Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Development of the Dharala River Course and Its Response to Neotectonic Indentations-Evidences from Old Data Inventory, Satellite Images and Sedimentary Architecture

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Himalayan Neotectonics and Channel Evolution

Part of the book series: Society of Earth Scientists Series ((SESS))

Abstract

Himalayan Foreland Basin (HFB) has been a fluvio-geomorphic domain of hyper-avulsive rivers associated with numerous abandoned channels. This study contemplates the evolution of a presently abandoned channel named Dharala and the echoes of neotectonic controls in it. Analysing the old data inventory in the forms of old maps since 1767 and colonial literature along with fine resolution digital datasets and validation of those using geomorphic markers and sedimentary archives have been the major stance of this study during establishing the facts of channel development. While marking out the tectonic controls in the process of channel development morphotectonic approach was embarked using the indices related to channel planform; Regional Sinuosity, Topographical Sinuosity index, Meander Arc Angle and Meander Shape Index along with channel orientation parameters; channel parallelism to neotectonic confinement and meander bends direction. Dharala River, one of the major branches of Torsa River, was formed primarily through capturing palaeo channels of Jaldhaka River and later on reworked by the major share of discharge of Torsa River. The abnormality in the channel planform with respect to the locational extent, sudden deflections in channel direction around the points where Dharala had encountered lineaments or fault lines had certified the positive controls of neotectonic features. Precisely, intense meandering with sinuosity ranging from 1.20 to 3.12, possible deformations in channel long profile with relatively flatter middle segment, channel segments deflected along the lineaments and fault lines with 42% of the total number of major turns in channel direction that had encountered neotectonic confinements, confined meandering with 21% of total bends oriented in the NNE-SSW direction and the existence of micro-terraces and entrenched channel segments had showcased neotectonic controls on the development of Dharala River.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Abdullatif OM (1989) Channel-fill and sheet-flood facies sequences in the ephemeral terminal River Gash, Kassala Sudan. Sediment Geol 63(1–2):171–184. https://doi.org/10.1016/0037-0738(89)90077-8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Agarwal RP, Bhoj R (1992) Evolution of Kosi fan, India: structural implications and geomorphic significance. Int J Remote Sens 13(10):1891–1901

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alam MK, Hassan AKMS, Khan MR, Whitney JW (1990) Geological map of Bangladesh. Geol Surv Bangladesh, Dhaka, Scale 1:1 000 000

    Google Scholar 

  • Ambili V, Narayana A (2014) Tectonic effects on the longitudinal profiles of the Chaliyar River and its tributaries, Southwest India. Geomorphology 217:37–47

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aslan A, Autin WJ, Blum MD (2006) Causes of River avulsion: insights from the late Holocene avulsion history of the Mississippi River, U.S.A.-reply. J Sediment Res 76(6):960–960. https://doi.org/10.2110/jsr.2006.077

  • Barman SD, Islam A, Das BC, Mandal S, Pal SC (2019) Imprints of Neo-tectonism in the evolutionary record along the course of Khari River in Damodar Fan delta of Lower Ganga Basin. In: Das BC, Islam A, Ghosh S (eds) Quaternary geomorphology in India. Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-90427-6

  • Bandopadhyay B (2007) Coochbehar-Er Itihas. Dey’s Publishing, Kolkata

    Google Scholar 

  • Bandyopadhyay S (1996) Location of the Adi-Gannga palaeo channel, South 24- Parganas, West Bengal: a review. Geogr Rev India 58(2):93–109

    Google Scholar 

  • Bhuiyan MH, Kumamoto T, Suzuki S (2015) Application of remote sensing and GIS for evaluation of the recent morphological characteristics of the lower Brahmaputra-Jamuna River Bangladesh. Earth Sci Inform 8(3):551–568

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boyd KF, Schumm SA (1995) Geomorphic evidence of deformation in the northern part of the New Madrid seismic zone. U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper, 1538-R

    Google Scholar 

  • Chakraborty T, Kar R, Ghosh P, Basu S (2010) Kosi megafan: historical records, geomorphology and the recent avulsion of the Kosi River. Quatern Int 227(2):143–160. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2009.12.002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chakraborty T, Ghosh P (2010) The geomorphology and sedimentology of the Tista megafan, Darjeeling Himalaya: implications for megafan building processes. Geomorphology 115(3–4):252–266

