Remote sensing and GIS based morphometric characterization of Bichiya river watershed of Rewa district, MP

Abstract

Remote Sensing & GIS technique was used for extracting geomorphological characteristics of watersheds. Its application provides an efficient and accurate means for evaluation of these characteristics. Drainage system delineation is important to better understand hydrologic system, water resource management and its planning. Morphometric analysis of any drainage basin in a systematic method has a great importance in understanding hydrological behavior of the basin. Morphometric parameters describe the topology, the structure, the platform and the relief of basin area. Its characteristics are commonly used for planning & management of regional hydrological models. Physical characteristics of watershed provides some pre-information mainly runoff, stages of its development and soil loss productivity characteristics. Morphometric parameters viz; Stream order, Stream length, Bifurcation ratio, Drainage density, Drainage frequency, Drainage texture, Form factor, Circularity ratio, Elongation ratio and Compactness ratio etc. were measured for prioritization and compound parameter values were calculated and finally prioritization of seven sub watersheds was marked. Morphometric parameters are relevant and useful to identify various characteristics of drainage Watershed. Patterns, shape, stage of stream, as well as help to correlate with lithological characteristics. GIS and Remote sensing techniques have proved to be accurate and efficient tool in drainage delineation and their updation. Stream order show the Watershed is 5th order watershed with dendritic drainage pattern and with homogeneous nature and some area with parallel drainage pattern. The average Bifurcation Value of study area 2.98, usually these values are common in the areas where geologic structures do not exercise a dominant influence on the drainage pattern. The Drainage density of Watershed is 1.75indicating moderate drainage densities. The Moderate drainage density indicates the Watershed is permeable. It also shows the Texture of Watershed is Moderate.