Factors responsible for temporal and spatial variations in water and sediment discharge in Ramganga River, Ganga Basin, India

Abstract

The Ramganga River flows from the mountainous regions of Kumaon Himalayas, through the forests of Jim Corbett National Park and the Ganga flood plains. It is the first major tributary of the Ganga River, carrying high sediment load causing frequent floods in major cities of Uttar Pradesh. The water discharge of the river is controlled by glacial melt as well as precipitation, making it a perennial river. This study is on the temporal and spatial variation of water discharge and sediment flux of the Ramganga River and identifies the factors which control them. In this study, 84 samples were collected from different locations over the 642 km stretch of the river and its major tributaries to observe the temporal and spatial variation of suspended matter in river water. In addition, daily water flow and sediment concentration data of two locations, e.g. Bareilly and Dabri, for a duration of 10 years were used to understand the variation in those parameters over an extended time period. An attempt was also made to relate meandering to the change in water discharge and sediment flux in the Ganga flood plains. Human activities also contribute to the sediment concentration. The results of this study showed that a significant amount of water flow and sediment flux (>75 %) were attributed to the monsoon months. However, in 2009, the results were not similar to other years, probably because of low rainfall due to the occurrence of an El Nino.