Indus River Research Articles

Diversity and genetic structure of freshwater shark Wallago attu: an emerging species of commercial interest.

Pakistan has natural freshwater resources acting as a hotspot for diverse fish fauna. However, this aquatic fauna is declining at an alarming rate due to over-exploitation, habitat degradation, water pollution, climate change, and certain anthropogenic activities. The freshwater shark, Wallago attu, is a popular edible catfish inhabiting these freshwater ecosystems. Habitat degradation, overfishing, and human activities are heavily impacting the natural population of this species. So, sound knowledge about its population structure is necessary for its proper management in natural waters. The current study involves utilizing two mtDNA markers (COI, Cytb) to assess the genetic structure and differentiation among W. attu populations of Pakistani Rivers. Genetic variability analysis indicated a high haplotype (0.343 ± 0.046-0.870 ± 0.023) and low nucleotide diversity (0.0024 ± 0.012-0.0038 ± 0.018) among single and combined gene sequences, respectively. Overall, River Indus was populated with more diverse fauna of Wallago attu as compared to River Chenab and River Ravi. Population pairwise, Fst values (0.40-0.61) were found to be significantly different (p < 0.01) among three Riverine populations based upon combined gene sequences. The gene flow for the combined gene (COI + Cytb) dataset among three populations was less than 1.0. The transition/transversion bias value R (0.58) was calculated for testing of neutral evolution, and it declared low genetic polymorphism among natural riverine populations of Wallago attu. The current study's findings would be meaningful in planning the management and conservation of this economically important catfish in future.

Novel Enriched Indus River Flow Dynamics Optimization Algorithm to solve the Electrical Energy -Active Power Loss Reduction and Voltage Stability Enhancement

Novel Enriched Indus River Flow Dynamics Optimization Algorithm to solve the Electrical Energy -Active Power Loss Reduction and Voltage Stability Enhancement

Estimation of loss in arable land and irrigation requirements using high‐resolution imagery and Google Earth Engine

AbstractWater resources planning and management are critical in intricate basins such as the Indus Basin, shared by India and Pakistan under the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) for food security, conserving the environment, sustainable economic development and supporting livelihoods. The present study assesses arable land loss within the Padshahi and Sindh Extension (SE) canal catchments over 54 years, utilizing high‐resolution satellite imagery and Google Earth Engine's normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) derivations for strategizing irrigation efficiency, minimizing water loss and ensuring sustainable utilization of limited water resources under the IWT. Results revealed that irrigated land has decreased from 5127 ha (1966) to 3501 ha (2020) in both canals. The Padshahi canal sees substantial loss (1278 ha), primarily due to the highest transitions from agricultural land/crop land (−69%) to built‐up areas. The SE canal, experiencing shifts to horticulture and plantation, records relatively fewer changes in built‐up areas (348 ha). The monthly variation in the NDVI clearly depicted the high demand for irrigation to cater to agricultural lands with the onset of the sowing season for paddy in the Padshahi (1900 ha) and SE (2600 ha) canals in May.

Reservoir Modelling to assess the Releases and Energy Generation for a Projected Scenario of Tarbela Reservoir in Pakistan

Reservoirs are normally formed by the construction of dams across rivers, but off-channel reservoirs may be provided by diversion structures and canals or pipelines that convey water from a river to natural or artificial depressions. The behaviour of the flow due to construction of dam leads to change in a fluvial process leads to deposition of sedimentation in reservoir. In this research, reservoir modelling has been carried out by using HEC-ResSim for Tarbela reservoir in Pakistan. In Pakistan, the Tarbela Reservoir is the largest reservoir on Indus River and it is the backbone of Pakistan’s agriculture sector and economy. The model was calibrated for year 2014 and validated for year 2020 in terms of outflow and power generation. The results show close comparison between simulated and observed outflow and power values for different scenarios. On the basis of 30-year histogram cycle, the future prediction of releases/outflows, power/energy generation in year 2035 has also been made. After 2035, Tarbela reservoir is expected to become the run-off the river type project due to decrease in the gross storage capacity. As per simulated results of the projected scenario (2035), the releases/outflows from reservoir and energy generation will increase in summer season by 7% and 36% respectively and decrease in winter season by 50% and 37% respectively. Further, the reduction in gross storage capacity due to sedimentation would result in the reduction of annual energy generation by 6.5% in year 2035.

