Landscape Evolution, Climate, Cryosphere, and Human Dimensions of the Jhelum Basin, Kashmir Himalayas

The Jhelum Basin of the Kashmir Himalayas constitutes a geomorphologically and environmentally complex mountain system where tectonics, climate, cryosphere, hydrology, and human activity intersect to shape landscape evolution and resource availability. This chapter provides a comprehensive geographical synthesis of the basin, integrating its physical setting, relief, geological framework, geomorphic development, drainage organisation, climatic regime, biophysical characteristics, cryospheric components, land surface thermal patterns, land use dynamics, and demographic trends. Spanning a wide altitudinal range from valley floors and Karewa plateaus to high-elevation glaciated terrain, the basin exhibits strong spatial heterogeneity governed by active tectonics, glacio-fluvial processes, and climatic variability. The Jhelum River and its tributaries form a structurally influenced drainage network that sustains agriculture, hydropower, ecosystems, and livelihoods across the valley. The basin’s cold-temperate climate, dominated by western disturbances, regulates seasonal snow accumulation, glacier mass balance, and river discharge. Detailed assessment of glaciers and glacial lakes underscores their critical role in regional hydrology and downstream water security. Observed changes in land use/land cover and land surface temperature reveal an intensification of anthropogenic pressures, particularly urban expansion, deforestation, and population growth, with implications for ecosystem stability and watershed functioning. By synthesising natural and human dimensions within a unified geographical framework, this chapter highlights the Jhelum Basin as a sensitive Himalayan system where sustainable resource management and informed planning are essential for enhancing resilience under ongoing environmental and climatic change.