pokhrel is one of the editors of the ASNEngr Flood Position Paper 2024 and has made significant contributions to the fields of flood risk management, dam safety, and water infrastructure engineering through both technical practice and professional leadership.
Saturday, September 26, 2026
8:00 PM–9:30 PM US Central Time
Sunday, September 27, 2026
6:45 AM–8:15 AM Nepal Time
Microsoft Teams Meeting Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/284372166903505?p=JOyNBbPbMMEvdTfmNO
Teams Meeting ID: 284 372 166 903 505
Passcode: d8gE6vd3
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#FloodResilience #Infrastructure #WaterResources
#GLOF #Hydrology #HydraulicEngineering
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