Khan et al. (2026) Dynamics of Hydrological (Dis‐)connectivity and Flow Intermittency of the Kshipra River Basin, Central India

⚠️ Warning: This summary was generated from the abstract only, as the full text was not available.

Identification

• Journal: River Research and Applications
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-09-21
• Authors: Adil Rashid Khan, Kumar Gaurav
• DOI: 10.1002/rra.70191

Research Groups

Not explicitly mentioned in the abstract.

Short Summary

This study quantifies the spatial and temporal evolution of intermittency in the Kshipra River, Central India, revealing a significant decrease in hydrological connectivity across longitudinal, lateral, and vertical dimensions due to a combination of climate change, land-use alterations, and groundwater depletion.

Objective

• To quantify the spatial and temporal evolution of intermittency in the heavily regulated Kshipra River in Central India, which was once perennial.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Kshipra River catchment, Central India.
• Temporal Scale: Multi-decadal, spanning from the 1960s to the early 2000s.

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Not explicitly mentioned; analysis involved 3-dimensional (longitudinal, lateral, and vertical) hydrological connectivity assessment.
• Data sources: Satellite observations and hydro-climatic data.

Main Results

• A significant decrease in longitudinal connectivity was observed, from approximately 100% during the 1960s to nearly 50% by the early 2000s.
• Land-use change within the catchment has impeded lateral connectivity between the floodplain and the river channel.
• Groundwater fluctuations were identified as a major driver of the loss of surface-to-groundwater (vertical) connectivity, consequently impacting the river's baseflow contribution.
• Precipitation and temperature were identified as other sensitive parameters influencing intermittency.
• The cumulative impact of these changes is evident in the loss of riparian cover, with reaches experiencing higher dryness showing greater loss, particularly in anthropogenically impacted areas (reservoirs and urban reaches).

Contributions

• Quantifies the spatial and temporal dynamics of flow intermittency in a heavily regulated dryland river system.
• Highlights the multifaceted impact of climate change and anthropogenic interventions (hydrological alterations, groundwater depletion, and land-use management) on 3-dimensional hydrological connectivity.
• Provides insights crucial for the sustainable management of flow intermittency in dryland rivers.

Funding

Not explicitly mentioned in the abstract.

Citation

@article{Khan2026Dynamics,
  author = {Khan, Adil Rashid and Gaurav, Kumar},
  title = {Dynamics of Hydrological (Dis‐)connectivity and Flow Intermittency of the Kshipra River Basin, Central India},
  journal = {River Research and Applications},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1002/rra.70191},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/rra.70191}
}