Sediment delivery to the river and stream network in the northeastern region of India is expected to increase from 601 million tonnes in 2001, to about 981 and 1167 million tonnes by the years 2050 and 2100, respectively. This will substantially increase the river sediments, thereby increasing flood incidence and magnitude and affecting freshwater resources and environmental quality. The Doolittle method was used to develop a model based on a partial regression equation: runoff (% of rainfall) = 9.293 + 0.147 × slope (%) + 0.048 × rainfall (cm) - 1.469 × vegetation + 0.054 × soil moisture (%) - 0.125 × soil clay (%), for runoff generation. In pursuit of increasing agricultural production, a rapid increase in the use of agricultural chemicals will further degrade the freshwater resources, affect the health of humans and aquatic ecosystems, and alter the carbon cycle and biological and life support ecosystem in the region.
Implications, River sediments, Freshwater resources, Northeastern region of India, 21st century
