Abstract
Rihand reservoir is continuously experiencing siltation due to erosion in upper basin; thus study of morphometric-based prioritization of sub-watershed has become prerequisite for implementation of measures for conservation of soil and water resource. In present study an attempted has been made to analyze characterization and prioritization of sub-watersheds in upper basin of Rihand watershed based on hydro-morphometric parameters, in an environment of Geographical Information System (GIS), with the help of Multicriteria Decision Making through Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process (FAHP) techniques in order to identify critical sub-watersheds for conservation and management of soil and water resource. The morphometric characterization has been done through measurement of linear, areal and relief aspect of over seven sub-watersheds using SOI topographical sheet and SRTM data with the help of Q GIS 3.10 and White box software. In the purpose prioritization of sub-watersheds FAHP method has been implemented through assigning fuzzy membership function to each of 15 morphometric parameters by deriving their relationships with erosional hazard and criterion weight has been obtained using Saaty’s (Fundamentals of decision making and priority theory with analytical hierarchical process, RWS Publications University of Pittsburgh, Pittusburgh, 1980) proposed method. Based on prioritization approach the entire sub-watershed has divided into 3 vulnerable zones, i.e., high, medium and low. This study reveals that about 29% area of the watershed is falls under high vulnerable zone as they obtained high priority value and required immediate measures. In addition, ideal locations for measure structure to prevent soil erosion and maximize infiltration has been proposed which will be useful to the decision maker for land and water resource conservation, management, and sustainable agricultural development.
Highlights
Land and water are two vital resources for all living organism on the earth surface; human beings required these to ensure food security, economic development and social progress
According to Horton (1945, p. 290) the value of bifurcation ratio may range between 2 and 4 while Stralher (1964) suggested that In natural drainage system has a value of bifurcation ratio 3.0–5.0 in which geologic structures do not distort the drainage pattern
Morphometric analysis of watersheds is useful to reveal relationship among different aspects of the drainage basin including geology surface hydrology and climatic condition which are closely associated with erodibility, groundwater recharge, flood susceptibility and other hazardous phenomena
Summary
Land and water are two vital resources for all living organism on the earth surface; human beings required these to ensure food security, economic development and social progress. As a result soil and water resources are deteriorating due to human activities such as deforestation, land-use changes, agricultural activity, industrialization, road construction, and river bed mining, etc. This environmental issue in turn gives birth of several hydro-morphological hazards, e.g., soil erosion, flood, drought, reduction in land capability, etc., within watershed boundary. Morphometric configuration of a watershed is predominantly control the timing of surface runoff and it is the reflection of lithological, geological, hydrological and climatic condition; morphometry analysis can play a vital role in finding out the characteristics of watershed (Prabhakar et al 2019; Tripathi et al 2003). Morphometric parameters are divided into three aspects, i.e., linear aspects, areal aspects, and relief aspects, to analyze the shape and dimension of the earth surface (Sangma and Guru 2020; Putty 2007; Nag and Chakraborty 2003a, b; Bats and Jackson 1987; Clarke 1966).Use of Remote Sensing GIS techniques in morphometric analysis of watershed has been widely used across the world by many researchers (Fang 2020; Gautam 2020; Islam and Deb Barman 2020; Sinha et al 2019; Adhami 2019; Jafarzadegan and Merwade 2017; Roy and Sahu 2016a, b; Das et al 2016; Sharma and Tiwari 2014; Koshak and Dawod 2011; Manu and Anirudhan 2008; Kouli et al 2007; Vijith and Satheesh 2006; Grohmann 2004; Svetlitchnyi et al 2003; Lapena and Martz 1996) and suggested that as a proficient tools for morphometric characterization of subwatersheds (Farhan and Anaba 2016; Rahaman et al 2015; Aher et al 2013; Kanth and Hassan 2012; Sreedevi et al 2009; Grohmann 2004; Singh 1994)
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