Rudraprayag, carved as a seperate revenue district in 1997 . The geographical area of the
District is around 2328 sq.kms.
GEOLOGY 
The geology of the region shows that the Himalayas are the young
mountains in the world. During early Mesozoic times, or the secondary geological period,
the land mass now covered by them was occupied by the great geosynclinal Tethys sea . The
probable date of the commencement of the elevation of the Himalayas is about the close of
the Mesozoic period, but the unraveling of the story of their structure has only just
begin, and in many cases no dating of the rocks is yet possible, though they include
ancient and relatively recent crystalline intrusive, rocks and sediments allied to the
peninsular part of India . The section of the range in the district is deeply cut into by
the headwaters of the Alaknanda river, this trunk stream seeming to have reached a latter
stage of development than its tributaries. This much, however, is known that there has
been intense metamorphosis. In some parts uplift has been considerable since the
mid-pleistocene period, in others there are great stretches of high but subdued topography
and elsewhere there are the deepest gorges.
MINERALS
The minerals that are found
in the district are the following-
Asbestos - This is
of the amosite variety and can be used for the production of asbestos, cement bricks,
laboratory asbestos sheet and paper, but is not considered to be of economic importance.
Magnestic
- This is of an average quality is crystalline in nature,
and is found associated with crystalline dolomites and sometimes with soapstone. The
Magnesium carbonate found here is also of average quality and its mineralisation has also
been reported to occur in the district.
Soapstone or Steatite -
This white saponaceous stone resembling pipe clay is
obtained in as lenticular body and is associated with mineral pyrites, which adds a color
to it, and in places with magnesite. it can be mined for use as filler in soap and in the
cosmetic industries. In the past various utensils were made of it which, when polished,
had the appearance of marble.
Copper -
The copper mines in the district are extensive and of
reputed during the period of Hindus and The Gorkhas rules. All the rich mines have since
being exhausted and at present they do not offer a fair field for the employment of
capital.
Iron - Small and sporadic occurrence of iron are known to occur in several
parts of district but are of hardly any economic important. Iron ore, rich in haematite,
and magnetic ore, with haematite and siderite, also occur in the district.
Graphite
- In the past this mineral, also known as plumbago, found
mostly in patti Lohba, was used as a dye but no large deposits have been noticed for a
long time.
Gypsum -
This mineral is found on the bank of some river and was
used in the past for the manufacture of saucers and bowls .when ground to a fine powder it
is known as Plaster of Paris and can be used for a number of purposes.
Lead - Deposits of this metal were fairly numerous in the past but it is found
in somewhat inaccessible places and has long since ceased
to be worked.
Slate - This dense, fine grained metamorphic rock, which is produced from a
fine clay, can be split into thin, smooth plates and is quarried throughout the district.
It is suitable for roofing purposes, the thin dark blue slates being somewhat inferior in
quality.
Building Stone -
Stone which can be used for building purposes is
available in most parts of the district. Sand stone is found in abundance in the lower
hills. Gneiss and chlorite schists which are available throughout the district are
frequently used for building purposes.
Sulphur
- This yellow mineral, also known as brimstone is found
in the district as green sulphate of iron and is obtainable from iron pyrites and copper
mines, its presence being characterised by a small as of rotten eggs. Sulphur springs also
occur in many parts in the district.
Bitumen -
The brownish white natural sulphate of alumina known as
Shilajit is found in rocks at a fairly high altitude and occur in small lumps which
generally have an admixture of red sand and micaceous stone embedded in them. It is used
in Ayurvedic medicine and during the season when there is an influx of pilgrims, it
fetches good income to those who deal in it.
Some other minerals
found in the district are Antimony, Arsenic, Lignite or Brown Marble, Mica and silver.
Physiographically the
district, which lies in a region of tectonic or folded and overthrust mountain chains, has
strata are structurally marked by complex folds, reverse faults, overthrusts and nappes of
great dimensions, all these as well as frequent earthquake of varying intensity give
region to believe that the region is still unstable. Although any movement or tremor of
the earths crust in the district is not produced by volcanic activity, the Chaukhamba peak
a pair to be the crater of an extinct volcano.
CLIMATE
As the elevation of the
district ranges from 800 mts. to 8000 mts above see level the climate of the district very
largely depend on altitude. The winter season is from about mid November to March. As most
of the region is situated on the southern slops of the outer Himalayas, monsoon currents
can enter through the valley, the rainfall being heaviest in the monsoon from June to
September.
Rainfall - Most of the rainfall occur during the period June to September when 70
to 80 percent of the annual precipitation is accounted for in the southern half of the
district and 55 to 65 percent in the northern half. The effectiveness of the rains is,
among others, related to low temperature which means less evapo-transpiration and forest
or vegetation cover. However, the effectiveness is neither uniform nor even positive in
areas where either the vegetational cover is poor or / and has steep slops or the soils
have been so denuded that their moisture absorption capacity has become marginal.
Temperature
- The details of temperature recorded at the
meteorological observatories in the district show that the highest temperature was 340C
and lowest 00C. January is the coldest month after which the temperature begin
to rise till June or July. temperature vary with elevation. During the winter cold waves
in the wake of western disturbances may cause temperature to fall appreciably. Snow
accumulation in valleys is considerable.
Humidity
- The relative humidity is high during monsoon season,
generally exceeding 70% on the average. The driest part of the year is the pre monsoon
period when the humidity may drop to 35% during the afternoon. During the winter months
humidity increases toward the afternoon at certain high stations.
Cloudiness
- Skies are heavily clouded during the monsoon months and
for short spells when the region is affected by the passage of western disturbances.
During the rest of the year the skies are generally clear to lightly clouded.
Winds - Owing to the nature of terrain local affect are pronounced and when the
general prevailing winds not too strong to mask these effect, there is a tendency for
diurnal reversal of winds, the flow being anabatic during the day and katabatic at night,
the latter being of considerable force.
RIVER
SYSTEM
The river Mandakini, which
is the most important river coming down from the slopes of Kedarnath peak, joins the
Alaknanda (the alaknanda originates at a height of 3641 metres below Balakun peak 16 kms.
upstream fromadrinath.) at Rudraprayag. The river actually originates from the springs fed
by melting snow of Charabari glacier about one km above Kedarnath temple. Mandakini is
itself fed by Vasukiganga, which meets it at Sonprayag 16 km down-stream from Kedarnath.
The fact is that the main
river of the Himalaya are older than the mountains they traverse. This is why they flow
right across the axis of the ranges through deep gorges carved out by the river
themselves. All the rivers of the district are snow fed.
As the water levels of the
rivers are much below the arable land levels, the rivers cannot be generally used for
irrigation purposes. |
