It was in news recently that the Union Ministry of Water Resources has asked the government of Jammu and Kashmir to prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for an alternate channel of Jhelum, 80km long, from Dogripora to Wullar. However, to make such a big scale project efficient and effective one must understand the complex interaction of topography, geomorphology, tectonics, climate and drainage in this NW portion of the Himalayas.
The geologic origin and formation of the Kashmir Basin is still being debated in the scientific discourse. This is mainly because there are a number of questions that still remain unanswered. Nevertheless, a significant portion of past contributions have enlightened us on its origin, and these studies argue that Kashmir Basin is formed as a result of the continent-continent collision of Indian and Eurasian plates. And a number of faults have played a major role in its present architecture. The foundations rocks are primarily marine sedimentary rocks (formed in ocean) together with volcanic and plutonic rocks (igneous type). On top of these two major rock units is deposited a thick sequence, about 1,300 meters, of younger sediments, which were derived from the rising mountains carved by rivers and glaciers, and subsequently deposited in the Kashmir Valley. Most of us live on top of these sediments.
A brief interpretation of the rocks and sediments in Kashmir region tells us that our valley was initially a part of an ocean, and later that ocean was closed. This happened during the mighty Himalayan Mountain building processes (known as Himalayan Orogeny) when two major landmasses (India and Eurasia) come close and collided. This process formed spectacular mountains, rivers, and a range of geomorphic features. One of such outcome is the stunningly beautiful Kashmir Valley. Geologic studies have also shown that major faults played a key role in shaping its architecture, and the active movement on some of these faults is still modifying its overall look. This valley was later filled with a thick load of sediments, derived from the rising mountains through erosion, carried by the rivers and glaciers. The drainage system is a key witness to the contiguous modifications of topography and geology that this region has seen over the geological past. Although still controversial, a significant portion of the previous studies have established that Kashmir Valley was a huge lake, which means that the whole region was under water for a long period of time.
Therefore, the Kashmir Basin, like other basins, is mainly shaped by tectonics (that results in upliftment, topography, geomorphology), which also largely influenced its climate. Climate (which helps in erosion, weathering etc.) has also played a significant role in modifying the geomorphology and topography of this region. The interaction between tectonics and climate often results in different landforms and climatic products that we see around us. Kashmir region has preserved these tales in sediments, topography, geology, geomorphology and drainage. Only a future study will unravel the complete chronology of geological and climatic events in this part of the world.
Importantly, the historical records of various flooding episodes in Jammu and Kashmir clearly demonstrate that climate change is not the major reason of flooding. In fact, it is clear from the study of topography and geomorphology that most of the flooding is largely controlled by tectonics and only a bad climate aggravates it, which could be because of multiple reasons. Therefore, it will NOT help one in making any efficient progress if we only consider climate as the key element of flooding in rivers. It is therefore very important that authorities should consult the relevant specialists before going ahead with the construction of the proposed channel, which may otherwise prove an exercise in futility and could further put many lives in danger.
Geologists, geomorphologists, civil engineers, geo-informatics and climate experts are some of the key players who should be consulted for the construction of this channel.
Further, it would be ideal to divert excess water of Jhelum into an abandoned stream than to construct a new channel. Are there any flood management plans for the major tributaries of Jhelum, which can get flooded too and destroy a large portion of the Kashmir valley? —-Afroz Ahmad Shah
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