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Neotectonic and climatic control on channel evolution in the Himalayan foot-hill, northern West Bengal, India – A case study

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Abstract

The piedmont forming the southern foot-hill plain of the Himalayan mountain chain in the Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal, India, is composed of coalesced alluvial fan deposits of the Quaternary Period. Neotectonic dislocations affected the piedmont plain and controlled the river system that reincised the fan deposits. Stream length gradient index, sinuosity index, braiding index, channel migration, and change of position of the confluence of the Jaldhaka and Daina rivers are estimated for 90 years (1930–2020) to decipher the role of neotectonism and climate on the channel evolution pattern. Neotectonics have played a major role in the pattern of channel evolution. Still, variable monsoonal discharges have also controlled the channel characteristics to a large extent, particularly in the lower reaches.

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Acknowledgement

The authors are grateful to the authority of the Techno India University, West Bengal for laboratory support and continuous encouragement.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth Sciences, Techno India University, Salt Lake, Sector V, Kolkata, 700 091, India

    Rajasree Naskar & H N Bhattacharya

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  1. Rajasree Naskar
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  2. H N Bhattacharya
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Contributions

Rajasree Naskar: Field investigation, simulation of data, compilation of data, data interpretation, drafting of the manuscript, preparation of the figures and map. H N Bhattacharya: Field investigation, visualization, conceptualization, data interpretation, reviewing and editing the manuscript and figures.

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Correspondence to H N Bhattacharya.

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Communicated by George Mathew

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Naskar, R., Bhattacharya, H.N. Neotectonic and climatic control on channel evolution in the Himalayan foot-hill, northern West Bengal, India – A case study. J Earth Syst Sci 132, 2 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-022-02015-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-022-02015-8

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