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chattopadhyay GC, Das A (1979) Neotectonics in the Tista-Jaldhaka and Torsa interfluvial belt of North Bengal. In: GSI-record, vol 121, pp 101–109. Calcutta, GSI

    Google Scholar 

  • Choudhury HN (1903) The Coochbehar State and its land revenue settlements. C.E.S. Press. Cooch Behar. Reprint 2010. Edi. N. L. Paul. N. L. Pub. Siliguri. WB. India

    Google Scholar 

  • Das BC (2014) Two indices to measure the intensity of meander. In: Singh RB, Hassan MI (eds) Advances in geographical and environmental sciences, pp 233–246

    Google Scholar 

  • Farhaduzzaman M, Islam MA, Abdullah WH, Islam M (2015) Petrography and diagenesis of the tertiary surma group reservoir sandstones, Bengal Basin Bangladesh. Univers J Geosci 3(3):103–117. https://doi.org/10.13189/ujg.2015.030304

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gregory DI, Schumm SA (1987) The effect of active tectonics on alluvial river morphology. In: Richards K (ed) River environment and processes, pp 41–68. Institute of British Geographers Special Publication, 18. Blackwell, New-York

    Google Scholar 

  • Goodbred SL Jr, Kuehl SL (2000) The significance of large sediment supply, active tectonism, and eustasy on margin sequence development: late quaternary stratigraphy and evolution of the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta. Sed Geol 133(3–4):227–248

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goodbred SL Jr, Kuehl SA, Steckler MS, Sarker MH (2003) Controls on facies distribution and stratigraphic preservation in the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta sequence. Sed Geol 155:301–316

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goswami C, Mukhopadhyay D, Poddar BC (2013) Tectonic control on the drainage system in a Piedmont region in tectonically active eastern Himalayas, pp 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11707-012-0297-z

  • Goswami PK, Pant CC, Pandey S (2009) Tectonic controls on the geomorphic evolution of alluvial fans in the Piedmont Zone of Ganga plain, Uttarakhand India. J Earth Syst Sci 3:245–259

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goswami U, Sarma JN, Patgiri AD (1999) River channel changes of the Subansiri in Assam India. Geomorphology 30(3):227–244. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0169-555X(99)00032-X

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gunning JF (1911) Eastern Bengal and Assam District Gazetteers; Jalpaiguri. Government of West Bengal

    Google Scholar 

  • Hack JT (1973) Stream-profile analysis and stream-gradient index. J Reseach US Geol Surv 1(4):421–429

    Google Scholar 

  • Hunter WW (1871) Statistical account of Bengal. XI. Trübner & Company, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Holbrook J, Schunun SA (1999) Geomorphic and sedimentary response of rivers to tectonic deformation: a brief review and critique of a tool for recognizing subtle epeirogenic deformation in modern and ancient settings, vol 305, pp 287–306

    Google Scholar 

  • Hossain S Md, Khan SH, Chowdhury KR, Abdullah R (2019) Synthesis of the tectonic and structural elements of the Bengal basin and its surroundings. In: Mukherjee S (ed) Tectonics and structural geology: Indian Context, pp 135–218. Springer Nature, Switzerland. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-99341-6_6

  • Jain V, Sinha R (2004) Fluvial dynamics of an anabranching river system in Himalayan foreland basin. Baghmati River, North Bihar Plains, India 60:147–170. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2003.07.008

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jain M, Tandon SK, Bhatt SC (2004) Late Quaternary stratigraphic development in the lower Luni, Mahi and Sabarmati river basins, western India. Proc Indian Acad Sci Earth Planet Sci 113(3):453–471. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02716736

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jain V, Sinha R (2005) Response of active tectonics on the alluvial Baghmati River, Himalayan foreland basin, eastern India. Geomorphology 70(3–4 SPEC.ISS.):339–356. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2005.02.012

