Let’s say you are standing on the banks of a river—perhaps the Ganga in Varanasi or the Brahmaputra in Assam. As you observe the river flowing, have you ever wondered why the river takes a particular path, why some rivers are wide and shallow while others are narrow and deep, or why rivers bend and…
A drainage pattern refers to the geometric arrangement of streams and rivers in a particular region, influenced by topography, geology, and structure of rocks. Different drainage patterns arise due to variations in slope, rock resistance, fault lines, and the geological history of the region. 1. Trellis Drainage Pattern 👉 Formation: This pattern is formed when…
When a river flows across a region, its path is not random. It is often influenced by the land’s initial slope, rock type, geological structure, and subsequent land changes. Based on how streams adjust themselves to the surface and underlying geological structure, drainage systems are broadly classified into: 1. Sequent (Concordant) Drainage System In this…
Suppose you are standing at the top of a hill after a heavy rainfall. As the rainwater falls, it begins to flow down through different small paths, merging with other water streams until it finally reaches a large river or lake. This entire process — where water finds its way through various channels and collects…
Various theories have been proposed to describe the mechanisms of slope development, each offering a unique perspective on how slopes transform. From W.M. Davis’ concept of slope decline, which emphasizes a gradual reduction in slope steepness, to W. Penck’s slope replacement model, which focuses on the accumulation of debris at the base, these theories highlight…
Let’s imagine you are standing on a hilltop, looking down at the valley below. The land between where you stand and the valley floor isn’t flat—it slopes downward at various angles. This angular inclination of terrain between hilltops and valley bottoms is what we call a slope. But why does this happen? What shapes these…
Imagine you are watching a cricket match. The batsman, initially full of energy, starts playing aggressively, hitting boundaries with ease. As the innings progresses, fatigue sets in, and the once-powerful strokes become slow nudges. Just when you think he is about to getting out, he drinks an energy booster and suddenly regains his power, smashing…
Imagine you are standing atop a vast plateau, looking at rivers carving their way through valleys, shaping the land ever so gradually. Now, visualize this transformation as a slow but continuous process, much like an artist chiselling a sculpture over centuries. This is the essence of the Davisian Cycle of Erosion, a concept that describes…
Denudation Chronology (DC) is a concept developed primarily by the British School of Geomorphology, with further contributions from W.M. Davis in the American School. It focuses on reconstructing the history of denudation (weathering and erosion) in a given region over geological time. Unlike theories emphasizing endogenetic processes (such as tectonics), DC prioritizes exogenic forces that…
Imagine a riverbed that remains stable for years and then suddenly experiences a major flood, causing rapid erosion and shifting sediment downstream. Unlike the classical idea that landscapes evolve gradually and continuously, S.A. Schumm proposed that denudation occurs in episodic bursts, leading to periods of rapid erosion followed by long phases of deposition. This irregular…
