Watershed characteristics of Shiwalik torrents at Sabhawala in Doon Valley

Abstract

In the foothills of Shiwalik Himalaya, torrents are the prominent seasonal land features and characterized by high sediment ladder flash flow during monsoon period. These torrents have low banks and thus the flow frequently over tops the banks and causes floods in foot hill region to agricultural plain area. In present study, morphological, water and soil characteristics were studied with special references to torrential behavior and flow mechanics of torrent at Sabhawala watershed in Doon Valley of Garhwal Himalaya. The torrent gradient had varied from 1-75 to 2-62 % with flow velocity was 0.30 - 0.95 ms-1, occurred in Sabhawala watershed. Different forms of soil texture of torrent were observed and pH slightly alkaline consisting organic matter (%) as 0.24-0.95 in different zones of torrent The present study will provide resource based data for remedial measurement of torrent in other watersheds of Himalayan region.

Keywords

• Doon valley
• Stream order
• Torrents
• Watershed