TITLE:
Relationship between Selected Physiographic Features and Landslide Occurrence around Four Hydropower Projects in Bhagirathi Valley of Uttarakhand, Western Himalaya, India
AUTHORS:
Hari Ballabh, Srinivasan Pillay, Girish Chandra Singh Negi, Kamleshan Pillay
KEYWORDS:
Landslide, Himalayas, Bhagirathi Valley, Development, Hydropower Plants
JOURNAL NAME:
International Journal of Geosciences,
Vol.5 No.10,
September
18,
2014
ABSTRACT: The Himalayan mountain range is an
internationally recognised landscape but one under increasing developmental
threat. The lower Himalayan region possesses immense potential for hydropower
generation but is also highly susceptible to tectonic deformation and mass
wasting, especially landslides. Susceptibility to landslides increases markedly
with human activity, especially large scale developmental projects. The impacts
of massive hydropower plant construction in the Bhagirathi Valley, Uttarkhand,
India on the generation of landslides are the focus of this study. Whilst many
positive impacts derive from such projects, devastating negative impacts also
accrue. The frequency and characteristics of land sliding within the sphere of
influence of the construction sites of the various hydropower plant components were
investigated. Landslide frequency was related to parameters of geology, prior
land use, drainage density, slope steepness and location in terms of
construction aspect. Landslide frequency was found to be greatest in gneissic
terrain as well as on previously agricultural and forested lands. Statistical
analysis revealed significant relationships between landslide frequency with
slope and, frequency with construction aspect, especially the construction of
access roads. As with other studies, road construction is the key initiator of
land sliding due to slope over steepening and the indiscriminate dumping of
debris. The study concludes with recommendations for reducing the frequency and
magnitude of mass wasting in this environment.