  • Jana MM (2006) North Bengal Rivers, behavioural pattern and impact on development. In: Sengupta S (ed) Rivers and riverine landscape in North East India, Concept Publishing Company, New Delhi, pp 163–168

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaushal RK, Singh V, Mukul M, Jain V (2017) Identification of deformation variability and active structures using geomorphic markers in the Nahan salient, NW Himalaya, India. Quat Int 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2017.08.015

  • Klang D (1996) Experiences from the transformation, correction, revision and production of topographic orthophoto maps of the baltic states using SPOT data—the potential of semi-automatic data acquisition methods. Int Arch Photogramm Remote Sens 31(B4):454–459

    Google Scholar 

  • Khan MR (2002) Plate tectonics and Bangladesh. J Asiat Soc Bangladesh Sci Gold Jubil Issue 28(2):39–62

    Google Scholar 

  • Khandoker RA (1989) Development of major tectonic elements of the Bengal Basin: a plate tectonic appraisal Bangladesh. J Sci Res 7:221–232

    Google Scholar 

  • Kumar R, Ghosh SK, Mazari RK, Sangode SJ (2016) Tectonic impact on the fluvial deposits of Plio-Pleistocene Himalayan foreland basin: implication for tectonic and climatic decoupling Tectonic impact on the fluvial deposits of Plio-Pleistocene Himalayan foreland basin, India, (September). https://doi.org/10.1016/S0037-0738(02)00267-1

  • Laha C, Bandyopadhyay S (2013) Analysis of the changing morphometry of River Ganga, shift monitoring and vulnerability analysis using space-borne Techniques: a statistical approach. Int J Sci Res Publ 3(7):1–10

    Google Scholar 

  • Lahiri SK, Sinha R (2012) Tectonic controls on the morphodynamics of the Brahmaputra River system in the upper Assam valley, India. Geomorphology 169:74–85. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2012.04.012

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee CS, Tsai LL (2010) A quantitative analysis for geomorphic indices of longitudinal river profile: a case study of the Choushui River, Central Taiwan. Environ Earth Sci 59:1549–1558. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-009-0140-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leopold LB, Wolman M, Miller JP (1965) Fluvial processes in geomorphology. San Francisco and London, W.H. Freeman and Co.

    Google Scholar 

  • Li L, Lu X, Chen Z (2007) River channel change during the last 50 years in the middle Yangtze River, the Jianli reach. Geomorphology 85:185–196

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lu P, Shang Y (2015) Active tectonics revealed by river profiles along the Puqu fault. Water 7:1628–1648. https://doi.org/10.3390/w7041628

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Majumder D (1977) West Bengal District Gazetteers, Cooch Behar. Government of West Bengal

    Google Scholar 

  • Malik JN, Mohanty C (2007) Active tectonic influence on the evolution of drainage and landscape: geomorphic signatures from frontal and hinterland areas along the Northwestern Himalaya, India. J Asian Earth Sci 29:604–618. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jseaes.2006.03.010

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mazumdar K, Sengupta R, Mishra MN (2001) Neotectonism in Brahmaputra Valley, Assam. National symposium on role of earth sciences in integrated development and related societal issues. Geol Surv India Spec Publ 65(3):227–230

    Google Scholar 

  • Miall AD (1996) The geology of fluvial deposits. Springer, Berlin

    Google Scholar 

  • Miall A (2014) Fluvial depositional systems. Springer International Publishing, Switzerland

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Mitra D, Tangri AK, Singh IB (2005) Channel avulsions of the Sarda River system, Ganga plain. Int J Remote Sens 26(5):929–936. https://doi.org/10.1080/0143116031000102458

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mandal S, Sarkar S (2016) Overprint of neotectonism along the course of River Chel, North Bengal India. J Palaeogeogr 5(3):221–240. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jop.2016.05.004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mohindra R, Parkash B, Prasad J (1992) Historical geomorphology and pedology of the Gandak megafan, Middle Gangetic plains, India. Earth Surf Process Landf 17:643–662

