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In ternationa l
Scholars
Journa ls

 

African Journal of Environmental Economics and Management ISSN 2375-0707 Vol. 11 (1), pp. 001-006, 
January, 2023. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals 

 

Author(s) retain the copyright of this article. 
 
 

 

Review 

 

History of river channel modifications - A review 

 
M. A. Mohammed-Aslam1* and A. Balasubramanian2

 
 

1
Department of Earth Sciences, Pondicherry University, Puducherry- 605014, India. 

2
Department of Studies in Geology, Mysore University, Manasagangotri, Mysore -570 006, Karnataka, India. 

 
Accepted 9 August, 2022 

 
Many river basins have witnessed episodes of modifications and shifts in its courses in the geological 
past. The study of these aspects can be regarded as part of a trend towards the understanding and 
explanation rather than depiction of how rivers adjust, under varied terrains of landform behaviour. The 
methodological appraisals that arise from such intensive research are illustrated in this paper using a 
detailed investigation of river reach with a special emphasis on palaeochannels and channel 
modification. The proper evaluation of the past works on channel modifications is expected to provide 
more insight into not only the theoretical concepts of channel metamorphosis but also to the realistic 
development of natural resources. For successful planning and management of the water resources, it 
is essential to evaluate the actual surface and subsurface signatures of the dynamic river systems. 

 
Key words: Channel modification, river, palaeochannel. 

 
INTRODUCTION 

 
Palaeochannels are the elongate, lobate or sinuous 
fluvial landforms representing the drainage path in the 
geologic past; with an expected aerial extent from a 
fraction of a kilometer to many kilometers in length. Large 
rivers are arteries which are critical to the life of 
diversified landscapes they pass through. 

The rivers are largely instrumental in shaping the 
landforms both by means of erosion and deposition. 
Although rivers are mere narrow ribbons across the 
continents, their network direct and regulate one of the 
most significant activities of nature. Rivers form the vital 
components of the hydrological cycle. The increasing 
number of settlements and population necessitated the 
suitable methods of exploitation of water resources very 
significantly. This also needs a comprehensive 
hydrogeological analysis. An appraisal of the existing 
groundwater conditions in any fluvial system helps the 
supplementary development of resources in order to 
meet the projected demand. Since the advent of modern 
techniques in the field of earth science, it has become 
obvious that any shift in the present river course or 
distribution of abandoned channels is considered to be 
the topics of wide discussion. A trend has also been set  
 
 
 
*Corresponding author. E-mail: maslam.in@gmail.com. 

 
 
 
 
 

 
in the search of old channel courses which can be used 
to find the promising sites for groundwater exploration.  

Many features can be attributed to successfully 
recognize the existence of palaeochannels. Features of 
meanderplains like, old channel scars, point bar deposits, 
meander scrolls, meander loops, ox-bow lakes, and water 
filled abandoned channels; variously dissected fluvial 
deposits; elongate, low sinuous ribbons of sediment 
deposits, characteristic narrow mosaic of sedimentary 
deposits and type and texture of vegetation can provide 
reliable information about the nature of palaeochannels. 
Since the groundwater potentialities of such zones are 
remarkably excellent, anomalous growth of healthy plants 
in high density is also expected. 

 
SCOPE AND OBJECTIVES 

 
The continuing channel modifications and change in river 
courses have got a greater implication on the potentiality 
of water resources. For successful planning and manage-
ment of these resources, it is important to assess the 
actual surface and subsurface signatures of the dynamic 
river systems. The scope of the present study is to 
assess the development in the field of channel 
modifications and palaeochennels, which form one of the 
important hydrogeological domains. This study involves 



2 

 

 
 
 

 

the analysis of the function played by geology and 
structural characteristics in the channel shifts, 
palaeochannels and their hydrogeological aspects and 
evaluation of the mechanism of drainage metamorphosis. 
In the recent past, proper attention has been paid 
particularly in many parts of the world to characterize the 
palaeochannels or the old courses of the major rivers. An 
assessment of the existing sources of earlier studies has 
been made and presented in this paper. 
 

