JOURNAL GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF INDIA

Vol.80, September 2012, pp.403-408

Late Holocene Storm Records from Lower Reaches of

Narmada Valley, Western India

PRABHIN SUKUMARAN1, C. RAJSHEKHAR2, DHANANJAY A. SANT3 and K. KRISHNAN4

1
Institute of Seismological Research, Gandhinagar - 382 009
2
Visiting Faculty, Department of Geology, Wadia college, Pune - 411 001
3
Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, 4Department of Archaeology and Ancient History,
Faculty of Arts, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara - 390 002
Email: prabhins@gmail.com

Abstract: Storms from the Arabian Sea are the most significant meteorological feature in western India that brings
extreme rainy days together with catastrophic flooding. The present study reports two such palaeo-storm horizons at
1.16 m and 3.2 m above the present day water level in the Narmada channel, 56 km inland based on sedimentology and
foraminiferal records. Both the horizons show similar sediment facies and foraminiferal assemblage. The present findings
instigate to look for such new sites and build palaeo-storm records for western India.

Keywords: Palaeo-storm, Late Holocene, Foraminifera, Flood plain, Narmada valley, Western India.

INTRODUCTION
Foraminifers are the most widely studied microfossils
for their short life cycles and immediate response to change
in environment, calling them as an ideal bio-indicator for
both modern to past environmental changes (Schafer, 2000;
Hallock et al. 2003; Frontalini and Coccioni, 2008). Studies
on modern foraminiferal faunal distribution have been used
for documenting Holocene eustatic sea level changes,
(Gehrels, 1999; Horton et al. 1999; Edwards and Horton,
2000; Gebhardt et al. 2004; Massey et al. 2006; Woodroffe,
2009), bathymetric related zonation pattern (Culver, 1988)
and the role of tectonics (Hayward et al. 2010). Studies on
microfossils distribution in Narmada estuary along
Quaternary marine sequence (Ambheta: 21°402 493 N;
72°352 423 E: 20 km inland) documents monsoonal
upwelling (Ghosh et al., 2008). Further similar records from
present active river channels (Narmada river and Tapti river)
were used to document palaeo-macro-tidal estuarine
environments (Ghosh et al. 2009).
Our recent sedimentological studies on Uchediya
sequence in lower reaches of river Narmada (21°43'2.22"
N, 73° 6'26.22" E; 10 m a. s. l; 56 km inland from coast;
Sukumaran et al. 2012) reveals two dominant sediment
facies namely, sandy (68%) and muddy facies (32%).
Sedimentology and field studies discover that muddy facies
occur at three distinct 1evels namely, Level 1 (L1),1.6 m to
1.62 m; Level 2 (L2), 3.5 m to 4.26 m; and Level 3 (L3),
6.00 m to 8.02 m from the present day water line. Of the
three layers, the two muddy facies, L1 and L2 show distinct
and sharp lower and upper bounding surfaces whereas, upper
most unit, L3, shows a gradual transition along lower
bounding surface. Landform studies reveal that the Uchediya
sequence along Narmada river belongs to historical period
and is younger to the landform that features dated sequence
close to Uchediya village (1200 -1900 years; Raj and
Yadava, 2009). Our present study is therefore, focused on
two muddy facies belonging to L1 and L2 levels developed
along Uchediya sequence. Microfaunal studies undertaken
gives significant understanding towards depositional
environment. The methodology adopted for microfaunal
studies, identification of various species, their count and
their environmental significance is discussed. The present
work further highlights repeated palaeo-storm events in the
lower reaches of Narmada valley through Arabian Sea and
looks forward toward need of finding of such historical
evidence of palaeo-storm along the west coast.
STUDY AREA
The Uchediya sequence [21°43'2.22" N, 73° 6'26.22" E;
10 m a. s. l], under present study falls in the present left
bank of Narmada channel about 56 km inland from the
coastline (Fig.1). A systematic survey carried out over a late
Holocene flood plain reveals continuity of lithounits for
about 2.4 km. Sedimentologically the sequence is classified
into three distinct sedimentary facies based on both nature

