Published Paper Details:

River bank erosion and accretion are fundamental fluvial processes that control channel migration, floodplain development, and landscape evolution in large alluvial rivers. The River Ganga in the Prayagraj city exhibits pronounced lateral instability due to its meandering to braided planform, variable discharge, sediment load, and increasing anthropogenic interventions. This study examines the spatio-temporal dynamics of bank erosion, accretion, and stable banks along the River Ganga between 2002 and 2022 using multi-temporal satellite imagery and GIS-based overlay analysis. River channel boundaries were delineated for the years 2002, 2012, and 2022, and polygon overlay techniques were applied to quantify changes for the periods 2002-2012, 2012-2022, and the cumulative period 2002-2022. Results reveal that bank erosion remained the dominant process throughout the study period, accounting for 54.79% of the total bank area over two decades. However, a noticeable shift from erosion-dominated conditions (2002-2012) to enhanced accretion (2012-2022) was observed, indicating partial channel adjustment in recent years. The spatial patterns highlight intense erosion along outer meander bends and downstream reaches, while accretion is concentrated along inner bends, point bars, and abandoned channels. The findings emphasize sustained lateral channel migration and long-term bank instability in the Prayagraj city, with important implications for floodplain management, infrastructure planning, and riverbank protection strategies.