 

DISCUSSION 

 

Historical developments 

 

A clear description of river channel adjustment was given 
by Clemmens (1883) (was probably the first?). The 
suspected changes inferred before 1900 were not 
investigated in the subsequent years. After 1900 the 
Davisian explanation prevailed and dominated the 
geomorphological thinking about rivers. This inter-
pretation involved the assumed changes which occurred 
during the cyclic evolution of landscape development. 
Remarkable beginning was given by Sonderreger (1935). 
The concept further was oriented towards the measure-
ment of change. One of the greatest and outstanding 
problems for a geomorphologist is to differentiate 
between the evolutionary sequences of chance and 
adjustments inspired by direct and indirect human 
activities. Collections of papers on river morphology 
(Schumm, 1972a) and on environmental geomorphology 
demonstrate that some research was completed during 
the past century which is pertinent to river channel 
change.  

A number of methods are available for the identification 

of channel changes and these are clear from the (1) 

empirical measurements, (2) historical methods, (3) 

dating techniques, and (4) Space-time substitution. 
 

 

CHANNEL MODIFICATIONS 

 

Any adjustment in the channel forms and processes will 
lead to a typical hydrogeological and hydrogeomorpholo-
gical set-up. The earliest work on river change and 
morphology were carried out by Schumm (1968), 
followed by Dawson and Tilley (1972); Hickin and Nanson 
(1975) and Lewin and Weir (1977). Gregory (1977) was 
probably the first to review the context of river channel 
changes by summarizing the results of various studies. 
Studies on channel modifications induced by natural 
phenomena like floods, tectonism and high meandering 
are a few. Alluvial rivers react to valley slope deformation 
caused by these factors in various ways depending on 
the rate of amount of surficial deformation and on the 
nature of river. Significant among them could be seen in 
Ritter Dale (1979), Malcolm Anderson and 

 
 
 
 

 

Ann Calver (1980), Carson (1986) and Shunji Ouchi 
(1985). Changes in the channel geometry caused by 
human intervention with fluvial processes have received 
considerable attention (Gregory, 1977). Richards and 
Greenhalgh (1984) discussed the limitations of the spatial 
interpolation method of identifying and interpreting the 
channel modification. Kesel Richard and Yodi’s Elaine 
(1992) studied the effects of human modifications on 
sand-bed channels in south western Mississippi.  

Mohammed-Aslam et al. (2006) applied Linear Mixture 
Model for studying alluvial plain that contains palaeo-
channels. Petts (1980) has suggested a few analytical 
methods for the river channel changes. Saini et al. (1980) 
have mapped out the abandoned channels of Mendha 
River in Orissa using LANDSAT MSS data. They have 
attributed that the sand movement towards the northeast 
has forced the river to change its course.  

The other notable work done on river changes could be 
seen in Antczak (1981) and Ferguson and Werrity (1983). 
The morphology and hydrology of ancient meandering 
fluvial systems have been assessed by means of the 
physical parameters by Gardner-Thomas (1983). Dury 
(1984) explained the abrupt variation in the channel width 
along a river and proposed a functional relationship of 
channel properties. Watkins and Simmons Clyde (1984) 
compared the hydrological conditions of the Chicod 
Creek basin, before and during channel changes.  

Rajaguru and Kale (1985) used the geomorphological, 

archaeological, palaeontological and C14 dating 

information in deriving the buried and exposed alluvial 
deposits of upper parts of Krishna, Bhima, and Godavari 
Rivers of Western Maharastra. Ramasamy et al. (1992) 
pointed out the river migration in northern Tamil Nadu 
with the evidences from satellite data, archaeology and 
Tamil Literature. The sinuous nature of river meanders 
and their complexities with fractal dimensions of alluvial 
and non-alluvial channels have been conceptually 
analyzed by Keith Montgomery (1996). Recent studies on 
channel modifications are seen in Hasegawa Kazuyoshi 
(1989), Mason Robert et.al.(1990), Singh et.al(1990), 
Ramasamy et.al.(1991), Fried Alan (1993), Xue-Chunting 
(1993) , Mohammed-Aslam and Balasubramanian (2001, 
2002), Mohammed-Aslam (2003), Mohammed-Aslam et 
al. (2002, 2003, 2006) and Carolyn et al. (2009). 
 

