GEOMORPHOLOGY AND SOILS OF HARYANA STATE, INDIA

Abstract

Haryana State (India) over its major parts, is underlain by the Indogangetic Plains and is bordered by the outer Himalayan ranges i.e. Siwalik Ranges in the northeast and by the northern tip of the Aravalli Ranges in the southwestern part. This region including the adjoining area of Panjab is known to have witnessed drastic changes in courses and discharges of the rivers like the Saraswati, Yamuna and Sutlej since Protohistoric times. The area has also been a scene of tectonic activity since Mid-Miocene time and climate changes during middle and late - Holocene and exploitation by man since Protohistoric period. All the above factors could have resulted in instability of the environment and are likely to be reflected in physiography and soils of the area. The present study aims at a detailed study of geomorphology and soils of the area and work out the effects of the above mentioned factors on them. In the present investigations, a detailed and systematic study of regional distribution of landforms and soil has been » made using Landsat imageries and CCTxs, published literature and field work. Thirteen geomorphic units, with distinctive soils, identified and delineated on the map are : (a) Siwalik Hills, (b) Aravalli Hills, (c) Old Sutlej Plain, (d) Aeolian Plain, (e) Basin with Marl, (i) Older Piedmont Plain, (g) Younger Piedmont, (h) Yamuna Floodplain, (i) Ghagger Floodplain, (j) Kaithal Upland Plain, (k) Karnal Upland Plain, (1) Drishadvati Plain and

(m) Fluvio-Aeolian Plain. In all 34 pedons well distributed over different geomorphic units have been studied for their field characters. 184 sample collected from major soil horizon of different pedons have been analysed for their grain-size distribution, pH, EC, major elements, minor elements (Cu, Mn, and Zn) and micromorphology. Silt+clay, Fe2 03 and A1203 accummulation indices, presence or absence of CaCo3 concretions and oxidation mottling / Fe-Mn concretions and micromorphological aspects such as degree of development of pedality, grain structure and ferri-argillans are all used in an integrated way to know the degree of development of soil profiles on different geomorphic units and to construct a soil-chronosequence for the area of study. Soils of different geomorphic units have been classified into three members of a post incisive soil-chronosequence i.e. Q-L, 1000 B.P., Q2, 3500 B.P.and Q3, 5000 B.P. These members of the chronosequence include soils of different geomorphic units as follows : Q^- Yamuna Floodplain, Q_2 - Younger Piedmont, Fluvio-Aeolian Plain (Basin with Marl, top soil only) and Ghagger Flood plain and Q3 - Karnal Upland Plain, Kaithal Upland Plain, Basin with Marl (Palaeo-lacustrine Marl) and Older Piedmont. Also tectonic features identified from the' study-area are : Main Boundary Fault, .Foothill Fault, Southern Boundary Fault, Yamuna Fault and Ghagger Fault. The sequence-of events suggested, for evolution of soils, landforms and drainage of the study area, is (i) the Yamuna debouched into Haryana plains and probably flowed through the

wide Drishadvati Plain and changes to its present course about 5000 B.P. due to activity along the Yamuna Fault, (ii) Next phase includes the formation of mesohaline lakes along depression northeast of Aravalli Ranges and development of soils with calcretes (5000 B.P. to about 3500 B.P.) on the Drishadvati Plain and Karnal and Kaithal Upland Plain and Calcrete free soils on the Older Piedmont, and.(iii) the last phase starts at about the time 3500 B.P., it marked by the end of lacustrine sedimentation, covering the area of units - Basin with Marl and Fluvio-Aeolian Plain with a thin cover of fluvial sands, their reworking by wind and tilting of the Older Piedmont zone in the north, start of deposition of the Younger Piedmont and northward shifting of the Sutlej river course from a tributary of the Ghagger to an independant tributary of the Indus. In brief, emphasis throughout the study is on a closer understanding of role of tectonism in shifting of river courses and development of landforms and soils of the area.