SEDIMENT TRANSFER IN THE GLACIOFLUVIAL ENVIRONMENT - A HIMALAYAN PERSPECTIVE

The Alaknanda river, a major Himalayan proglacial stream, and its tributaries have been studied to evaluate sediment sources, production mechanisms, and transport pathways in the Alaknanda river basin. The study is based on a single-time sampling of the river and its tributaries and gives an insight into the suspended load pattern of the river from its source to its confluence with the other major Himalayan proglacial stream, the Bhagirathi. It is tentatively concluded that the suspended load of the Alaknanda is primarily due to natural processes and events and does not reflect the effects of human intervention.