Navigating Transboundary Waters: Geomorphological Insights for Collaborative Watershed Management in the Upper Indus Basin

The present study was conducted in the Upper Indus Basin, particularly along the line of control (LoC). The study was conducted to identify and characterize the shared water basins along Pakistan-India/ China in Upper Indus Basin. 90 m resolution DEM was used and further analysis was done in the GIS environment. Whole DEM was delineated and shared basins were identified, extracted and further analyses were done on them. The flow regimes were identified, total area containing in the countries was estimated and the physical characterization of the identified shared water basins was done using the Remote Sensing and GIS techniques. The results of this study revealed that fourteen (14) shared trans-boundary river basins have been identified along the Pakistan-India/ China in Upper Indus Basin (along the line of control). These are Chenab, Jammu Tawi, Jhelum at Muzaffarabad, Jhelum (Whole), Kharmong, Kotli, Manawar Tawi, Mangla, Neelum, Neelum Jhelum, Poonch, Shigo, Shyok and Tarbela. The elevation of all of these identified shared Trans-boundary river basins ranges from 139 m to 8000 m. Results showed 14 identified basins, only 3 basins are those which are present in China. These basins are Kharmong, Shyok and Tarbela. The basin area present in China [in Km² (%)] is 26,207 (36), 6062 (18) and 136,537 (50) respectively. As mentioned above, three basins are identified in China named as Kharmong, Shyok and Tarbela. The river length present of these basins present in China (in km (%))is 427 (39), 74 (14) and 855 (48) respectively. The total and shared lengths of the rivers in these basins, the topography and flow regimes hence, a proper watershed management approach should be made which is practical and applicable in these basins. This would help in resolving the water issues and bringing peace in all of the nations.