Catchment geomorphology and its relationship with streamflow - a case study of selected drainage basins in Peninsular Malaysia

Abstract

Hydrogeomorpholog ica l studies have stressed the s ignificance of catchment geomor-phology and its causal link with streamflow parameters. Such studies are inva luable not onl y from the standpoint of the dynamics of fluvi al geomorphology but its practical value for streamflow prediction/ est im ation purposes . A c lassic example of such stud ies is illustrated by the work of Carlston (1963). Utilizing a s ingle morphometric property, drainage density, the theoretical link between catchment geomorphology and basin runoff response can be summari zed in the modified Jacob groundwater flow model equation T = WD-2/8h o ' in whjch T is transmissibi lity, W is recharge, D is dra inage dens ity and ho is the height of the water table at the water table divide. T his study of 15 dramage basins in Pen insu lar Malaysia attempts to test the significance of basin morphometric variables suc/l as drainage density, stream magnitude, relief ratio, ruggedness number and bifurcati on ratjo in influenc ing bas in runoff response such us baseflow , peakflow and flood run-off. Correlation and mul tiple regress ion ana lyses are used to e~ tab li s h the re lationships between basin morphometric variables and basi n runoff respon se. It is concluded that basin morphometric vari ables are c losely re lated to runoff response and the empirical equations establi shed can be utilized for streamflow estim ation on ungauged basins.