Skip to main content
Log in

Morphometric analysis of a watershed of South India using SRTM data and GIS

  • Published:
Journal of the Geological Society of India

Abstract

An attempt has been made to study drainage morphometry and its influence on hydrology of Wailapalli watershed, South India. For detailed study we used Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission (SRTM) data for preparing Digital Elevation Model (DEM), aspect grid and slope maps, Geographical information system (GIS) was used in evaluation of linear, areal and relief aspects of morphometric parameters. The study reveals that the elongated shape of the basin is mainly due to the guiding effect of thrusting and faulting. The lower order streams are mostly dominating the basin. The development of stream segments in the basin area is more or less affected by rainfall. The mean Rb of the entire basin is 3.89 which indicate that the drainage pattern is not much influenced by geological structures. Relief ratio indicates that the discharge capability of these watersheds is very high and the groundwater potential is meager. These studies are very useful for planning rainwater harvesting and watershed management.

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

Access this article

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

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abrahams, A.D. (1984) Channel networks: a geomorphological perspective. Water Resources Research, v.20, pp.161–168.

    Article  Google Scholar 

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

    Google Scholar 

  • Chow Ven, T. (Ed). (1964) Handbook of applied hydrology McGraw Hill Inc, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dornkamp, J.C. and King, C.A.M. (1971) Numerical analyses in geomorphology, an introduction. St. Martins Press, New York, pp.372.

    Google Scholar 

  • ESRI. (2000) Environmental Systems Research Institute. Inc., Help Topics, Arcview Help, version 3.2.

  • Farr, T.G. and Kobrick, M. (2000) Shuttle radar topography mission produces a wealth of data. American Geophys. Union, EOS, v.81, pp.583–585.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gardiner, V. (1995) Channel networks: progress in the study of spatial and temporal variations of drainage density. In: A. Gurnell and G.E. Petts (Eds.), Changing river channels. Wiley, New York, pp.65–85.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gopalakrishna, G.S., Kantharaj, T. and Balasubramaniam. (2004) Morphometric analysis of Yagachi and hemavathi river basins, around Alur taluk, Hassan district, Karnataka, India. Jour. Appld. Hydrology v.17(1), pp.9–17.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gorokhovich, Y. and Voustianiouk, A. (2006) Accuracy assessment of the processed SRTM-based elevation data by CGIAR using field data from USA and Thailand and its relation to the terrain characteristics. Remote Sensing of Environment, v.104, pp.409–415.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gregory, K.J. (1976) Drainage networks and climate. In: E. Derbyshire (Ed.), Geomorphology and climate. Wiley, Chichester, pp.289–315.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gregory, K.J. and Gardiner, V. (1975) Drainage density and climate. Zeitschrift for Geomorphology, v.19, pp.287–298.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grohmann, C.H. (2004) Morphometric analysis in geographic information systems: applications of free software GRASS and R. Computers and GeoSciences, v.30, pp.1055–1067.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grohmann, C.H., Riccomini, C. and Alves, F.M. (2007) SRTM — based morphotectonic analysis of the Pocos de caldas alkaline massif Southeastern Brazil. Computers & GeoSciences, v.33, pp. 10–19.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hadely, R.F. and Schumm, S.A. (1961) Sediment sources and drainage basin characteristics in upper Cheyenne river basin. United State Geological Survey water-supply paper, 1531-B, pp.137–196.

  • Horton, R.E. (1932) Drainage basin characteristics. Trans. Amer. Geophys. Union, v.13, pp.350–361.

    Google Scholar 

  • Horton, R.E. (1945) Erosional development of streams and their drainage density: hydrophysical approach to quantitative geomorphology. Geol. Soc. Amer. Bull., no.56, pp.275–370.

  • Kirkby, M.J. (1987) Modelling some influences of soil erosion, landslides and valley gradient on drainage density and hollow development. Catena, Suppl., no.10, pp.1–14.

  • Melton, M.A. (1957) An analysis of the relations among elements of climate, surface properties and geomorphology. Dept. Geol., Columbia University, Technical Report, 11, Proj.NR389-042. off. of Nav. Res., New York.

  • Mesa, L.M. (2006) Morphometric analysis of a subtropical Andean basin (Tucumam, Argentina). Environmental Geology, v.50(8), pp.1235–1242.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Montgomery, D.R. and Dietrich, W.E. (1989) Source areas, drainage density and channel initiation. Water Resources Research, v.25, pp.1907–1918.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Montgomery, D.R. and Dietrich, W.E. (1992) Channel initiation and the problem of landscape scale. Science, v.255, pp.826–830.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morisawa, M. (1985) Rivers: Form and Process. Longman, New York, 222p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rakesh, K., Lohani, A.K., Sanjay, K., Chatterjee, C. and Nema, R.K. (2001) GIS based morphometric analysis of Ajay river basin up to Sarath gauging site of south Bihar. Jour. Appld. Hydrology, v.14(4), pp.45–54.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rastogi, R.A. and Sharma, T.C. (1976) Quantitative analysis of drainage basin characteristics. Jour. Soil and water Conservation in India, v.26(1&4), pp.18–25.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schumm, S.A. (1956) Evolution of drainage systems and slopes in Badlands at Perth Amboy, New Jersey. Bull. Geol. Soc. Amer., v.67, pp.597–646.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schumm, S.A. (1963) Sinuosity of alluvial rivers on the Great Plains. Bull. Geol. Soc. Amer., v.74, pp.1089–1100.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, K.G. (1950) Standards for grading texture of erosional topography. American Jour. Science, v.248, pp.655–668.

    Google Scholar 

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

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sreedevi, P.D., Subrahmanyam, K. and Shakeel, A. (2005) The significance of morphometric analysis for obtaining groundwater potential zones in a structurally controlled terrain. Environmental Geology, v.47(3), pp.412–420.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Strahler, A.N. (1964) Quantitative geomorphology of drainage basins and channel networks. In: V.T. Chow (Ed.), Handbook of Applied Hydrology. McGraw-Hill, New York, pp.4.39–4.76.

    Google Scholar 

  • Toy, T.J. (1977) Hillslope form and climate. Geol. Soc. Amer. Bull., no.88, pp.16–22.

  • Tucker, G.E. and Bras, R.L. (1998) Hillslope processes, drainage density and landscape morphology. Water Resources Research, v.34, pp.2751–2764.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to P. D. Sreedevi.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Sreedevi, P.D., Owais, S., Khan, H.H. et al. Morphometric analysis of a watershed of South India using SRTM data and GIS. J Geol Soc India 73, 543–552 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12594-009-0038-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12594-009-0038-4

Keywords

Navigation