Addressing salinity challenges: A comprehensive analysis of saline water and salt-tolerant soil for sustainable crop production in UC Tando Qaiser, Sindh, Pakistan

This study focuses on the physico-chemical characteristics of soils in UC Tando Qaiser, District Hyderabad, Sindh, Pakistan, irrigated by tube well water. The soil samples were collected at depths of 0-20, 20-40, and 40-60 cm, and their particle size distribution, organic matter content, pH, and salinity were analyzed. Results indicate that the soils are heavy in texture, likely influenced by the parent material deposited by the Indus River. Organic matter content was found to be low, possibly due to the absence of farmyard manure and limited cultivation of green manure crops. The majority of soils exhibit a slightly to medium alkaline reaction, characteristic of calcareous soils with high Ca2+, Mg2+, and K+ content. Slightly-saline soils were observed, emphasizing the need for soil salinity management. Tube well water analysis revealed variations in electrical conductivity, with some samples exceeding permissible limits. Recommendations include strategies to enhance organic matter, mitigate soil salinity, and implement regular monitoring of tube well water quality for sustainable agriculture in the region.

Estimating Total Organic Carbon (TOC) Content and Porosity of the Ranikot Formation in the Central Indus Basin, Pakistan, Using Seismic Inversion and Well Log Analysis

An approach is proposed to improve modeling for shale gas reservoirs, integrating key parameters such as total organic carbon (TOC) and porosity. Seismic inversion uses seismic reflection data and well-log information to improve geological and geophysical interpretation and estimate rock properties with high-resolution subsurface acoustic impedance, including low and high frequencies. The Ranikot Formation in the Central Indus Basin, Pakistan, is a Paleocene-age formation with the potential to act as reservoir, seal, and source rock. The porosity of the Lower Ranikot reservoir in the Mehar Block was calculated using seismic inversion analysis with the Mehar-02 well. The petrophysical analysis yielded an effective porosity of 5.8%. Similarly, when calculated using seismic inversion, the porosity fell within the 5.5%–6.0% range. Determining the TOC content is crucial in evaluating unconventional shale resources. Petrophysical approaches, such as the ΔlogR method, offer a fast, convenient, and cost-effective means of estimating TOC from well logs. This method is commonly used in conventional source rock evaluation and applied to unconventional resource play evaluation. On the other hand, seismic inversion techniques were used to conduct TOC analysis in the absence of core data in order to estimate the source potential of the Upper Ranikot Formation. To estimate the TOC log for the Upper Ranikot shales in the Mehar Block, the Passey equation was used on the well logs of the Mehar-02 well. The estimated TOC for the Upper Ranikot shales is around 2.0%, which falls within the fair TOC range.

Modelling of Riverine Flooding Using HEC-RAS-A Case Study of Badri Khawar River in KPK, Pakistan

Floods are one of the most occurring disasters in the world. Pakistan gets affected by flooding due to its diverse geography and has to lose several lives of people every year. The main objective of this study was to carry out modeling of riverine flooding using HEC-RAS program to estimate the safe channel capacity of the project reach and identify the vulnerable areas along the project reach for different flooding scenarios. A 9.21 Km long reach of Badri Khawar river, a right bank tributary of Indus River in KPK province has been taken as a case study. Based on the available data, one dimensional steady flow analysis in HEC-RAS has been carried out for different flooding scenarios. By analyzing the simulated results, the safe channel capacity of the study reach was found to be in the range of 125m3/s to 100m3/s from upstream to downstream. Based on the extent of flooding in different scenarios, vulnerable areas have been delineated on a flood map devised by the help of Google Earth. There is more inundation at the left overbank as compared to the right overbank. For the worst-case scenario, the maximum estimated flood extension on left bank side was about 425m while on the right bank side it was 204m. Based on the results of this research, it is suggested to enhance the existing flood protection measures along the project reach and improve the flood warning system and emergency evacuation mechanism in the vulnerable areas for long-term flood safety.

