RIVER BHAGIRATHI AND ITS RIVERINE SYSTEM - HAZARDS AND SUGGESTED PREVENTIVE MEASURES

摘要

The southernmost part of Ganga delta forms the South Bengal plains, characterized by low, flat terrain sloping gently from north to south. An area of about 65,000 sq km of Bengal delta is situated in the state of West Bengal. Mean elevation of the southernmost terrain varies between 3 and 5 meter above msl, while some parts of Sunderbans lie even below the msl. The district is traversed by a number of moribund rivers which were primarily spill channels of river Bhagirathi. Of these, Hugli, Ichhamati, Raymangal, Jamuna, Bidyadhari, Kalindri, Matla, Thakuram, Gosaba, Haribhanga etc. are the principal rivers, which are mostly tidal in nature, and are not fed by upstream flow of water discharge. The innumerable tributaries and distributaries of all these rivers form a network of rivers and tidal creeks, especially in Sunderban region, in South Bengal the drainage is consequent in nature, parallel to sub parallel in the north-western part, gradually changing to dendritic to anastomizing towards south-east, and anastomizing in tidal flat region.