Key Takeaways:
- Seepage phenomenon: water entering farmland through the ground, not riverbanks
- Hundreds of bighas waterlogged in Barahakshetra Municipality
- Seepage observed at 150,000–180,000 cusecs, lower than past flood levels
- Farmers fear long-term damage to farmland and livelihoods
- Sediment deposits raising riverbed by ~5.7 cm annually
- Rajabas elevation ~99m vs. Koshi riverbed ~115–120m
- Land east of embankment reportedly 6.5 feet higher, complicating terrain
- Locals warn seepage could eventually affect settlements, not just farmland
Farmers in Rajabas are facing an unusual threat from the Saptakoshi River: their fields are being inundated even though the river has not reached the levels seen during past major floods.
The water is not entering from the riverbank. It is reportedly seeping through the ground into farmland as the level of the Saptakoshi rises, a phenomenon locally known as seepage.
Hundreds of bighas of cultivable land in Barahakshetra Municipality have been waterlogged, raising concerns among farmers who depend on the riverbank fields for their livelihoods.
According to Khem Dumi, secretary of the Koshi Concern Committee, seepage has emerged even at river flows considerably lower than those recorded during major floods. "Even when the Koshi reached a flow of around 300,000 cusecs after 1988, seepage was not seen in Rajabas. Since last year, however, water has started seeping into farmland even when the river flow is comparatively low," he said.
This year, seepage has been observed at 150,000–180,000 cusecs.
While immediate concerns focus on crop damage, locals fear the future of farmland itself. They attribute the seepage to sediment accumulation in the Koshi riverbed, which has been rising by about 5.7 cm annually.
A channel was excavated in 2068 BS to manage river levels, but locals say the problem has returned. Rajabas lies at ~99m above sea level, while the Koshi riverbed is estimated at 115–120m, creating pressure on surrounding terrain. Land east of the embankment has reportedly risen by 6.5 feet, further complicating the situation.
Concerned residents have formed the Koshi Concern Committee, calling for intervention from local, provincial and federal governments. They want channels opened, sediment managed and natural river flow maintained.
The committee has also urged a pilot channel in coordination with India, arguing that Koshi management requires bilateral cooperation.
For generations, the Koshi's danger has been linked to major floods. But in Rajabas, seepage is raising a different concern: the river may be creating problems even before a flood arrives.
Locals fear that if the riverbed continues to rise and seepage intensifies, settlements could eventually be affected during normal flows.
For Rajabas farmers, the water accumulating in their fields is more than a seasonal problem. It is a warning that waiting for the next flood may no longer be enough to manage the Koshi's risks.