Appraisal of Environmental Health and Ecohydrology of Free-Flowing Aghanashini River, Karnataka, India

Rivers are vital freshwater resources that cater to the needs of society. The burgeoning population and consequent land-use changes have altered hydrologic regime with biophysical chemical integrity changes. This necessitates understanding dynamics, flow regime, water quality riverine ecosystems. An assessment dynamics in Aghanashini River basin reveals a decline vegetation cover from 86.06% (1973) 50.78% (2018). computation eco-hydrological indices (EHI) highlights sub-watersheds native had higher infiltration (and storage) than loss due evapotranspiration meeting societal demand. index helped assess overall across seasons. study provides insights into hydrology linkages catchment landscape hydrologists managers. These would aid prudent management river basins address stress issues through watershed treatment involving afforestation species, appropriate cropping, soil conservation measures.