Assessment of flood vulnerability and identification of flood footprint in Keleghai River basin in India: a geo-spatial approach

Assessment of flood vulnerability and identification of flood footprint in Keleghai River basin in India: a geo-spatial approach

Ecological Risks Assessment Arising from the Atmospheric Deposition of Heavy Metals in the River Indus Near Kotri Barrage, Sindh, Pakistan

ABSTRACT This study aims to assess ecological risks from heavy metal atmospheric deposition in the Indus River at Kotri Barrage, Sindh, Pakistan. Monitoring occurred at four locations, yielding 40 air samples analyzed for heavy metals via Triple Quadrupole Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (TQ-ICP-MS). Pollution indicators, including Contaminant Factor (CF), Degree of Contamination (CD), Geo-accumulation Index (Igeo), Enrichment Factor (EF), Pollution Load Index (PLI), Potential Ecological Risk Index (PERI), and Nemerow Integrated Pollution Index (NIPI), quantified contaminant levels. Air monitoring revealed PM2.5 concentrations exceeding regulatory guidelines at all four sites. Heavy metal mean concentrations ranked as follows: Fe > Cr > Pb > Mn > As > Cu > Ni > Cd > Mo > Co, and deposition fluxes followed this order: Fe > Pb > Cr > Mn > As > Cu > Ni > Cd > Mo > Co. Pollution indices indicated moderate to extreme pollution for Fe, Cr, Cd at all sites, and Pb at site D. Emissions from a nearby coal-fired power plant and vehicular sources were identified as primary contributors to high heavy metal deposition. The Ecological Risk Index ranged from 150 to 600, signifying substantial ecological risk linked to Cd. These findings offer crucial insights for governmental agencies and policymakers to address pollution issues arising from heavy metal atmospheric deposition in the Indus River near Kotri Barrage.

Analysing and evaluating environmental flows through hydrological methods in the regulated Indus River Basin

AbstractEnvironmental flows (EFs), essential for upholding the ecological integrity of rivers and aquatic habitats, have been disrupted significantly by diverting water for agricultural, industrial and domestic uses. This underscores the imperative of implementing sustainable water resource management to harmonize agricultural and environmental needs. The study was conducted in the Indus River Basin (IRB), a region extensively transformed by human interventions. EFs were determined through various techniques, including the flow duration curve shifting method, flow duration curve analysis, low‐flow indices, the Tennant method, the Smakhtin approach, the Tessmann method and the Pastor method. Analysing the estimated EFs alongside downstream flows unveiled specific timeframes (days, months and seasons) of unmet EF requirements. To safeguard the downstream ecosystems, the following EFs were estimated for the respective locations: 880 m3/s (38% of the mean annual flow [MAF]) for the Indus River at Tarbela Dam, 412 m3/s (48% of the MAF) for the Jhelum at Mangla Dam, 425 m3/s (44% of the MAF) for the Chenab at Marala headworks, 389 m3/s (56% of MAF) for the Ravi at Balloki headworks, 184 m3/s (50% of MAF) for the Sutlej at Sulemanki headworks and 231 m3/s (38% of MAF) below Kotri Barrage. The study revealed that violations of EFs occurred 41%, 43%, 44% and 52% of the time during the study period for the Chenab at Marala headworks, the Ravi at Balloki headworks, the Sutlej at Sulemanki headworks and the Indus River at the Kotri Barrage, respectively. The results highlighted that the Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej rivers are particularly susceptible to vulnerability, as the estimated EFs were not consistently upheld in these rivers. These findings underscore the urgent need to take appropriate measures to ensure EFs are not violated, thus safeguarding the downstream ecosystems.

