Field-based Tectonic Assessment and Spatial Correlation with Land Use and Land Cover in the Goriganga River Basin

Abstract

This research focuses on different morphometric indices including drainage frequency, drainage texture & drainage density and their spatial variation within the Goriganga River Basin which transects with numerous known/ unknown faults and thrusts. Further Land Use and Land cover statitics was prepared to delineate the impact of different land cover classes on morphometric parameters. These morphometric indices and land use and land cover data shows correlation, clearly indicate spatial variation in tectonics. Imprints of such influence clearly appeared on landscape appearance. Drainage network data shows dendritic pattern which follows many known and unknown faults and lineaments in the Goriganga river basin from north to south. To estimate the spatial variation of different components within the Goriganga river basin, the quantification of land use and land cover, morphometric indices and drainage network have done to measure the anomalies that provide significant clues about the intensity of the erosional and tectonic processes and their imprints were documented during detailed field analysis. Land use and land cover data shows that Goriganga river basin is a tectonically carved basin as northern extremities are dominant by glaciaers, regoltihs and barren land while valley areas are dominant by the sparse and dense vegetation. For analyzing the significant relationship between tectonic activities and land use and land cover, the Goriganga river basin is highly suitable basin. Geologically and tectoncally, it is highly active basin due to presence of Main Central Thrust (MCT), Munisiari Thrust (MT) and many unknown faults and thrusts. These active faults and thrusts dominate the tectonics of the basin which also influence the vegetation cover. Mormetricinidces results display that the Goriganga river basin is highly tectonically active. However, in many places or regions, erosional forces override the tectonic process, resulting low drainage density in southern region while high drainage density is associated with faulting and thrusting.