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404 PRABHIN SUKUMARAN AND OTHERS
Fig.1. Location map and overall geomorphology of the study area in lower reaches of Narmada valley.
of contacts (upper and lower bounding surfaces) and
sedimentological characteristics (Fig.2). Sukumaran et al.
(2012) have given a detailed description.
SAMPLING AND ANALYSIS
The section was studied and sampled along cut-open
trenches along four benches across the 802 cm vertical
profile. Each trench was approximately 200 cm in depth
and 50cm in width in vertical along the plumb line. The
trench was further dressed and cleaned to record field based
sedimentological details (sedimentary facies, their transition,
and sedimentary structures) followed by continuous high
resolution sampling at 2 cm intervals. Total 401 samples
were collected in two sets, of which one set packed in bottles
was used for analysis, whereas another set packed in
aluminium foil and plastic bags is preserved as the
undisturbed library sample. Of the three facies, detail studies
were carried out on foraminiferal bearing muddy sediments
intertidal facies 1 (48 cm thick) and intertidal facies 2
(76 cm thick). Sedimentological analysis was carried out at
2 cm interval (Sukumaran et al. 2012), whereas, analysis of
foraminiferal studies was undertaken for selected samples
at 12 cm interval. Initial processing of samples was done by
wet sieving through 63 µm size sieve. The fraction >63 µm
was collected, dried (at 50°C) and observed under a
binocular microscope (maximum magnification: 32 times).
Micro-fossils were isolated and transferred using fine “000”
size brush. A detailed morphological study of the specimens
has been done using the scanning electron microscope.
RESULT AND DISCUSSION
Sedimentologcally, the fluvial facies 1 (0-116 cm) and
fluvial facies 2 (162-350 cm) are well sorted to moderately
well sorted medium sand and very coarse skewed sediments
with trough cross stratifications suggesting river channel
facies. The transitional facies (426-600 cm) represents
intercalated sand and muddy sand having a mean grain size
of fine to very fine sand with poorly sorted and fine skewed
representing a transitional environment of channel facies to
an overbank facies. The overbank facies (600-802 cm)
having a mean grain size of very coarse silt, poorly sorted
and fine skewed. Whereas foraminifera bearing intertidal
facies 1 (116-162 cm) and intertidal facies 2 (350-426cm)
represents a fine skewed, poorly sorted, thinly laminated
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 LATE HOLOCENE STORM RECORDS FROM LOWER REACHES OF NARMADA VALLEY, WESTERN INDIA 405

Fig.2. Litholog of Uchediya sequence showing sedimentological characteristics (Sukumaran et al. 2012) of foraminifera bearing sandy
mud (Software Courtesy SedLog; Zervas et al. 2009).

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406 PRABHIN SUKUMARAN AND OTHERS

Fig.3. Scanning electron microscopic photographs of various species identified from lower reaches of Narmada valley. 1. Quinqueloculina
seminulum; 2. Fissurina cf indica; 3. Gallitella vivans; 4 .Globigerina bulloides; 5. Bolivina pussila; 6. Cassidulina cf. laevigata;
7. Bulimina marginata; 8. Murrayinella murrayi; 9. Elphidium simplex; 10. Nonionoides auris; 11. Nonionoides gatiloupi;
12. Ammona tepida; 13. Elphidium cf excavatum; 14. Elphidium sp.

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 LATE HOLOCENE STORM RECORDS FROM LOWER REACHES OF NARMADA VALLEY, WESTERN INDIA 407

very coarse silt and coarse silt (Descriptive terminology Elphidium sp Intertidal facies 2
after Folk and Ward (1957) and Friedman and Sanders Elphidium cf excavatum
Ammonia tepida
(1978)). Nonionoides gatiloupi
Micropaleontological studies in all yields 270 specimens Nonionoides auris
Haynesina simplex
of foraminifera from two intertidal facies. Intertidal facies Murayinella murrayi
Bulimina marginata
1 yields 102 foraminiferal specimens from 1.7 grams of Cassidulina cf laevigata
processed sample whereas intertidal facies 2 gives a yield Bolivina pusilla
Globigerina bulloides
of 168 foraminiferal specimens from 2.3 grams of processed Gallitella vivans
sample (Table 1 and Fig.3). The quantitative analyses for Fissurinacf
Fissurina cfindica
lucida
Quinquloculina seminulum
both the units having identical depositional history reveal 0 20 40 60 80
count of the total microfossil number that is almost equal to Percentage

