[01] Kuldeep Pareta, DHI (India) Water & Environment Pvt Ltd., New Delhi, India.

Braiding is a fluvial pattern characterized by a complex dynamic where different channels merge and divide continuously, and it is most dynamic earth-surface processes. In this type of study, the remote sensing and geographic information system techniques are playing a vital role for analyzing of braided river morpho-dynamics and trend analysis of river bankline. Landsat-5 TM, Landsat-7 ETM+ and Landsat-8 OLI satellite remote sensing data between 1996 and 2021 (26 years in total) during the dry season (March-April-May) have been used for this study of Brahmaputra river bankline between Pandu and Goalpara, Assam. World biggest river width variation has been observed in this reach, while the average river width of Brahmaputra river in Assan is 9.33 Km. The minimum and maximum river width variation is 1.49 Km at Saraighat bridge to 18.83 Km (just 37 Km downstream of Saraighat bridge). The average number of braided bars and braided bar areas in Brahmaputra river reach between Pandu and Goalpara is 184, and 390.29 Km² respectively. The entire river reach is highly dynamic, the major bed level changes (-0.33 m) were observed at Paharpur Katuli village of Barpeta district. It is situated at very danger node and need urgent treat. The reason of enthusiastically erosion in Paharpur Katuli village is the under-construction bank protection work in opposite side (south bank) of that village. Due to this, the flow of mainstream has turned to Paharpur Katuli village, and actively erosion is happening here. It is extremely vulnerable area and approximately 2 Km of land has been washed-out in last two months. The erosion is very active, and approx. 150 m of land is eroded every day, and villagers urged for an immediate action.

Braided River, Morpho-dynamics, Trend Analysis, Brahmaputra River, Remote Sensing, GIS

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