Geomorphic landforms are important repository of groundwater, economic minerals and form fertile belt for irrigation. The fluvial landforms related to Palaeochannels are pathfinders to understand the past seismic activities of the area. These Palaeochannelsare useful to recognize the resultant pattern of river migration caused by palaeo-, neo- and active - seismotectonic activities. Further, they are important as they have developed favorable locales not only for groundwater occurrence but also for heavy mineral deposits. In order to proceed with any Geologic study, the first step would be to map the geomorphic landforms. The fast emerging and advancing techniques like Remote Sensing (RS), Digital Image Processing (DIP), Digital Photogrammetry (DP), Digital Elevation Modelling (DEM), Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) and Geographic Information System (GIS) are highly useful and efficient in detailed geomorphic mapping of an area. In this area, the fluvial, marine and intercalated fluvio-marine landforms are developed with subtle differences in their topographic elevation. Further, they are highly disturbed, eroded in nature and hindered under the vegetal cover due to their fertility and attract habitation over them. Thus, mapping of these landforms becomes more challenging task. But, with the help of newer techniques, together called ‘Geospatial Technology’, this task of detailed Geomorphic mapping becomes most effective and easy. This study has attempted in a coastal part of Mahanadi Delta in Odisha. Through various satellite image enhancement techniques and using GIS, more information about the existence of newer geomorphic landforms, their aerial extent, importance and the history of migration of distributaries in coastal part of Mahanadi delta have been brought out. Shaded Relief Map developed using SRTM, CARTOSAT DEMs and the 3D visualization of Basement Depth generated in GIS have further added the information content about the existence of these Palaeochannels and the possible migratory patterns of rivers. In this paper, the advanced GIS, DIP and 3D imaging methods used for better visualization of terrain through subsurface faults and basement data and satellite image interpretation, detailed mapping of Geomorphic landforms and understanding the migratory pattern of distributaries in Mahanadi Delta have been dealt in detail.
