The dependence of drainage density on climate and geomorphology

Abstract

A measure of the kinetic energy per unit mass of effective rainfall is developed as a function of the storm characteristics and the instantaneous unit hydrograph of a basin. The lower the kinetic energy at the outlet for a given potential energy, the larger is the energy expenditure inside the basin and the larger one may expect to find the drainage density. This analysis shows that the drainage density cannot be analysed on the basis of climate alone and that it is necessary to take into account the response characteristics of the basin in any spatial or climatic study of drainage densities. © 1982 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.