The Department of Hydrology at IIT Roorkee organised a one-day workshop titled "Himalayan Freshwaters: Assessing the Services and Vulnerability of Freshwater Ecosystems in the Himalayas" on June 6, 2023, as part of the REFRESH project. The following objectives were set for the workshop: 

• To discuss and understand the status and trends of the freshwater ecosystem and its services in the Himalayas.

• To discuss the potential threats and vulnerability of freshwater ecosystems in the Himalayas. 

Over 150 researchers, academicians, students, and experts from India, Nepal, and Bhutan attended the workshop to discuss the ecological status, ecosystem services, threats, and vulnerabilities of Himalayan freshwater systems. The event promoted interdisciplinary knowledge exchange on climate change impacts, glacier and snowmelt dynamics, mountain aquifers, biodiversity conservation, and nature-based solutions such as springshed management through keynote lectures, panel discussions, poster presentations, and brainstorming sessions. The workshop strengthened regional collaboration, emphasized integration of scientific research with local knowledge, and reinforced the collective commitment toward sustainable management and conservation of freshwater ecosystems in the Himalayas

• The workshop began with a keynote address by Prof. Subodh Sharma, who presented a basin-scale ecological assessment of rivers in the Hindu Kush Himalayan region, emphasising the importance of standardised assessment frameworks and the varying pollution stresses between countries.

• Springs and mountain aquifers received special attention, recognising their critical role in supporting nearly half of the Himalayan population and a significant portion of irrigated land, and emphasising the importance of systematic monitoring and recharge studies.

• The growing impacts of climate change, such as glacier retreat, reduced snowfall, altered precipitation patterns, and increased hydroclimatic extremes, were discussed, as well as the implications for water availability, agriculture, hydropower, and ecosystem stability.

•  Concerns about biodiversity, particularly declining fish diversity and habitat fragmentation caused by dams, sand mining, pollution, and land-use change, were highlighted as urgent conservation priorities.

• The ecosystem services framework was promoted as a decision-support tool, emphasising the integration of scientific research, policy planning, and local knowledge for adaptive freshwater management.

• Nature-based solutions, such as springshed management and ecosystem-based approaches, have been identified as practical strategies for increasing freshwater system resilience.

• Long-term glacier and snowmelt monitoring, multi-basin comparative studies, improved data sharing, and increased regional collaboration among Himalayan countries were all proposed at the workshop.

• The poster presentations and brainstorming session promoted research exchange, youth engagement, and the identification of future research directions related to the sustainable management of Himalayan freshwater ecosystems.