Geospatial approach to evaluate the morphometry of Sabarmati River Basin, India

Abstract

River basins play an essential role in ecosystem stability; they receive water through either snowmelt or precipitation which helps in groundwater resource development. Thereupon, land and water are ecologically linked which sustain the livelihood and food security. Since the river flows from higher to lower elevation, it carries sediment, nutrients or pollutants along with water flow to the outlet of the basin via channels. From the last few decades, the rapid change in land-use practices has led to water scarcity especially in the semi-arid region where there is an imbalance between precipitation and evapotranspiration. Therefore, there is a crucial requirement for water resource planning. The present morphometric analysis work has been performed on the Sabarmati River Basin, which falls in the semi-arid region of western India. Digital elevation model data, geostatistical tools and ArcGIS have been used to explore the hydrological and geomorphic processes in the basin. The morphometric variables like relief and areal and linear aspects were calculated to delineate the basin’s drainage network. The area showed a dendritic drainage pattern with drainage density of 0.42 km−1 which infers the less permeable surface of the basin with thin vegetation and moderate to high elevation. The highest stream order of the basin is seventh order with an area of 31,921 km2 and basin length of 481.75 km. The circulatory ratio of 0.18 and low-form factor of 0.14 infer the basin’s elongated nature which increases the chances of water infiltration. This work will assist the decision-makers for allocation of artificial recharge points to reduce runoff in the basin for sustainable soil and water resource planning.