Application of GIS techniques to understand the geomorphometric characteristics of a tropical watershed in South India

Abstract

Identifying and protecting natural resources is a meaningful way forward for achieving sustainable development. Since water is a precious natural resource that is being depleted faster than it is recharged, there is an urgent need to evaluate and monitor this resource. Watershed-based studies are gaining momentum, while studying about the natural resources. The purpose of this study is to analyze the morphometric characteristics of a watershed. Numerous morphometric parameters have been devised by various scholars to measure the drainage basin characteristics quantitatively. The methodology of this study is to make use of remote sensing and GIS techniques to analyze the drainage morphometry of Vannathangarai watershed in Tamil Nadu, India. The study has identified that the watershed has a low runoff and slow infiltration, thus pointing toward a probability of flooding. The study also revealed that the basin is well drained, basin where the surface is lowered by erosion.

Morphometric analysis of Halda River basin, Bangladesh, using GIS and remote sensing techniques

“…Few streams with longer lengths are common in well-drained basins. Short channels are common in areas with steep slopes [ 58 , 94 , 95 ]. The steep slope in the high elevated areas in the Halda basin produces numerous streams of lower order with short length.…”

“…This indicates the location of the fourth-order streams is mostly affected by underlying geology followed by the areas of first and second-order [ 31 , 101 ]. Besides, areas of first-order streams are also affected by soil erosion due to the accelerated erosion power of the first-order streams [ 58 , 95 ]. Low Rb values are also responsible for producing higher peak flow during flooding whereas; extended but low peak flow produces high Rb values [ 102 ].…”

“…Basin area, basin length, stream network and order, length of streams and elevation of different locations in the drainage basin are the basic parameters measured through geospatial and hydrological analysis in the GIS environment [ 5 , [51] , [52] , [53] ]. Morphometric analysis of drainage basins has been conducted extensively by extracting morphometric parameters from SRTM-DEM using GIS software for different environmental, geologic, climatic and hydrologic settings across the world [ [4] , [5] , [6] , [7] , [8] , [9] , [10] , 19 , [54] , [55] , [56] , [57] , [58] , [59] ]. However, the specific application of morphometric parameters measures the relationship with other factors or events such as neotectonic or geologic evolution, hydrological flow assessment, hazard investigation etc.…”

“…However, the specific application of morphometric parameters measures the relationship with other factors or events such as neotectonic or geologic evolution, hydrological flow assessment, hazard investigation etc. [ 4 , [60] , [61] , [62] , [63] ], which largely limits the in-depth understanding of geomorphometric, hydrologic and environmental characteristics of the drainage basin [ 58 , 64 ]. Although understanding the morphometric characteristics of drainage basins cut significant importance, there is a limited study that has been conducted in Bangladesh [ 10 , 65 , 66 ].…”

Mapping potential surface runoff areas in Batam with geographic Information system for flood mitigation

“…The rapid rate of population growth led to the clearing of land for farms, housing, industry, and others [5]. These developments turn areas intended as water catchment areas into watertight areas, potentially increasing the amount of surface runoff [6].…”