Morphometric Analysis of a Shakkar River Catchment Using RS and GIS

Abstract

Employing Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographical Information System (GIS), morphometric analysis was carried out for Shakkar River catchment (area = 2220 km2) using satellite imageries and topographic maps on a scale map of 1:50,000 to determine its drainage characteristics. Exhibiting a dendritic drainage pattern, the drainage density of the study area varies from 2.84 to 3.67 km/km 2 which observed that area is highly permeable and structurally controlled. The bifurcation ratio varies from 3.49 to 5.52 and the elongation ratio vary from 0.47 to 1.00, whereas value nearing 1 are typical of region of low relief. The area is delineated in 8 sub watershed. The morphometric analysis reveals that sub-watershed 3 show lower value of Drainage density and Stream Frequency, Sub-watershed 6 shows low value Compactness Constant and sub-watershed 7 show lower value of Circulatory Ratio and Form factor. The relief aspect lower in the subwatershed 2. And the values of Average slope vary from 9.27 to 88.50%. This study of morphometric analysis characterizes the watershed and helps to understand the hydrological behaviour of the Shakker river catchment.