REMOTE SENSING AND GIS
ASSIGNMENT
(Q) EXPLAIN DRAINAGE MORPHOMETRY AND IT’S APPLICATIONS
IN REMOTE SENSING AND GIS
DEFINATION:
Morphometry is defined as the measurement an mathematical analysis of the configuration of
the Earth’s surface and the shape and dimensions of its landform.
FACTORS:
1. The development of a drainage system over space and time is influenced by several
variables such as geology, structural components, geomorphology, soil and vegetation of
an area through which it flows.
2. It is important in any hydrological investigation like assessment of groundwater potential,
groundwater management, basin management and environmental assessment.
3. Various hydrological phenomena is correlated with the physiographic characteristics of a
drainage basin such as size, shape, slope of the drainage area, drainage density, size and
length of the contributories, etc.
4. The morphometric analysis is performed through measurement of linear, aerial, relief,
gradient of channel network and contributing ground slope of the basin.
5. Analyses are based on linear, aerial and relief aspects using different mathematical
equations.
6. The surface runoff and flow intensity of the drainage system is estimated using the
geomorphic features associated with morphometric.
ROLE OF RS AND GIS IN DRAINAGE MORPHOMETRY:
1. Application of remote sensing provides a reliable source for the preparation of various
thematic layers for morphometric analysis.
2. The digital elevation data is used for generating the elevation model of a landscape to any
extent.
3. The resolution of the image may vary with respect to the satellite sensors.
4. Geology, relief and climate are the primary determinants of a running water ecosystem
functioning at the basin scale.
CASE STUDY:
The River Satluj originates at Mansarover in Tibet and enters into Himachal
Pradesh at Shipkila pass. The study area extends from northeast to southwest from
Nathapa village in Kinnaur district to Bilaspur town in Bilaspur district. The total length
of River Satluj included under present analysis is 165 km and with the help of the Arc
GIS 9.2.
The 10 km buffer zone in either of the bank of river has maximum number
concentration of tributaries and beyond which topography in the catchment is
very harsh and inaccessible.
The land use and land cover classifications (LULC) were made under the present
selected buffer zone of the River Satluj Catchment area.
Morphometric analysis of a drainage system requires delineation of all existing streams.
The stream delineation was done digitally in GIS (ArcGIS 9.2) system. All tributaries
of different extents and patterns were digitized from Survey of India Toposheets on
1:50,000 scale and the catchment boundary was also determined. Digitization work
is carried out to cover entire analysis of drainage morphometry.
The order was given to each stream by following a stream ordering technique of
Strahler. The attributes were assigned to create the digital data base for a
drainage layer of the river basin. The methodology used for morphometric
analysis for a River catchment is vividly shown.
DRAINAGE BASIN MORPHOMETRY WORKSHEET:
This map was prepared after detailed ground verification with GPS survey on channel
network. The various morphometric parameters such as linear aspects of a drainage network
were studied. Stream order (Nu), bifurcation ratio (Rb), stream length (Lu), and stream length
ratio (Rl) were within linear aspects. While drainage density (D) and stream frequency (Fs)
under areal aspects of the catchment were computed and illustrated with the help of a flow
chart.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS:
The highest share of LULC of the total buffer zone stood to be 2945 km2 out of which
barren land covered 40.90% (1205 km2). This LULC component of barren land
was followed by forest land with 36.48% (1074 km2), agricultural land 21.91% (645
km2) and settlement area 0.71% (21 km2).
Here is a high anthropogenic pressure due to ever increasing human population
and continuously upcoming hydropower projects in the catchment. At the time of
study, there were 8730 households inhabiting under identified settlement area and
there were a number of hydropower projects.
CONCLUSION:
The study, in a nutshell, reveals that GIS based approach in evaluation of
drainage morphometric parameters and their influence on landforms, soils and
eroded land characteristics in a river catchment is more appropriate than the
conventional methods. GIS based approach facilitates analysis of different
morphometric parameters and explores the relationship between the drainage
morphometry and properties of landforms, soils and eroded lands.
In this study, drainage density and stream frequency are the most useful criteria for the
morphometric classification of drainage catchment which certainly alert to control the
run-off pattern, sediments yield and other hydrological parameters of the drainage
catchment where HEPs are to be developed.
SUBMITTED BY
[Link] KRISHNA SAI (14131A0123)
[Link] KUMAR (14131A0125)
[Link] (14131A0126)
[Link] (14131A0127)
