A novel framework for analysing river planform characteristics in data‐scarce regions using remote sensing data

Abstract The increasing demand for hydropower as a sustainable energy source in data‐scarce regions, such as Central Asia, highlights the need for easy‐to‐apply methods for the morphological evaluation of rivers, critical to assess and maintain river health. Remote sensing data then offers a valuable approach for detecting the morphological characteristics of rivers, their development and their underlying processes. Existing studies tend to focus on either large‐scale assessments, the use of single morphological metrics or the post‐assessment of already implemented anthropogenic changes. This study presents a novel framework for morphological river assessment using Sentinel‐2 imagery, integrating multiple metrics—channel count, river width, total wetted area, channel migration area and water occurrence frequency—to capture aspects of local braiding intensity and riverbed dynamics. We further developed suitable evaluation methods for these metrics that enable the interpretation and assessment of specific spatial and temporal aspects of morphological active river stretches. The assessment includes the seasonal and annual pattern of the morphological state, the overall bed form and dynamics and the extent of morphological uniform river sections. We applied this framework to a study site at At‐Bashy River in Kyrgyzstan and established such a morphological river state. This river state includes the definition of high dynamic seasons, distinguishes six morphological sections with different channel patterns and further allows a general assessment of factors influencing channel patterns and the impact of anthropogenic pressures in braiding systems. Defining a comprehensive morphological river state using remote sensing supports more informed and sustainable hydropower development and river management strategies in data‐scarce regions with the overall goal of protecting river stretches and counteracting anthropogenic alterations.