Hydrological Characteristics of Indus Kohistan
Third South Asia Geological Congress Lahore, Pakistan.

Seven tributaries of the Indus River in Indus Kohistan were studied for their discharge and suspended load. The streams studied were Smmar Gah at Gosar, Kadia River at Thauti Bridge, Spat Gah at Goshali, Zahid Khard at Zaid Khard, Keyal Khwar at Shinshal, Duber Khwar at Duber Bela and Allai Khwar at Kund. The discharge of these rivers was calculated since the gauges are installed on these streams by SHYDO. Similarly, suspended sediment load was taken for a period of more than a year. It was interesting that there is a great diversity in the discharge and suspended sediment transport of these streams during different months. For streams showing a discharge of more than 1000 cusecs during high flow months has gone less than 5 cusecs for winter months, and hence in most of these streams the monthly discharge share is more than 75% when cumulated for summer months. Not only this but the collective share of December, January and February never exceeds 6% of the total. The suspended load increases with the increase of discharge. This can be understood easily if we concentrate in the causes of higher discharge i.e. heavy melting of the snows in the catchment area and heavy rains. Both these causes more sediment input in the streams.
   
Author(s):
Muhammad Amjad Sabir
SHDO, NWFP, Peshawar, Pakistan.

S. Shafiqur Rehman
Department of Geology, Peshawar University, Pakistan