Changing Pattern of Channel Morphology of Alaknanda River in Srinagar Valley (Garhwal Himalaya), India

The Alaknanda River is the most significant parental river of Ganga and forms an 11.5 km long and 2.5 km wide valley, locally known as the Srinagar Valley. The purpose of the present study is to highlight the recent landform changes in the Alaknanda channel course after the Kedarnath disaster, 2013. The Kedarnath flood completely changed the channel morphology of the Alaknanda river. The river changed its course at Srikot, SSB and Sriyantra Tapu with lower terraces being silted by sands at Ranihat, SSB, Bhaktiyana and Sriyantra Tapu. A new depositional terrace also formed opposite to Sriyantra Tapu. New lateral channel bars, braided channels, back swamp, rapids, pools and river souls were identified in the channel course of the river. Shifting of the channel course at Chauras still remains a serious problem for the Garhwal University Chauras Campus. About 2–5 m silt was deposited on the lower terrace at SSB, and ITI. The Srikot river bed was appended to 4.60 m. Shifting of channel course remains a serious threat to the Srinagar valley. Urbanization, sand and boulders mining, construction of dam, hydrological canal, road and settlements are the prominent example of anthropogenic activities which affect the shifting channel.