Application of Geomorphometric Approach for the Estimation of Hydro-sedimentological Flows and Cation Weathering Rate: Towards Understanding the Sustainable Land Use Policy for the Sindh Basin, Kashmir Himalaya

Abstract

Himalaya is one of the youngest and greatest mountain ranges in the world and is one of the world’s most erosion-prone regions. Reliable information on the basin hydrology, physico-chemical weathering, and runoff dynamics is essential to develop an appropriate policies for sustainable, socially acceptable, ecological, and economically viable development of the mountainous rivers. The current study uses a numerical model and GIS tools to estimate run-off volume and sediment production rate and generates morphometric parameters like drainage network, geometry, drainage texture, aerial, and relief characteristics in the Sindh River basin of Kashmir Himalaya, to understand the erosion dynamics of the basin. The basin is dominated by a dendritic drainage pattern with a drainage density of 2.60 km/sq km. The aerial parameters such as elongation ratio, circulatory ratio, compactness coefficient, and rotundity factor show that the basin is elongated in shape with a lower peak flow period, and the basin is structurally complex with high relative relief. The estimated basin run-off volume and sediment production rate of 11.31 (sq.km-cm/sq.km) and 0.002 (ha-m/100 sq.km/year), respectively, suggest that the Sindh basin can be categorized under the low run-off zone and less soil erosion occurs when compared to other Indian Himalayan rivers. The paper aims to fill the knowledge gap concerning the estimation of hydro-sedimentological flows in the Sindh basin. In this context, present work to estimate run-off volume and sediment production rate was carried out using morphometric features to help the decision-makers in framing sustainable land use policies and practices for the region.