ASSESSMENT OF ACTIVE TECTONICS IN EASTERN KUMAON HIMALAYA ON THE BASIS OF MORPHOMETRIC PARAMETERS OF GORIGANGA RIVER BASIN

This paper demonstrates the effectiveness of basin geomorphic indices in assessing the status of active tectonics in eastern Kumaon Himalaya. The Goriganga river drains this segment of the Himalaya, flows in a NNE-SSW direction, cuts across many of the Lesser Himalaya thrusts and lithotectonic units before it confluences with the Kali River which cuts across the Himalaya from the Tibetan hinterland to the Indo-Gangetic plains.  Shuttle Radar Topography Mission digital elevation data were used to delineate the stream network and the basin and sub-basin boundaries for further morphometric analyses.  Terrain Analysis Using Digital Elevation Models (TauDEM), a suite of tools for the extraction and analysis of hydrologic information from digital elevation models was used for stream network and basin delineation. Geomorphic indices used for assessing active tectonics include hypsometric Integral (HI),channel Sinuosity (Cs), basin elongation ratio (Re), valley floor width to height ratio (Vf) and drainage basin asymmetry (Af). The data were analyzed in the GIS environment. Results of the study suggest that the Eastern Kumaon Himalaya is tectonically very active. Morphometric parameters suggest a general tilting of the Goriganga basin towards the west – indicating rapid erosion and uplift along the Kali River resulting in the active formation of a river anticline.

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