Morphometric Parameters of the Calabar River Basin: Implication for Hydrologic Processes

Eze Bassey Eze,Joel Efiong

doi:10.5539/jgg.v2n1p18

Abstract

The study examined the morphometric parameters of the Calabar River Basin with emphasis on its implicationfor hydrologic processes. Data for this study were obtained from topographic map which were subject to fieldconfirmation. The result revealed that the basin area was 1 514km2. There were 223 streams with a total streamlength of 516.34km. The textural dissection was considered to be low as drainage density, stream frequency anddrainage intensity values were 0.34km-1, 0.15km-1 and 0.05 respectively. The basin was found to be stronglyelongated with circularity ratio of 0.34 and elongation ratio of 0.64. The average bifurcation ratio was 2.83. Thevery low value of drainage intensity implies that drainage density and stream frequency have very little effect onthe extent to which the surface has been lowered by agents of denudation. These low values of drainage density,stream frequency and drainage intensity also imply that surface runoff is not quickly removed from the basin,making it susceptible to flooding, gully erosion and landslides, particularly in the lower part of the basin. It istherefore recommended that human activities that could impact negatively on stream network in the basin shouldbe discouraged.

Highlights

Studies on drainage basin morphometry have been carried out in many parts of the world
The basins in their areas of studies have been classified as the case may be and drainage basin morphometry related to the processes that are prevalent in such areas
The study further revealed a very low drainage intensity of 0.05 for the basin. This very low value of drainage intensity implies that drainage density and stream frequency have very little effect on the extent to which the surface has been lowered by agents of denudation

Summary

Introduction

Studies on drainage basin morphometry have been carried out in many parts of the world. In Nigeria, such works include those of Okechukwu (1974), Ebisemiju (1976), Faniran and Ojo (1980), Anyadike and Phil-Eze (1989), etc. The basins in their areas of studies have been classified as the case may be and drainage basin morphometry related to the processes that are prevalent in such areas. Drainage basin morphometric parameters can be used to describe and compare basins of different sizes. Such parameters include stream order, stream length, stream number, and basin area. Others are basin shape factor (eg. circularity ratio, elongation ratio, form factor and compaction ratio), basin perimeter, bifurcation ratios, drainage density, stream frequency and drainage intensity

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Results

Conclusion