Rendering lineament induced stream alignment in Upper Krishna Basin, India: a geospatial approach

Lineaments play an important role in drainage development, stream alignment and groundwater recharge. These are traced as surface or subsurface feature. A linear feature that is associated with dislocation and deformation is known as lineament. The present study was aimed to identify the influence of lineaments extracted from satellite images in the Upper Krishna River basin in India. Objective set for the present study is to characterize and analyse the spatial organization of lineaments from ASF-DEM and sentinel-2 satellite data which may help to determine the role of lineaments in groundwater flow and to identify groundwater potential zones. High resolution spatial data allows determining the linear features for considerable distance and play an important role to identify mineral potential areas (Mohammadpour et al. in Geotectonics 54:366–382, 2020). Comprehensive understanding of regional lineament maps is important in terms of their prospectivity for mineral exploration (Richards in SEG Newsl 42:1–20, 2000). Remote sensing datasets are considered the best option when using image enhancement techniques for extracting lineaments. Lineament studies are useful for groundwater and mineral exploration and also in the field of engineering geology (Anbazhagan in Bhu-Jal News 8:8–12, 1994; Anbazhagan et al. in New approaches to characterizing groundwater flow, 2001. http://dspace.library.iitb.ac.in/xmlui/handle/10054/16176, http://hdl.handle.net/100/2781) more generally in the geomorphological studies like forms of surface features and structural geological fields also in physical setting and control over the rocky terrain. The availability of high-resolution satellite data and image processing techniques have rendered it further convenient to map lineaments. In the present study, lineaments were extracted from Sentinel-2 images with a resolution of 10 m, using various image processing techniques. A total of 1314 lineaments were extracted from the study area with a total length of 3983.44 km. The analysis of the extracted lineaments revealed that the lineament density was higher in the upper reaches of the basin, where the undulating hilly region which is located in Western Ghats. This finding implied that these regions have a high structural deformation and a higher groundwater infiltration potential. Moreover, 15% of the total stream length was observed to be influenced by the lineaments. The maximum influence of lineaments was observed in the source region. The lineament extraction results of the present study would assist in understanding the geomorphology of this region and the structural control on the streams and groundwater potential zones, particularly as a contribution to water resource management in this region.

Structural inheritance through 3D reservoir modeling and ant-tracking attribute implications for structural configuration of Upper Cretaceous Pab Sandstone, Kirthar Fold Belt, Pakistan

This research presents a comprehensive investigation to enhance understanding of subsurface structural complexities within the Upper Cretaceous Pab Sandstone reservoir level in a gas-producing field within the Kirthar Fold Belt of the Southern Indus Basin, Pakistan. The seismic interpretation for accurate structural delineation and characterization of intricate fault systems is often challenging in Fold and Thrust Belt settings. The 3D structural maps of Upper Cretaceous Pab Sandstone at the reservoir level and the application of the ant-tracking attribute for fault extraction improve the structural understanding of the gas-producing field in the Kirthar Fold Belt in the Southern Indus Basin, Pakistan. Attribute-assisted 3D seismic interpretation has revealed several subsurface structure elements, including a large thrusted anticline extended towards the north-south, the pattern of north-south oblique ramp thrusts on the southeastern flank, and a combination of easterly vergent thrusts with a counter-back thrust creating a local pop-up structure in the area. A 3D structural model at the reservoir level was generated using horizon and fault framework volume-based modeling approach, serving as a structural model for Pab sandstone. The structural smoothing, variance and ant-tracking attribute were applied iteratively to get the best results and correlated with manual interpretation. 3D seismic interpretation and application of ant-tracking for fault extraction identifies discrete structural styles and revealed that all thrusting occurred due to compressional tectonics of the Plio-Pleistocene period. The apparent different styles result from the reactivation of earlier extensional fault systems and probably during phased periods of compression. The resulting 3D reservoir model can be used as an input to populate petrophysical properties and results can be extended for future field development plans. Integration of well and 3D seismic data interpretation and the application of automatic fault extraction techniques are highly recommended in structurally complex areas and have an equal implication for worldwide basins with similar conditions for reliable structural interpretation in Fold and Thrust Belts with structural complexity.