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moussi A, Rebail N, Chaieb A, Saadi A (2018) GIS-based analysis of the stream length-gradient index for evaluating effects of active tectonics:a case study of Enfidha (North-East of Tunisia). Arab J Geosci 11:123. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-018-3466-x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mukhopadhyay SC (2014) Aspects of Hydro-geomorphology of North Bengal drainage, India and surroundings with an emphasis on the Torsa basin. Indian J Landsc Syst Ecol Stud 37(2):163–176

    Google Scholar 

  • Mueller JE (2015) An introduction to the hydraulic and topographic sinuosity indexes. Ann Assoc Am Geogr 58(2):371–385

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ouchi S (1985) Response of alluvial river to slow active tectonic movement. Geol Soc Am 96:504–515

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rashid B, Islam Ul S, Islam B (2016) Evidence of neotectonic activities as reflected by drainage characteristics of the Mahananda River Floodplain. In: Evidence of neotectonic activities as reflected by drainage characteristics of the Mahananda River Floodplain and its adjoining are, (February)

    Google Scholar 

  • Roy S, Sahu A (2015) Quaternary tectonic control on channel morphology on over sedimentary low land: a case study in the Ajoy-Damodar interfluve of Eastern India. Geosci Front 6:927–946

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rudra K (2014) Changing river courses in the western part of the Ganga. Geomorphology 227:87–100

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Saha UD, Bhattacharya S (2016) A study of river induced major hydrogeomorphic issues and associated problems in Torsa basin West Bengal. Geogr Rev India 78(2):132–145

    Google Scholar 

  • Saha UD, Bhattacharya S (2019) Reconstructing the channel shifting pattern of the Torsa River on the Himalayan Foreland Basin over the last 250 years. Bull Geogr Phys Geogr Ser 16:99–114. https://doi.org/10.2478/17088

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Saha UD, Bhattacharya S (2020) Application of multi-criteria decision-making approach for ascertaining the avulsion potentiality of the Torsa River course. Model Earth Syst Environ

    Google Scholar 

  • Schumn SA, Dumont JF, Holbrook JM (2000) Active tectonics and Alluvial Rivers. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Seeber L, Gornitz V (1983) River profiles along the Himalayan arc as indicators of active tectonics. Tectonophysics 92:335–367

    Google Scholar 

  • Scorpio V, Surian N, Cucato M, Prá ED, Zolezzi G, Comiti F, Zolezzi G (2018) Channel changes of the Adige River (Eastern Italian Alps) over the last 1000 years and identification of the historical fluvial corridor. J Maps 14(2):680–691. https://doi.org/10.1080/17445647.2018.1531074

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shukla UK, Singh IB, Sharma M, Sharma S (2001) A model of alluvial megafan sedimentation: Ganga Megafan. Sed Geol 144:243–262

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Singh S, Parkash B, Rao MS, Arora M, Bhosle B (2006) Geomorphology, pedology and sedimentology of the Deoha/Ganga-Ghaghara Interfluve, upper Gangetic plains (Himalayan Foreland Basin)—extensional tectonic implications. CATENA 67:183–203. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2006.03.013

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sinha R (1996) Channel avulsion and floodplain structure in the Gandak-Kosi Interfan, North Bihar Plains, India. (K. H. Pfeffer, Ed.) Zeitschrift für Geomorphologie. Supplementbände 103:249–268

    Google Scholar 

  • Sinha R (2009) The great avulsion of Kosi on 18th August 2008. Curr Sci 97(3):429–433

    Google Scholar 

  • Sinha R, Bapalu GV, Singh LK, Rath B (2008) Flood risk analysis in the Kosi river basin, north Bihar using multi-parametric approach of Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). J Indian Soc Remote Sens 36(4):335–349. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12524-008-0034-y

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sinha R, Gibling MR, Jain V, Tandon SK (2005) Sedimentology and avulsion patterns of the anabranching Baghmati River in the Himalayan foreland basin, India. In: Blum MD, Marriott SB, Leclair SF (eds) Fluvial sendimentology, pp 181–196. Special Publication, International Association of Sedimentologists

    Google Scholar 

  • Sinha R, Ahmad J, Gaurav K, Morin G (2014a) Shallow subsurface stratigraphy and alluvial architecture of the Kosi and Gandak megafans in the Himalayan foreland basin, India. Sed Geol 301:133–149. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sedgeo.2013.06.008