 

PALAEOCHANNELS 

 

Well-preserved palaeodrainage systems in the major 
rivers have dragged the attention of enthusiastic workers 
mainly because of the valuable economic deposits 
resulted from the hydrochemical response with sediments 
and enriched groundwater resources. The general fea-
tures of palaeochannels were brought into the limelight by 
Schumm (1972). Later in the year 1979, Wynn had 
explained the applications of electromagnetic methods in 
locating the buried palaeochannels. Bachman and Wilson 



3 

 

 
 
 

 

(1982) published a report on the palaeochannels 
discovered over the Delmarva Peninsula in USA. Gregory 
(1983) has illustrated the different sections come under 
palaeohydrology. The geometrical aspects of palaeo-
channels and their flow patterns have been analyzed by 
Marc B Edwards et.al (1983) using the vertical sections of 
channels and their floodplains. Narasimhan (1990) and 
Absar-Ahsan et al. (1991) have investigated the palaeo-
channels of Palar river and concluded that the uplift of the 
terrain have occurred during the Quaternary periods. A 
few pioneering works have been done on palaeochannels 
and their impact on Mine Stability. Such studies are seen 
in Guion Paul (1987), Ingram David and Chase Frank 
(1987). Glacial palaeochannels of Susquehanna River in 
the Chesapeake Bay area were studied by Colman et al. 
(1988). Dimichele William and Philips Tom (1988) pointed 
out the palaeoecology of Herrin coal swamp adjacent to 
the Walshville palaeochannel. Other remarkable work 
done on palaeochannels was found in Qin-Yunshan et al. 
(1988) ; Brazier and Balantyne (1989); Willis (1989, 
1993); Mohammed-Aslam and Balasubramanian (2001,  
2002); Mohammed-Aslam (2003); McLaren et al. (2004); 
Mohammed-Aslam et al. (2002, 2003, 2006) and Robert 
(2009).  

Castaldini (1990) has brought out the Palaeochannel 
network of Po river, Italy, using remote sensing, 
archaeological, historical and prehistorical data. He has 
also dated the Roman settlements aligned along its old 
courses, archaeological remains of Bronze age, Iron age 
etc. and concluded that the Po river has wandered almost 
widely during 4000 - 5000 years ahead of the present.  

David et al. (1991) used the transient electromagnetic 
soundings and terrain conductivity meter measurements 
for mapping the palaeochannels geometry in the Al Jaww 
plain in eastern Abu Dhabi Emirate. Du-Xiaodi et al. 
(1991) made an effort on palaeochannel reconstruction 
based on sedimentary characteristics of the fluvial facies. 
There are a few examples in the literature for 
palaeochannels and further notable observations are 
seen in Li- Huanchun (1991); Richard et al. (1992); 
Shevchenko (1992) and Smith et al. (1993).  

A few authors have attempted to identify the major 
palaeochannels in different river basins of Indian sub 
continent. The lost courses of River Saraswati were 
mapped by Ghose et al. (1979). Remote sensing tech-
niques have been successfully utilized in studying the 
palaeochannels (Philip et al., 1991; Ramasamy, 1991; 
Sarma, 1993; Mohammed-Aslam and Balasubramanian, 
2001; Mohammed-Aslam et al., 2006). Tiwari (1992) 
estimated the groundwater potential zones in a part of the 
Thar desert by demarcating the palaeochannels.  

Babu (1975, 1986) has divided the Cauvery basin into 
four main physiographic zones and made a detailed stu-
dy about the past and present characteristics of Cauvery 
Delta. Rao (1982) discussed the morphology and 
evolution of modern Cauvery Delta. Ramasamy (1991)  
employed remote sensing techniques for studying the river 
delta in Tamil Nadu. Radhakrishna (1992) described the 

  
  

 
 

 

geological past of Cauvery Basin and observed its 
drainage architecture and fluvial anomalies.  

Recent investigations on palaeochannels have 
diversified approach. Seismic-Reflection Identification of 
Susquehanna River Paleochannels on the Mid-Atlantic 
Coastal Plain was attempted by Robert et al. (1994). 
Jean-Christophe et al. (2003) used three classical 
geophysical methods (electromagnetic profiling supple-
mented by electrical soundings, electrical resistivity 
tomography and ground penetrating radar [GPR]) to 
define alluvial bodies and palaeochannels.  