total foraminiferal number as well as similar assemblage Intertidal facies 1

Elphidium sp
(Fig.4). The foraminiferal assemblage consists of both the Elphidium cf excavatum
Ammonia tepida
planktic as well as benthic species. The former is represented
Nonionoides gatiloupi
by Globigerina bulloides and Gallitella vivans. Though Nonionoides auris
Haynesina simplex
the diversity of these species is low, their presence has Murayinella murrayi
significant implication on the depositional environment. It Bulimina marginata
Cassidulina cf laevigata
is a well-known fact that planktic foraminifera are oceanic Bolivina pusilla
in habitat and they are commonly found in off shore Globigerina bulloides
Gallitella vivans
conditions. The occurrence of Globigerina bulloides is Fissurina cf
Fissurina cf indica
lucida
indicative of a strong tidal influence inland under a Quinquloculina seminulum
0 20 40 60 80
storm conditions. On the other hand, Gallitella vivans are Percentage
reported from intertidal region indicating a stressed and
upwelling regions (Ghosh et al. 2009). Fig.4. Distribution of fossil assemblage in intertidal facies 1 and
The benthic assemblage is represented by intertidal facies 2.
Quinqueloculina seminulum, Fissurina cf indica, Bolivina
pussila, Cassidulina cf. laevigata, Bulimina marginata, The sharp ribbon of muddy facies in the section suggests
Murrayinella murrayi , Haynesina simplex, Nonionoides possibilities of deposition to these layers are a sea level
auris, Nonionoides gatiloupi, Ammonia tepida, Elphidium change, flood or a base level change. However looking in
cf excavatum, Elphidium sp. The well preserved nature to the presents of planktic and benthic foraminiferal
of the specimens and higher diversity in benthic forams assemblage, lower-upper bounding surfaces and the
compared to planktic suggest normal estuary conditions. sedimentologic characteristics suggest the formation of these
layers are connected to the marine intertidal sediments most
Table 1. Sample wise frequency distribution among foraminiferal species reported
from lower reaches of Narmada valley
probably due to a storm event.
Frequency Count
No. Species Unit I II III IV V Total CONCLUSION
Depth 670 656 438 426 412
(cm) The present studies reveal the occurrence of two
1 Quinquloculina seminulum 1 1 foraminifera bearing sandy muddy units at elevations from
2 Fissurina cf indica 1 1
1.16 m to 1.62 m and 3.50 m to 4.26 m above the present
3 Gallitella vivans 1 2 3
4 Globigerina bulloides 1 1 2 water level in Narmada channel at Uchediya (Fig.1), that
5 Bolivina pusilla 2 3 5 must be younger than the nearby dated sequence aging 1200-
6 Cassidulina cf laevigata 4 4 1900 years B.P of Late Holocene (Raj and Yadava, 2009).
7 Bulimina marginata 1 1 2
The paper reports the occurrence of both benthic forams
8 Murayinella murrayi 3 58 14 73 8 156
9 Haynesina simplex 3 3 (Quinquloculina seminulum, Fissurina cf indica, Boluvina
10 Nonionoides auris 2 23 12 17 6 60 pusilla , Cassidulina cf laevigata, Bulimina marginata,
11 Nonionoides gratiloupi 1 2 3 Murayinella murrayi, Haynesina simplex, Nonionoides
12 Ammonia tepida 4 4 8
auris, Nonionoides gatiloupi, Ammonia tepida, Elphidium
13 Elphidium cf excavatum 3 3 11 3 20
14 Elphidium sp. 2 2
cf excavatum, Elphidium sp.) and planktic forams
Total 6 96 31 113 24 270 (Gallitella vivans and Globigerina bulloides). The previous

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408 PRABHIN SUKUMARAN AND OTHERS
reports of occurrence of foraminiferal assemblages were
from the inner Narmada estuary region as well as extending
inland up to 50 kms in the active channel (Ghosh et al.,
2008, Ghosh et al., 2009). However the present finding at
two levels above the present channel reveals occurrence of
repeated palaeo-storm events in the lower reaches of
Narmada valley through Arabian Sea.
The intercalated sand and sandy mud Uchediya sequence
represents aggradation of late Holocene flood plain. The
foraminifera bearing intertidal facies 1 and intertidal facies
2 are sandwiched within a channel facies and mixed
transitional facies environment respectively. The uniformity
in sedimentology as well as abundance in foraminiferal
percentage suggests similar events have occurred twice
during the aggradation history of Uchediya sequence.
Appearance of sudden ribbons of finely skewed, poorly
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