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2 results on '"BIHAR PLAINS"'

1. Liquefaction record of the great 1934 earthquake predecessors from the north Bihar alluvial plains of India.

Author

Rajendran, C., John, Biju, Rajendran, Kusala, and Sanwal, Jaishri

Subjects
*EARTHQUAKES, *BIOMASS liquefaction, *EARTHQUAKE magnitude measurement, *ALLUVIAL plains, *TWENTIETH century, *CITIES & towns & the environment
Abstract

The great 1934 Himalayan earthquake of moment magnitude (Mw) 8.1 generated a large zone of ground failure and liquefaction in north Bihar, India, in addition to the earthquakes of 1833 (Mw ~7.7) and 1988 (Mw 6.7) that have also impacted this region. Here, we present the results of paleoliquefaction investigations from four sites in the plains of north Bihar and one in eastern Uttar Pradesh. The liquefaction features generated by successive earthquakes were dated at AD 829-971, 886-1090, 907-1181, 1130-1376, 1112-1572, 1492-1672, 1733-1839, and 1814-1854. One of the liquefaction events dated at AD 829-971, 886-1090, and 907-1181 may correlate with the great earthquake of AD ~1100, recognized in an earlier study from the sections across the frontal thrust in central eastern Nepal. Two late medieval liquefaction episodes of AD 1130-1376 and 1492-1672 were also exposed in our sites. The sedimentary sections also revealed sandblows that can be attributed to the 1833 earthquake, a lesser magnitude event compared to the 1934. Liquefactions triggered by the 1934 and 1988 earthquakes were evident within the topmost level in some sections. The available data lead us to conjecture that a series of temporally close spaced earthquakes of both strong and large types, not including the infrequent great earthquakes like the 1934, have affected the Bihar Plains during the last 1500 years with a combined recurrence interval of 124 ± 63 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Published
2016
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2. Isolating the impacts of anthropogenic water use within the hydrological regime of north India

Author

Tarun Nair, Ana Mijic, Simon Moulds, Christopher R. Jackson, J. O'Keeffe, Johanna Scheidegger, and Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)

Subjects
DYNAMICS, ROOT-GROWTH, 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, GROUNDWATER IRRIGATION, SURFACE, Geography, Planning and Development, Aquifer, 010502 geochemistry & geophysics, water resources, 01 natural sciences, socio-hydrological model, groundwater, Earth and Planetary Sciences (miscellaneous), BIHAR PLAINS, Water cycle, Geosciences, Multidisciplinary, irrigation water use, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, Earth-Surface Processes, BASIN, human impacts, geography, geography.geographical_feature_category, Science & Technology, Geography, Geology, Groundwater recharge, hydrological cycle, Water resources, canals, CLIMATE, Geography, Physical, YIELD, Physical Geography, 0403 Geology, Physical Sciences, DEPLETION, Water resource management, Conjunctive use, 0406 Physical Geography and Environmental Geoscience, Surface water, Water use, Groundwater
Abstract

The effects of anthropogenic water use play a significant role in determining the hydrological cycle of north India. This paper explores anthropogenic impacts within the regions’ hydrological regime by explicitly including observed human water use behaviour, irrigation infrastructure and the natural environment in the CHANSE (Coupled Human And Natural Systems Environment) socio‐hydrological modelling framework. The model is constrained by observed qualitative and quantitative information collected in the study area, along with climate and socio‐economic variables from additional sources. Four separate scenarios, including business as usual (BAU, representing observed irrigation practices), groundwater irrigation only (where the influence of the canal network is removed), canal irrigation only (where all irrigation water is supplied by diverted surface water) and rainfed only (where all human interventions are removed) are used. Under BAU conditions the modelling framework closely matched observed groundwater levels. Following the removal of the canal network, which forces farmers to rely completely on groundwater for irrigation, water levels decrease, while under a canal only scenario flooding occurs. Under the rainfed only scenario, groundwater levels similar to current business as usual conditions are observed, despite much larger volumes of recharge and discharge entering and leaving the system under BAU practices. While groundwater abstraction alone may lead to aquifer depletion, the conjunctive use of surface and groundwater resources, which includes unintended contributions of canal leakage, create conditions similar to those where no human interventions are present. Here, the importance of suitable water management practices, in maintaining sustainable water resources, are shown. This may include augmenting groundwater resources through managed aquifer recharge and reducing the impacts on aquifer resources through occasional canal water use where possible. The importance of optimal water management practices that highlight trade‐offs between environmental impact and human wellbeing are shown, providing useful information for policy makers, water managers and users.

Published
2019

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