Bhagirathi River: Journey of an Oscillatory River
摘要
This chapter intends to portray the dynamics of the Bhagirathi RiverBhagirathi river from the spatial and temporal dimensions. The river Bhagirathi is the principal river among the ‘Nadia RiversNadia rivers’. This river is extended from Farakka Barrage outfall at Ahiran to NabadwipNabadwip where River Jalangi meets with this one-way non-tidal river. The journey of this river is marked by the oscillatory events. Once a mighty river (National WaterwayNational waterways no. 1) turned into a decaying river due to the eastward titling of the Bengal basinBengal basin again rejuvenated through the induction of dischargeDischarge from the Ganga River through the Feeder canalFeeder canal by construction of the Farakka Barrage ProjectFarakka barrage project in 1975. This work has attempted a holistic evaluation of the river from the perspectives of the hydrogeomorphic changes, deteriorating water qualityWater quality, dynamics of the environmental flowEnvironmental flow and socio-economic transformationsTransformation in the wake of the fluvial dynamics (e.g. bank erosionBank erosion, floodsFlood, siltation of the river) with an eye to the sustainable management of the river for the development of the local community.