River systems and their sediment flux, Indo-Gangetic plains, Northern Bihar, India

Abstract

River systems of part of the Himalayan foreland, northern Bihar plains, India, are described in terms of their channel morphology, hydrology and suspended sediment characteristics. A simple classification of the river systems based mainly on the source area characteristics is proposed: (i) mountain-fed, (ii) foothills-fed, (iii) plains-fed and (iv) mixed-fed rivers. Distinct differences are noted between these classes of river systems. Most rivers show evidence of channel movement, mainly by avulsion, but cut-offs also occur locally. The mountain-fed rivers are characterized by very high discharge and low suspended sediment concentration and the plains-fed rivers have relatively low discharge and high suspended sediment concentration. The foothill-fed rivers have moderate values of discharge and suspended sediment concentration. The mountain-fed rivers have built megafans of large extent, whereas the foothills-fed and plains-fed rivers have formed muddy interfan areas. Semi-quantitative estimates of water and sediment flux suggest that about 99·9% of the mass transfer into the plains is water, with the remaining 0·1% being sediment, and that 10% of the latter (0·01% of the total) is retained in the basin, the remainder being transferred to the Bengal Fan.