Active Tectonics Influence on the Evolution of Drainage & Landscape: Geomorphic Signatures in the Punad Gadhera Watershed of Alakhnanda Basin, Uttarakhand, India

Punad Gadhera is a small left bank tributary of river Alakhnanda converging near Rudrapryag town. The watershed is part of Lesser Himalayan region; predominate by Mesoproterozoic Garhwal Group of lithological formations located to the south of Alakhnanda Fault. The region is tectonically active due to ongoing Indian-Eurasian plate collision. This paper tries to contemplate the fluvial geomorphic signatures as evidences of ongoing structural movement in the Punad Gadhera region.Investigating geomorphic expressions of drainage pattern such as river meander, confluence angle, channel direction etc., provides an insight on understanding the complex interaction between internal and external forces of the Earth. It assists in understanding the dynamics of tectonic movements and temporal changes in Landscape evolution. The present study was conducted using, topographical maps, aerial photographs, satellite imageries, ground thruthing through field observations etc. Drainage basin anomalies in the region depict a strong structural control on the over lying Fluvial Landscape.