Relief and slope
characteristics of Lohawati river catchment in Kumaun Himalaya, Uttarakhand
Bhasker Bisht and Joshi R.C.
Disaster Advances; Vol. 15(8); 9-18;
doi: https://doi.org/10.25303/1508da09018; (2022)
Abstract
Geomorphologists use river basin as an ideal unit of the earth surface for the study
of its landforms. Relief and slope are essential factors which determine and control
the origin and evolution of any river catchment. Relief and slope studies also highlight
the facts about changing nature of the river catchment. The Lohawati River catchment
is located in lesser Himalaya in Champawat district of Uttarakhand state. In the
present study, an attempt has been made to study the relief and slope characteristics
of the Lohawati river catchment using geospatial technique. The altitude of the
catchment area decreases from west to east direction. The slope map indicates that
Lohaghat and Champawat towns are situated in the gentle slope category.
The very low dissection index and very low relative relief in the Champawat area
and in some parts of Lohaghat at the western side of the catchment are characterized
by more aggradation processes and are less prone to soil erosion. Relief profiles
show the surface undulations because of erosion by Lohawati River and its tributaries.