Projected increase in widespread riverine floods in India under a warming climate

Widespread floods simultaneously affect several subbasins in a large river basin and pose severe challenges to disaster management and flood mitigation efforts. India is highly susceptible to widespread flooding as the country receives more than 70% of annual rainfall in the four-month period from June to September. However, the potential impacts of climate change on the drivers and frequency of widespread floods in India remain unexplored. We use observations, climate model simulations, and a hydrological model to examine the drivers and changes in widespread floods under a projected future climate. The observed increase in extreme precipitation does not translate to flooding in most river basins in India due to its fragmented nature. Translation of extreme precipitation to flood depends on the catchment area. We examined the changes in the widespread floods in Indian river basins using a hydrological model and climate projections. Robust increases in intense precipitation area and frequency are projected under the warming climate. Furthermore, hydrological model simulations indicate a profound increase in widespread floods in Indian river basins under a warming climate. The increase in widespread floods in a warming climate can pose challenges for flood mitigation and management in the future. Consideration of spatial extent of extreme precipitation and catchment area can enhance flood monitoring and prediction efforts. In addition, increases in extreme precipitation may not always lead to rise in flooding.

Two new species of Moniliophthora from Punjab, Pakistan

Several basidiomata of the genus Moniliophthora were found on plant debris, from the bed of the Indus River, Kot Addu, and an irrigated plantation in Chichawatni, Sahiwal, Pakistan. The morpho-anatomical examination along with phylogenetic analyses support the independent position of Moniliophthora purpurensis and M. capitata within the genus Moniliophthora. M. purpurensis is characterized, by an umbilicate and purplish pileus, bifurcate cheilocystidia, long pileal hairs, and lanceolate, lageniform-pedunculate caulocystidia. M. capitata is characterized by having a conical to applanate, dark brown stipe base, polymorphic caulocystidia, and the presence of a conical cap on terminal hair elements of pileus. We present the two new species with illustrated descriptions, molecular analyses, and comparison with morphologically similar or phylogenetically related species.

Elevated fluoride levels in groundwater in the Himalayan aquifers of upper Indus basin, India: Sources, processes and health risk

Groundwater plays an important role in socio-economics and ecosystem development in mountainous catchments of Himalaya. However, enriched geogenic pollutants in groundwater e.g. Fluoride (F−) and Arsenic (As) in many aquifer systems has deteriorated its suitability for drinking purpose. Although, F− enrichment in other Himalayan basins is well documented but its sources, fate and transport in groundwater of upper reaches of Indus Basin, western Himalaya is still unknown. In the present study, we collected groundwater samples (n = 334) across Upper Indus Basin, (UIB) India to assess the distribution, hydrogeological and geochemical processes controlling the origin, fate and transport of F− in the complex aquifer system. The groundwater is circum-neutral to alkaline with HCO3− -Na+, HCO3−- Ca2+- Na+ and HCO3−- Ca2+- Mg2+ type suggesting the dominance of silicate and carbonate weathering. The results showed that F− enriched groundwater is widespread in the basin with 70% samples having F− above the maximum permissible limit of 1.5 mg/L. High F− groundwater showed distinct hydrochemical evolution attributed to higher pH, HCO3−, Na+, low Ca2+ with Na+/Ca2+ ratio >1 exhibiting F− in groundwater is geogenic, facilitated by the release of Na+ and HCO ions via silicate and carbonate dissolution. F− release in groundwater is also assisted by the incessant dissolution of fluorinated minerals (fluoride) with active exchange between Na+ and Ca+. High HCO3− also facilitates exchange of hydroxides (OH−) and F− on sediment surfaces that contributes to F− enrichment in groundwater through desorption. Geochemical modelling indicated that the precipitation of calcite, dolomite and aragonite is conducive for F− release. F− risk assessment exhibited that people living in UIB are highly vulnerable to the potential risk of dental and skeletal fluorosis. Therefore, it is highly substantial to provide an alternative drinking water source or treat the contaminated water before consumption to mitigate human health hazards.

