Flood Risk Management in River Basin Communities: An Integrated Flood Governance Analytical Framework

: The intensity and frequency of floods are rising in Nepal, and river basin communities are under direct threat of flooding. National and local governments are adopting different measures to mitigate and manage the impact of flooding in at-risk communities. Using Rajapur Municipality as a case study, this research applied a mixed-methods approach integrating geospatial analysis with qualitative inquiry. Guided by Complexity Theory, the study examined how environmental conditions, institutional arrangements, and community responses interact to influence flood management. Findings were synthesized using the Integrated Flood Governance Analytical Framework, which integrates spatial flood exposure, governance capacity, community adaptive capacity, flood management practices, and the governance–exposure interface into a unified analytical framework. The proposed framework indicates that flood resilience is shaped not only by physical exposure but also by the interaction among governance institutions, community adaptation, and environmental dynamics. Beyond Rajapur Municipality, the framework offers an approach that can be adapted and tested in river basin communities facing similar socio-environmental conditions.