Dynamics of Hydrological (Dis‐)connectivity and Flow Intermittency of the Kshipra River Basin, Central India

ABSTRACT Intermittent rivers account for about 60% of global river length. Analysing the dynamics of intermittency and their sensitivity towards changing climate and anthropogenic interventions is crucial for sustainable management practices. Here, we quantify the spatial and temporal evolution of intermittency in a heavily regulated Kshipra River in Central India, which was once perennial. We utilised 3‐dimensional (longitudinal, lateral and vertical) hydrological connectivity analysis using satellite observations and hydro‐climatic data. We observe a significant decrease in longitudinal connectivity from about during the 1960s to nearly half by the early 2000s. The land‐use change in the catchment has impeded lateral connectivity between the floodplain and the river channel. Further, we observed groundwater fluctuations to be a major driver of the loss of surface to groundwater (vertical) connectivity, impacting the baseflow contribution to the river. The other sensitive parameters include precipitation and temperature. The cumulative impact of these changes is evident in the loss of riparian cover, an important ecological zone along the river. Reaches with higher %dryness have experienced greater loss of riparian cover, especially in anthropogenically impacted reaches (reservoirs and urban reaches). This highlights the multifaceted impact of climate and anthropogenic interventions through hydrological alterations, groundwater depletion and land use management on hydrological connectivity. This study is a step towards the management of flow intermittency in the dryland rivers.