The paper by David (2003) discussed the properties of 
the buried flood- plain at six sites in the Loup River basin, 
to consider why the properties of buried flood-plain vary 
from site to site, and to evaluate possible reasons why 
the Loup River flood-plains stabilized 5500 years ago. 
Extensive works on Palaeochannels of NCP (North China 
Plain) are seen in works of Wu Chen et al. (1996a, 
1996b, 1996c) and Xu Qinghai et al. (1996a, 1996b).  

Ellis and Brown (1998) illustrated how archaeomagnetic 
dating can be used for palaeochannel fills within 
floodplain sequences. The sites investigated are 
palaeochannels associated with the mediaeval 
braided/anastomosing channels of an unstable reach of 
the River Trent at Hemington, North-west Leicestershire. 

The paper from Ogbaghebriel et al. (1998) presented a 
geomorphologic–stratigraphic analysis of a travertine 
dammed lacustrine–swampy sedimentary sequence, 
composed of clay, peaty layers and phytoclastic 
travertine sands, deeply incised by the Mai Maikden 
River, on the Highlands of Tigray (Northern Ethiopia) 
where a few palaeochannels were identified. Dates for 
sediment deposition have been obtained for a number of 
abandoned channels with modern features on the Upper 
Murray, Kiewa, Ovens and Goulburn Rivers, and from 
palaeochannel deposits on the Upper Murray River just 
west of Albury by Ralph et al. (2001). A research paper 
from Mauro (2002) discussed the changes in fluvial 
dynamics that started from Late Pleistocene and Early 
Holocene due to distinct climatic changes. Imaging of a 
large palaeochannel by Fielding et al. (2003) on the 
northeastern Australian continental shelf by a series of 
shallow seismic reflection profiles preserves a rare insight 
into the stratigraphic record of falling sea level during the 
last glacial period. Abandoned channel belts, ponds and 
point bar deposits of palaeochannels in the interfluve 
regions of central Ganga Plain and the changes in the 
morphohydrologic conditions during the Latest 
Pleistocene–Holocene were carried out by Pradeep et al. 
(2003). David and Andy (2004) used a method using 
Coleoptera remains recovered from a palaeochannel fill 
at Spalford Meadows in the Lower Trent Valley, for the 
reconstruction of river histories of Trent basin, UK, a key 
factor in understanding the distribution of valley floor 
archaeological settlement patterns. Lewin et al. (2005) 
classified Holocene alluvial archive of Great Britain by  
sedimentation unit (channel sediments, palaeochannel fills, 
floodplain surface sediments, floodbasins and colluvial 



4 

 

 
 
 

 

deposits) and alluvial ensemble (fans and cones, upland 
gullies and streams, braided systems and active/inactive 
meandering and anastomosing systems).  

Based on the observation from high-resolution 3D 
seismic data sets, Gay et al. (2006) documented the 
subsurface reservoir architecture and organization of a 
portion of the Oligocene–Miocene stratigraphy within the 
Congo Basin, offshore southwestern Africa, and identified 
four levels of turbiditic palaeochannels, which are 
separated by low-amplitude continuous reflectors 
interpreted as hemipelagic sediments. Recently, Olga et 
al. (2006) made use of the morphological, geological, 
geochronological and palynological methods and showed 
that the landscape, climate and hydrological history of the 
Seim River basin. Vincent et al. (2006) employed the 
archaeological analysis and dendrochronological dating 
to discuss the four palaeo-flooding events occurred 
during a short time period between AD 20 and AD 
145/146. These geoarchaeological observations focus on 
floods that do not seem to have considerably affected 
human occupation in the Rhine floodplain. 
 

 

CONCLUSIONS 

 

The application potential of geological, geophysical, 
remote sensing and related techniques in characterizing 
the palaeochannels and channel modifications has been 
attempted and demonstrated in this work.  

The proper appraisal of the past works on 
palaeochannels and channel modifications expected to 
provide more insight into not only the theoretical concepts 
of channel metamorphosis but also to the practical 
development of natural resources.  

Micro-level and sector based investigations of natural 
resources are now given much emphasis that are related 

with channel shifting and palaeochannels. Integrated stu-
dies are encouraged in order to assess and evaluate the 
quantitative and qualitative aspects of palaeocahannels. 

 
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