Evaluation of water quality indexes with novel machine learning and SHapley Additive ExPlanation (SHAP) approaches

Water quality indexes (WQI) are pivotal in assessing aquatic systems. Conventional modeling approaches rely on extensive datasets with numerous unspecified inputs, leading to time-consuming WQI assessment procedures. Numerous studies have used machine learning (ML) methods for WQI analysis but often lack model interpretability. To address this issue, this study developed five interpretable predictive models, including two gene expression programming (GEP) models, two deep neural networks (DNN) models, and one optimizable Gaussian process regressor (OGPR) model for estimating electrical conductivity (EC) and total dissolved solids (TDS). For the model development, a total of 372 records on a monthly basis were collected in the Upper Indus River at two outlet stations. The efficacy and accuracy of the models were assessed using various statistical measures, such as correlation (R), mean square error (MAE), root mean square error (RMSE), and 5-fold cross-validation. The DNN2 model demonstrated outstanding performance compared to the other five models, exhibiting R-values closer to 1.0 for both EC and TDS. However, the genetic programming-based models, GEP1 and GEP2, exhibited comparatively lower accuracy in predicting the water quality indexes. The SHapely Additive exPlanation (SHAP) analysis revealed that bicarbonate, calcium, and sulphate jointly contribute approximately 78 % to EC, while the combined presence of sodium, bicarbonate, calcium, and magnesium accounts for around 87 % of TDS in water. Notably, the influence of pH and chloride was minimal on both water quality indexes. In conclusion, the study highlights the cost-effective and practical potential of predictive models for EC and TDS in assessing and monitoring river water quality.

Plastic trade-off: Impact of export and import of waste plastic on plastic dynamics in Asian region

Environmental contamination by plastics has been receiving considerable attention from scientists, policy makers and the public, and waste plastic trade has become a major social issue in recent years. In this study, the authors applied eco-hydrology model coupled with plastic debris model in Asian regions by including effect of waste plastic trade in order to clarify this research gap. Result showed settling and resuspension of plastic particles have great impact on mobilisation of plastic and its high intra-annual variability, and that the plastic transport becomes drastically higher during the flood periods accounting for most of the annual flux. In particular, the model simulated the size distribution of plastics in the water and riverbed sediment of the global major rivers and showed that the coarser particles are more distributed in the riverbed than those in the water. Further, the authors evaluated impact of waste plastic trade on change in riverine plastic transport by newly including effect of plastic trade on Mismanaged plastic waste (MPW) in the extension of previous studies. They newly modified to calculate municipal plastic waste by including these effects of plastic trade and disposal, and revised MPW assuming that the import of plastics is treated as the same as the export of plastics as the first approximation, which is the innovation of this study. The modified MPW became smaller than the original one in the exporting countries and vice versa in the importing countries. Further, this analysis clarified waste plastic trade has promoted decrease of riverine plastic transport in Japanese rivers, its slight increase in Yangtze, Yellow, and Ganges Rivers, and almost its constant in Mekong, Indus, Irrawaddy, and Brahmaputra Rivers. Recently, there is a growing progress in compiling existing research results and setting policy making in various countries under the umbrella of an intergovernmental negotiating committee (INC) on plastic pollution. The present results help to quantify plastic trade-off about impact of export and import of waste plastic on plastic dynamics in regional scale and to support the achievement of sustainable development goals (SGDs).

