CORRELATION BASED MORPHOMETRIC ANALYSIS TO UNDERSTAND BASIN EVOLUTION: A CASE STUDY OF SIRSA RIVER BASIN, WESTERN HIMALAYA, INDIA

Abstract

Quantitative measurements of morphometric parameters of basin and sub basins have raised attraction of research in geology, geomorphology and hydrology since Horton’s period. In the present study, with the aid of Geographic Information System (GIS) several morphometric parameters were employed to understand the nature, landscape development and hydrologic responses of Sirsa river basin and its twelve sub basins (namely 1, 2, 3 etc.). Digital Elevation Model (DEM) was used to derive the relief and slope parameters; whether toposheets based digitized drainage network was used to calculate linear and areal aspects. Relative relief, dissection index, ruggedness index, average slope, stream frequency and drainage density were calculated from the basin by dividing it hundreds of one square km grids. Pearson correlation coefficient and probable error of correlation coefficient were determined between above mentioned parameters for all sub basins as well as basin. Justification of the correlations whether it were significant or not; and its relation to basin and sub basin development are analyzed. Overall analysis shows that the basin is normal, well drained and near-elongated. The analysis of various morphometric parameter and their correlations indicate that sub basins are in late youth stage (sub basins 2, 6 and 7), transition stage between youth and maturity (sub basins 3, 8 and 10), mature stage (sub basins 1, 5 and 11) and late mature stage (sub basins 4, 9 and 12) of landscape development. The results are quite significant to justify the erosional status, influence of geologic and other factors on basin development.