Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Morphometric evaluation of Papanasam and Manimuthar watersheds, parts of Western Ghats, Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu, India: a GIS approach

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Environmental Earth Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A morphometric analysis was carried out to describe the topography and drainage characteristics of Papanasam and Manimuthar watersheds. These watersheds are part of Western Ghats, which is an ecologically sensitive region. The drainage areas of Papanasam and Manimuthar watersheds are 163 and 211 km2, respectively and they show patterns of dendritic to sub-dendritic drainage. The slope of both watersheds varied from 0° to 59° and 0° to 55°, respectively. Moreover, the slope variation is chiefly controlled by the local geology and erosion cycles. Each watershed was classified as a fifth-order drainage basin. The stream order of the basin was predominantly controlled by physiographic and structural conditions. The increase in stream length ratio from lower to higher order suggests that the study area has reached a mature geomorphic stage. The development of stream segments is affected by rainfall and local lithology of the watersheds.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Burrough PA (1986) Principles of geographical information systems for land resources assessment. Oxford University Press, New York, p 50

    Google Scholar 

  • Farr TG, Kobrick M (2000) Shuttle radar topography mission produces a wealth of data. Amer Geophys Union EOS 81:583–585

    Google Scholar 

  • Grohmann CH (2004) Morphometric analysis in geographic information systems: applications of free software GRASS and R. Comput Geosci 30:1055–1067

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grohmann CH, Riccomini C, Alves FM (2007) SRTM-based morphotectonic analysis of the Pocos de caldas alkaline massif Southeastern Brazil. Comput Geosci 33:10–19

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hadley RF, Schumm SA (1961) Sediment sources and drainage basin characteristics in upper Cheyenne River Basin. US Geol Survey Water-Supply Paper 1531-B, pp 198

  • Horton RE (1932) Drainage basin characteristics. Trans Amer Geophys Union 13:350–361

    Google Scholar 

  • Horton RE (1945) Erosional development of streams and their drainage basins: hydrophysical approach to quantitative morphology. Bull Geo Soc Am 56:275–370

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kumar R, Kumar S, Lohani AK, Nema RK, Singh RD (2000) Evaluation of geomorphological characteristics of a catchment using GIS. GIS India 9(3):13–17

    Google Scholar 

  • Mesa LM (2006) Morphometric analysis of a subtropical Andean basin (Tucuman, Argentina). J Environ Geol 50(8):1235–1242

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miller VC (1953) A quantitative geomorphologic study of drainage basin characteristics in the Clinch Mountain area, Virginia and Tennessee, Project NR 389042, Tech Rept 3, Columbia University Department of Geology, ONR Geography Branch, New York

  • Rastogi RA, Sharma TC (1976) Quantitative analysis of drainage basin characteristics. Jour Soil and water Conservation in India 26(1, 4):18–25

    Google Scholar 

  • Schumm SA (1956) Evolution of drainage systems and slopes in badlands at Perth Amboy, New Jersey. Geol Soc Am Bull 67:597–646

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schumm SA (1963) Sinuosity of alluvial rivers in the great plains. Bull Geol Soc Am 74:1089–1100

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith KG (1950) Standards for grading texture of erosional topography. Am J Sci 248:655–668

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith B, Sandwell D (2003) Accuracy and resolution of shuttle radar topography mission data. Geophys Res Lett 30(9):20–21

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sreedevi PD, Subrahmanyam K, Shakeel A (2005) The significance of morphometric analysis for obtaining groundwater potential zones in a structurally controlled terrain. J Environ Geol 47(3):412–420

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Strahler AN (1957) Quantitative analysis of watershed geomorphology. Trans Am Geophys Union 38:913–920

    Google Scholar 

  • Strahler AN (1964) Quantative geomorphology of drainage basins and channel networks. In: Ven Te Chow (ed) Hand book of Aplied Hydrology. McGraw Hill Book Company, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Verstappen H (1983) The applied geomorphology. International Institute for Aerial Survey and Earth Science (I.T.C), Enschede, The Netherlands. Amsterdam, Oxford, New York

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the State Land Use Board, State Planning Commission, Government of Tamil Nadu for the financial assistance provided during the period of study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Geotechnology, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli, 627012, Tamil Nadu, India

    N. S. Magesh, N. Chandrasekar & John Prince Soundranayagam

Authors
  1. N. S. Magesh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. N. Chandrasekar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. John Prince Soundranayagam
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to N. S. Magesh.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Magesh, N.S., Chandrasekar, N. & Soundranayagam, J.P. Morphometric evaluation of Papanasam and Manimuthar watersheds, parts of Western Ghats, Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu, India: a GIS approach. Environ Earth Sci 64, 373–381 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-010-0860-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-010-0860-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation