Deposition and genesis of alluvial soils in the Indo-Gangetic Alluvial Plain Muzaffarnagar (U.P.)

Abstract

The area under study forms a part of the Indo-Gangetic Alluvial Plain, in Muzaffar Nagar District (Uttar Pradesh). To understand the relation of stratigraphy and geogenesis on one hand, and landscape and pedogensis on the other hand, the study was undertaken through a 40 km. long E-W. Cross-section of the area, with augering upto a depth of five metres or more, Aerial photographs (1:25,000) were used for delineating the major land forms and selection of cross-section and observations sites. Care was taken to cover all the main physiographic units occuring in the survey area. Four distinct depositional phases in Upper Alluvial Plain and two in Lower Alluvial Plain by Ganges, while first braided and then meandering have been recognized. Soil were classified according to Soil Taxonomy (1975), being Inceptisols and Alfisols in the Upper Alluvial Plain and Entisols in the Lower Alluvial Plain.