Response of Drainage Pattern and Basin Evolution to Tectonic and Climatic Changes Along the Dinarides-Hellenides Orogen

The junction of the Dinaric and Hellenic mountain belts hosts a trans-orogenic normal fault system (Shkoder-Peja Normal Fault, SPNF) that has accommodated oroclinal bending, as well focused basin formation drainage Drin River catchment. Analysis fluvial morphology this catchment reveals higher values river slope indices ( k sn ) χ (Chi) between faults SPNF divide. divide is predicted to be migrating away from SPNF, except at NE end system. Two basins analysed in hangingwall Western Kosovo Basin (WKB) Tropoja (TB), contain late Pliocene-to-Holocene sedimentary rocks deposited after main activity immediately Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). These layers document an early Pleistocene transition lacustrine conditions reflects sudden change internal external paleo-lakes. In TB, these were incised form three generations terraces, interpreted reflect episodic downstream incision during re-organisation paleo-Drin 36 Cl-cosmogenic-nuclide depth-profile ages two youngest terraces (∼12, ∼8 ka) correlate with periods wetter climate increased sediment transport post-LGM time. rate (∼12 mm/yr) significantly greater than reported central southern Albania. Thus, glacial/interglacial climatic variability, hinterland erosion base-level changes appear have regulated filling excavation cycles when rivers draining WKB TB became part network emptying into Adriatic Sea. dramatic morphological occurred long faulting clockwise rotation on initiated Oligocene-Miocene Faulting provided structural erosional template upon which climate-induced Holocene time effected reorganisation regional pattern, including partial demise lakes basins. arc around deviates general coincidence NW-SE trend Dinaric-Hellenic chain. This encompasses imprint left by roll-back subduction slab beneath northwestern Hellenides.