Nature of bank erosion along the Brahmaputra river channel, Assam, India

Abstract

A study on a selected stretch of the Brahmaputra river channel revealed that the mechanisms involved and responsible for riverbank erosion were basically related to aqueous flow of sediments (liquefaction) enhanced by theinhomogeneity in the bank materials in question, oversteepening and associated sub-aerial processes of weathering and weakening in relation to soil moisture content. The study revealed that the extent of erosion and deposition in not same for the period 1914-75 and 1975-98. Different scale and nature of shear failure are considered to be mainly responsible for bank erosion processes.