River Systems in India: The Anthropocene Context

Abstract

The Anthropocene represents the time since human impacts have become one of the major external forcings on natural
processes. The present review provides a synthesis of studies on the Indian rivers at modern time scale. These studies
highlight the significant impact of anthropogenic forcing on modern day river processes and behaviour. Various aspects of
river systems at modern time scale and their possible future trajectories have been analysed. The integration of data from
modern rivers and their archives are critical for defining sustainable stream management practices. Our synthesis suggests
that the multi-disciplinary river studies at modern and historical time scales need to be pursued vigorously for securing the
health and futures of the Indian rivers.