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sinha R, Sripriyanka K, Jain V, Mukul M (2014b) Avulsion threshold and planform dynamics of the Kosi River in north Bihar (India) and Nepal: a GIS framework. Geomorphology 216:157–170. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2014.03.035

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sinha-Roy S (2001) Neotectonic significance of longitudinal river profiles: an example from the Banas drainage basin, Rajasthan. J Geol Soc India 58(2):143–156

    Google Scholar 

  • Slingerland R, Smith ND (2004) River avulsions and their deposits. Annu Rev Earth Planet Sci 35:257–285. https://www.annualreviews.org/. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.earth.32.101802.120201

  • Soja R, Sarkar S (2008) Characteristics of hydrological regimes. In: Starkel L, Sarkar S, Soja R, Prokop P (eds) Present-day evolution of Sikkimese-Bhutanese Himalayan piedmont, pp 37–46. Warszawa, StanisÅ‚awa Leszczyckiego

    Google Scholar 

  • Thapa K (1992) Accuracy of spatial data used in geographic information systems. Photogramm Eng Remote Sens 58(6):835–841

    Google Scholar 

  • Timár G (2003) Controls on channel sinuosity changes: a case study of the Tisza River, the great Hungarian plain. Quatern Sci Rev 22:2199–2207

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Toonen WHJ, Kleinhans MG, Cohen KM (2012) Sedimentary architecture of abandoned channel fills. Earth Surf Proc Land 37(4):459–472. https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.3189

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Troiani F, Della SM (2008) The use of the stream length-gradient index in morphotectonic analysis of small catchments: a case study from Central Italy. Geomorphology 102:159–168

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walz U, Berger A (2003) Georeferencing and mosaicking of historical maps—basis for digital time span of landscape analysis. Photogrammetrie, Fernerkundung, Geoinformation 3(2003):213–219

    Google Scholar 

  • Weissmann GS, Hartley AJ, Scuderi LA, Nichols GJ, Owen A, Wright S, Anaya FML (2015) Geomorphology Fluvial geomorphic elements in modern sedimentary basins and their potential preservation in the rock record: a review. Geomorphology 250:187–219. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2015.09.005

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wells NA, Dorr JA (1977) Shifting of the Kosi River, Northern India. Geology 15:204–207

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williams GP (1986) River meanders and channel size. J Hydrol 88:147–164

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zámolyi A, Székely B, Draganits E, Timár G (2010) Neotectonic control on river sinuosity at the western margin of the Little Hungarian plain Geomorphology Neotectonic control on river sinuosity at the western margin of the little Hungarian plain. Geomorphology 122(3–4):231–243. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2009.06.028

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geography, Vivekananda College for Women, Barisha, Kolkata, India

    Ujwal Deep Saha

  2. Vivekananda College for Women, Barisha, Kolkata, India

    Soma Bhattacharya

  3. Department of Earth Sciences, Techno India University, Sector V, Salt Lake, West Bengal, India

    Harendra Nath Bhattacharya

  4. Department of Geography, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, India

    Sanjana Dutt

Authors
  1. Ujwal Deep Saha
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Soma Bhattacharya
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Harendra Nath Bhattacharya
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Sanjana Dutt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth Sciences, Techno India University, Kolkata, India

    Harendra Nath Bhattacharya

  2. Department of Geography, Vivekananda College for Women, Kolkata, India

    Soma Bhattacharya

  3. Department of Geography, Krishnagar Government College, Krishnanagar, India

    Balai Chandra Das

  4. Department of Geography, Aliah University, Kolkata, India

    Aznarul Islam

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2022 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Saha, U.D., Bhattacharya, S., Bhattacharya, H.N., Dutt, S. (2022). Development of the Dharala River Course and Its Response to Neotectonic Indentations-Evidences from Old Data Inventory, Satellite Images and Sedimentary Architecture. In: Bhattacharya, H.N., Bhattacharya, S., Das, B.C., Islam, A. (eds) Himalayan Neotectonics and Channel Evolution. Society of Earth Scientists Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-95435-2_8

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation