Current Conference:
Hydrogeology of High Mountains: An Emerging Frontier for Water Resources, Landslide Hazard, and Carbon Fluxes

Dhulikhel, Nepal | 18–22 May 2026

Overview and Objectives

Long overlooked, the hydrogeology of mountainous regions has recently burst on the scene as a topic of interest for researchers in multiple areas of geoscience and from diverse parts of the world. Concepts such as “Mountain Block Recharge” extend back at least to the mid-20th Century in the western US, but these phenomena saw modest interest and limited progress in scientific understanding until the past two decades or so.

In recent years, work on the extent and dynamics of mountainous bedrock groundwater has emerged as a key frontier for assessing future scenarios for water resources in a changing climate, for better predicting landslide hazards, and for quantifying weathering reactions that control water quality and global climate over geologic time. It is now clear that high mountains often host important bedrock aquifer systems, with substantial flow that can provide local water resources, sustain river flows downstream, and even provide vital recharge for lowland aquifers. Yet major questions are still to be answered, such as (1) how long and to what extent groundwater can be expected to substitute for declining flows from snow and ice in a warming climate, (2) when and where high mountain ecosystems depend on groundwater, and (3) how groundwater flow controls subsurface water-rock interactions that determine water quality as well as the CO₂ consumption via chemical weathering. These questions—and others like them—cut across major problems in the geosciences, from groundwater management to understanding the operation of global climate-carbon cycle feedbacks over geologic time.

Perhaps because of such wide range in relevance, the recent flurry of progress in high mountain hydrogeology has taken place across disparate sub-disciplines and across a wide geographic scope. To date, much of this work has remained disconnected.

This goal of this Penrose Conference is to bring together those working on high mountain hydrogeology to cross-pollinate, providing a much-needed intellectual space for sharing lessons learned, challenges faced, and future priority directions. The objective will be to set an agenda for coordinated work in this field for the coming decade, in ways that can leverage the combined expertise and diverse perspectives in ways not currently embedded in active research on this topic.

Conference dates: 18-22 May 2026
Field trip (optional): 22-23 May 2026

Organizers

Marin Clark (University of Michigan), A. Joshua West (University of Southern California), Niels Hovius (GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences), Deepak Chamlagain (Tribhuvan University, Tri-Chandra Campus)

Sponsors

The Geological Society of America
US National Science Foundation Frontier Research in Earth Sciences (FRES) Program

Session Formats and Themes

Formats

The conference will include a mix of oral, poster, and discussion session formats.

Oral sessions will feature keynote and invited speakers, as well as presentations drawn from at-large applicants to the conference.

Preliminary keynote speakers: TBD

Poster Sessions will include “lightening presentations” that provide brief (2-3 minute) previews of the poster content. Discussion Sessions provide time for substantive group discussion that include time for smaller group interaction in break-out groups.

Themes

Theme 1: Advances in observational and measurement techniques to characterize high mountain hydrogeology in a changing climate
Theme 2: Modeling mountain water resources in a changing climate: a future for mountain water towers beyond snow and ice?
Theme 3: Ecohydrological dynamics in high mountains
Theme 4: Landslides, debris flows, and outburst floods: the role of hydrological pre- conditioning and triggering
Theme 5: The hydrogeological reactor: Chemical weathering and C fluxes from high mountains
Theme 6: Social vulnerability to changing mountain hydrogeology

Field Trip

The optional field trip will take attendees to the Melamchi River valley, a poster child for the challenges and opportunities in mountain hydrogeology in three key respects: (1) it is the site of the Melamchi Water Supply Project (MWSP), an ambitious inter-basin water transfer project designed to deliver water to the Nepali capital, Kathmandu; (2) it suffers from extensive annual landslide activity and the effects of a devastating, sediment-laden flooding in 2021, sourced from the High Himalaya with devastating consequences for communities downstream and for the MWSP; and (3) it is the location of intensive active scientific research including in mountain hydrology and hydrogeology.

Conference participants will be given the option to participate in a 1-day field trip, a 2-day field trip, or to return to Kathmandu on the morning of Day 5 of the conference (if they do not want to participate in the field portion). To maintain cohesion, the two participant groups taking part in the field trip will be together during Day 1, with those opting for the 1-day field trip returning to Dhulikel in the afternoon, and those opting for the 2-day field trip continuing to Tarke Ghyang (overnight stay) and returning to Dhulikel the next day.

The field trip will take participants across the transition from the relatively subdued topography of the Himalayan Middle Hills, where hillslopes are soil mantled, population density is high, and terraced agriculture is widespread, to the High Himalaya where topography is steep, relief is dramatic (>km), and landslides are prevalent—presenting a stark contrast in hydrogeological boundary conditions. The climb to Ama Yangri Peak will provide those who take part with a stunning view of the High Himalaya and the terrain dominated by glacial activity and seasonal snow.

Attendance, Applications, and Registration

Total conference attendance will be limited to 60-80 participants. Each participant will be expected to present at the conference (either oral or poster presentation), and to attend the full duration of the conference. Submission of an application does not guarantee acceptance, nor does it commit you to attendance.

Applicants will be notified of their attendance by or before 20 February. Registration will open 20 February. Conference participants will be asked to register and submit a full abstract at that time.

International Attendees

Complete and print out your Letter of Invitation

Cost

Thanks to the generous support of our sponsors (including GSA and NSF), portions of the meeting costs will be covered. We are still working on finalizing the registration costs, but we expect it to be about $500 (double occupancy) to $700 (single occupancy) for the main conference. This fee will cover meals, lodging in Dhulikel, Nepal, ground transportation to/from Kathmandu, and facility use for the main 4-day/5-night duration of the conference. It will not cover airfare, lodging in Kathmandu (which is optional and will depend on your choice of travel timing), or participation in the optional post-conference field trip. We will provide estimates of field trip costs soon.

Financial support for attendance will be available. This will be distributed on a needs basis, and might benefit early career researchers, emeriti/late career people, and attendees from low- to mid-income nations. A number of places have also been reserved for Nepali participants at reduced cost.

Conference Venue: Dhulikel Nepal

Located in the mountains approximately 30 kilometers from Kathmandu, Dhulikel features stunning views of some of the world’s highest mountain peaks.

Conference activities and lodging will be hosted in Dhullikel, Nepal.

Travel and Transportation

Transportation to Kathmandu, Nepal

Attendees will be responsible for arranging travel to Kathmandu, Nepal, arriving no later than mid-day 17 May 2026.

The date and time of participants returning to Kathmandu will depend upon field trip participation:
No field trip – Depart Dhulikel at 9am on 22 May, return to Kathmandu ~11am
1-day field trip – Depart Dhulikel at 9am on 23 May, return to Kathmandu ~11am
2-day field trip – Depart Dhulikel at 9am on 24 May, return to Kathmandu ~11am

Attendees will be responsible for arranging accommodations in Kathmandu if arriving before and/or departing after the conference dates.

Some recommendations for hotels in Kathmandu:
Harati
Yak and Yeti (?)

Travel cost support: TBD

Transportation to/from Conference Venue

Transportation between Kathmandu and Dhulikel will be provided. Pick up time and location will be provided to registered participants.

Accommodation and Meals

Lodging and meals will be provided over the duration of the conference at the conference venue. Registration fee includes transportation, meals, and lodging arranged by the conference organizers.

Preliminary Schedule

The following is an example conference schedule and is subject to change.

Day 0

All attendees arrive in Kathmandu no later than this day
Afternoon transfer to Dhulikel (organized by conference)
Evening welcome reception and icebreaker

Day 1
8-9 am: Welcome, introductions, objectives
9 am-12 pm: Morning oral session and discussion
Theme 1: Advances in observational and measurement techniques, Part 1
Hydro-meteorological monitoring
Remote sensing

12-1 pm: Lunch
1-2 pm: Lightning poster presentations related to Theme 1 posters
2-4 pm: Afternoon oral session and discussion
Theme 1, cont: Advances in observational and measurement techniques, Part 2
Shallow geophysics and subsurface imaging
Transit times of water
4-5:30 pm: Tea break and posters (focus on Theme 1 posters)
5:30-7 pm: Discussion

Day 2
8 am-12 pm: Morning oral session and discussion (with tea/coffee break 9:45-10:15 am)
Theme 2: Modeling mountain water resources

12-1 pm: Lunch
1-2 pm: Lightning poster presentations related to Theme 2 and Theme 3 posters
2-4 pm: Afternoon oral session and discussion
Theme 3: Ecohydrological dynamics in high mountains
4-5:30 pm: Tea break and posters (focus on Theme 2 and Theme 3 posters)
5:30-7 pm: Discussion

Day 3
8 am-12 pm: Morning oral session and discussion (with tea/coffee break 9:45-10:15 am)
Theme 4: Landslides, debris flows, and outburst floods

12-1 pm: Lunch
1-2 pm: Lightning poster presentations related to Theme 4 and Theme 5 posters
2-4 pm: Afternoon oral session and discussion
Theme 5: The hydrogeological reactor: Hydrochemistry, chemical weathering and C fluxes
4-5:30 pm: Tea break and posters (focus on Theme 4 and Theme 5 posters)
5:30-7 pm: Discussion

Day 4
8 am-12 pm: Morning oral session and discussion (with tea/coffee break 9:45-10:15 am)
Theme 6: Social vulnerability to changing mountain hydrogeology
11 am-12 pm: Discussion and planning for afternoon synthesis

12-1 pm: Lunch
1-7 pm: Structured discussion and breakout sessions aimed at synthesis

Days 5-6: Optional Field Trip*
9 am: optional return transport to Kathmandu for those not participating in the field trip

*See Field Trip section for field trip information and logistics. See section below for interary.

Field Trip Itinerary

Schedule and locations are subject to change.

Conference Day 5 / Field Trip Day 1
8 am: Departure from Dhulikel
9-10 am: Drive to Melamchi Bazaar
10-11 am: Stop 1 - Melamchi Bazaar (survey of damage from 2021 floods)
11 am-12 pm: Drive to Tallathok
12-1 pm: Stop 2 - Tallathok (hydrology of highly weathered Himalayan Middle Hills)
1-2 pm: Lunch at Tallathok
2-3 pm: Drive to Sermanthang
2-3 pm: Stop 3 - Sermanthang (hydrology of High Himalaya)
3 pm: 1-day group returns to Dhulikel, 2-day group continues to Tarke Ghyang

Conference Day 6 / Field Trip Day 2
4 am: Optional sunrise climb of Ama Yangri Peak
8-9 am: Breakfast at Tarke Ghyang
9-10 am: Drive to Nakote Gorge
10-11:30 am: Stop 4 - Nakote Gorge (dramatic gorge carved during 2021 flood)
11:30 am-12:30 pm: Lunch at Nakote
12:30-2 pm: Drive to Melamchi Water Supply Project
2-3 pm: Stop 5 - Melamchi Water Supply Project
3 pm: 2-day group returns to Dhulikel, with morning departure for Kathmandu on Day 7

For questions, contact deepakchamlagain73@gmail.com or hovius@gfz.de.