Detail Engineering Report (Phase-I)

2. Description of the Project Area

Chapter II

2. 2.1

DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT AREA Location

Daraundi Khola is a perennial river originates from the High Mountain range and flows through the Daraundi Valley and joins Marsyangdi River at Anbun Khaireni. The highest location in the
basin is in the northern boundary with an elevation of 5591 m.

Daraundi A Small Hydroelectric Project (DKSHP) is located at Gorkha District of Western Development Region (Figure 2-1). The intake site is located near Muchoktar village of Muchok VDC. The powerhouse site is situated near Chanaute village of Muchok VDC just upstream of confluence between Daraundi Khola and Syagdi Khola. The project area can be approached using feeder road originating from Gorkha Highway (about 11 km from Anbu Khaireni).

Figure 2-1: Project Location in Nepal Map

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2. Description of the Project Area

Geographically, the project is located between latitude 28o0629 N to 280813 N and longitude 84o3932 E to 84 41 33 E. The location map of the project area is shown in Plate1.

Project Location

2.2

Project Access

Plate-1: Project Location in District Map

The access road is required to transport various construction materials as well as machinery plants, equipments to project site for construction purpose and to facilitate operation and maintenance activities in future. The proposed headworks site is located about 25.0 km north from 11 kilo-Chhepetar-Bhaluswara-Barpak road alignment from Anbu Khaireni Gorkha Highway and it is access by motorable gravel road along the right bank of Daraundi Khola. The
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11 kilo-Chhepetar-Bhaluswara-Barpak road alignment is national feeder road. On the other hand, the headworks (Dam site of Daraundi A HEP) is accessible by the 11 kilo-ChhepetarBhaluswara-Barpak road alignment at the Chainage 29+200 and the powerhouse is at chinage 25+500. 2.3 Physical Features

The altitude of the project site varies from 600 m to 680 m from mean sea level. The average gradient of the Khola is about 4% and the Khola width varies from 10 m to 50m. The headworks area is a relatively wide with exposed rock outcrop on the left bank. The terrace land at the downstream of proposed headworks site on the right bank is suitable for the construction of desanding basin. The powerhousee site is located on the cultivated terrace on the right bank of Daraundi Khola at Chanaute. The topography is really favourable for construction of hydropower project. NEA has 33 kV sub-station at Gorkha Bazar 14 km from the powerhouse site of Daraundi A Small Hydroelectric Project. For the construction purpose, there is 11 kV distribution line at the project site. 2.4 Climate

Nepal experiences an exceptional climate variation owing to its difference in elevation. From South to North five different climatic zones exist in the country; these are tropical, sub tropical, temperate, alpine and sub-arctic. However, the dominant climatic influence is that of the southeast monsoon. The climate of the Daraundi river basin is influenced by the physiography of the region. The difference between the warm humid summer and the severe cold winter becomes more marked with the increase in altitude. The south-east monsoon is responsible for almost all the rainfall in the basin. The representative mean annual basin precipitation is around 1767 mm. The monsoon starts in the late June and continues until the late September. This is followed by a dry period and the winter which starts in November and lasts until February, is characterized by short winter monsoon. The climate becomes progressively warmer from February until the beginning
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of the next monsoon. The maximum temperature in the project area generally occurs from April to September and ranges between 31OC~35OC. Similarly, minimum temperature generally occurs in December to February ranges between 3OC to 6.6OC. The maximum temperature recorded is based on the Index No: 809 (Gorkha Station). Similarly, the maximum monthly wind speed at the site with reference to Kathmandu airport is 60km/h.

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