Geographical information system-based morphometric analysis of Bharathapuzha river basin, Kerala, India

Abstract

A morphometric analysis of Bharathapuzha river basin has been carried out using geoprocessing techniques in GIS. This technique is found relevant for the extraction of river basin and its drainage networks. The extracted drainage network was classified according to Strahler's system of classification and it reveals that the terrain exhibits dendritic to sub-dendritic drainage pattern. The Bharathapuzha drainage basin is sprawled over an area of 5,988. 56 km2. The study area was designated as seventh-order basin and lower order streams mostly dominate the basin with the drainage density value of 1. 07 km/km2. The slope of basin varied from 0° to 70° and the slope variation is chiefly controlled by the local geology and erosion cycles. The elongation ratio of the basin is 0. 57 indicating that the study area is elongated with moderate relief and steep slopes. The drainage texture of the basin is 7. 78 which indicates an intermediate texture that exists over the region. Hence, from the study, it can be concluded that remote sensing data (SRTM-DEM) coupled with geoprocessing techniques prove to be a competent tool in morphometric analysis and the data can be used for basin management and other hydrological studies in future. © 2013 The Author(s).