Rivers of the Tarai–Doors and Barind Tract

Role of morphology in shaping the feeding niche of fishes inhabiting Eastern Himalayan torrential rivers of West Bengal, India

“…On the other hand, River Jaldhaka originates from a Sikkim Himalayan Lake at 4400 m and flows through Sikkim, Bhutan and West Bengal, forming one of the major tributaries of the River Brahmaputra. They bear the conventional features of its predecessors, being contributed by rainwater discharge in the monsoon followed by subsequent replenishment in the summers by snow melts (Chakraborty & Mukhopadhyay, 2014; Panja et al, 2020; Rudra, 2018).…”

“…The Eastern Himalayan region encompassing Bhutan, north‐eastern India, southern, central and eastern Nepal is considered as one of the premiere “crisis ecoregions” and “biodiversity hotspots,” being listed in the global 200 ecoregions (Brooks et al, 2006). Among many large torrential rivers of this region (Chakrabarty & Homechaudhuri, 2013), Murti and Jaldhaka form an essential facet draining the southern Himalayan slope eventually debouching on the plains of the Tarai–Doors (Rudra, 2018). These freshwater streams are characterised by tempestuous flow over coarse substratum comprising cobbles, pebbles, sand grains, rocks, etc.…”

“…These freshwater streams are characterised by tempestuous flow over coarse substratum comprising cobbles, pebbles, sand grains, rocks, etc. and a degree of altitudinal and temperature gradient permitting a significant assemblage of warm and cold‐water species (Bandyopadhyay et al, 2014; Rudra, 2018). The unique geomorphological and environmental features that are associated with these rivers may exert strong environmental filtering pressures on fish species.…”

Trend and variability analysis of rainfall at Jaldhaka River Basin in the Himalayan Foreland, India

“…The river eventually flows (S-W) into the river Dharala after being joined by other streams and tributaries in both hilly and sub-mountainous areas. The united system, known as Dharala, eventually empties into the powerful Brahmaputra River in Bangladesh (Majundar, 2003;Khawas, 2014;Chakraborty, 2017;Rudra, 2018;Irrigation and Waterways Directorate, 2021). The total length of this river is 192 km out of which 122 km is situated in India.…”

Unstable Behavioral Pattern of Teesta River and Its Impact on Riverine Dwellers: A Case Study of Confluence Area of Teesta and Dharala River, India

“…There are many factors that play an important role in bank erosion in river Teesta are: (i) Stream bed in fill, River Teesta carries a huge amount of river load, so every post monsoon the bed of the river rises which leads to overflow of water (Wolman, 1959); (ii) During the rainy season, bank material gets easily washed away due to heavy rainfall (2500-3000 mm) (Rudra, 2018;Rudra, 2021); (iii) Saturation of banks from off-stream sources can be seen in the study area; (iv) because of the river's rapid movement and depth in the channel's midsection, the flow within the channel is frequently redirected and accelerated; (v) With a very poor drainage system, the water remains accumulated in the study area for over weeks. There is no passage that the water can pass out as the region is a low-lying region and its altitude is below the level of the river bed; and (vi) another influencing and powerful cause is the wave action, strong and loud waves generated at the river bank due to the rise and fall of water level during monsoon season (Das, 2014).…”