Global Drought-Wetness Conditions Monitoring Based on Multi-Source Remote Sensing Data

Drought is a common hydrometeorological phenomenon and a pervasive global hazard. To monitor global drought-wetness conditions comprehensively and promptly, this research proposed a spatial distance drought index (SDDI) which was constructed by four drought variables based on multisource remote sensing (RS) data, including the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), land surface temperature (LST), soil moisture (SM), and precipitation (P), using the spatial distance model (SDM). The results showed that the consistent area of SDDI with the 1-month and 3-month standardized precipitation-evapotranspiration index (SPEI1 and SPEI3), and the self-calibrating Palmer drought severity index (scPSDI) accounted for 85.5%, 87.3%, and 85.1% of the global land surface area, respectively, indicating that the index can be used to monitor global drought-wetness conditions. Over the past two decades (2001–2020), a discernible spatial distribution pattern has emerged in global drought-wetness conditions. This pattern was characterized by the extreme drought mainly distributed deep within the continent, surrounded by expanding moderate drought, mild drought, and no drought areas. On the annual scale, the global drought-wetness conditions exhibited an upward trend, while on the seasonal and monthly scales, it fluctuated steadily within a certain cycle. Through this research, we found that the sensitive areas of drought-wetness conditions were mainly found on the east coast of Australia, the Indus Basin of the Indian Peninsula, the Victoria and Katanga Plateau areas of Africa, the Mississippi River Basin of North America, the eastern part of the Brazilian Plateau and the Pampas Plateau of South America.

Glacier thickness and volume estimation in the Upper Indus Basin using modeling and ground penetrating radar measurements

Abstract In the Himalaya, ice thickness data are limited, and field measurements are even scarcer. In this study, we employed the GlabTop model to estimate ice reserves in the Jhelum (1.9 ± 0.6 km3) and Drass (2.9 ± 0.9 km3) sub-basins of the Upper Indus Basin. Glacier ice thickness in the Jhelum ranged up to 187 ± 56 m with a mean of ~24 ± 7 m, while the Drass showed ice thickness up to 202 ± 60 m, with a mean of ~17 ± 5 m. Model results were validated using Ground Penetrating Radar measurements across four profiles in the ablation zone of the Kolahoi glacier in the Jhelum and nine profiles across the Machoi glacier in the Drass sub-basin. Despite underestimating ice-thickness by ~10%, the GlabTop model effectively captured glacier ice-thickness and spatial patterns in most of the profile locations where GPR measurements were taken. The validation showed high correlation coefficient of 0.98 and 0.87, low relative bias of ~ −13% and ~ −3% and a high Nash–Sutcliffe coefficient of 0.94 and 0.93 for the Kolahoi and Machoi glaciers, respectively, demonstrating the model's effectiveness. These ice-thickness estimates improve our understanding of glacio-hydrological, and glacial hazard processes over the Upper Indus Basin.

THE COMPARATIVE DEPOSITIONAL HETEROGENEITY OF MANCHHAR FORMATION (SIWALIK GROUP), SOUTHERN INDUS BASIN, PAKISTAN

Present study is carried out for detailed description, distribution and interpretation of lithofacies and textural analysis of Manchhar Formation from Gaj River, Manchhar Lake and Lal Bagh Sections of Southern Indus Basin Pakistan. Four different clastic lithofacies are identified during present study, which are conglomeratic sandstone (Gt), shale (Fm), fine to coarse grain flat bedded sandstone (Sh) and fine to coarse grain trough cross-bedded sandstone (St). These Facies suggest that Manchhar Formation is deposited in the Beach to shallow agitated water and fluvial system. Twenty-nine (29) unconsolidated loose and friable sandstone samples were selected for textural analysis. Grain-size parameters such as mean, median, standard deviation, Skewness and Kurtosis were used for transport history, mode and hydrodynamic energy condition to recognize the depositional environment. Stewart Diagram shows deltaic/wave water process takes active role under the influence of wave process. Linear discriminant functions analysis show that the fluvial environment of deposition dominates and influences shallows water and beach environment. Passega diagram reveals that transport mode was rolling and suspension by the tractive current that shows the fluvio-deltaic to deltaic wave with the influence of wave depositional environment of Miocene-Pliocene (Neogene) Manchhar Formation.