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INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES Volume 6, No 4, 2015
© Copyright by the authors - Licensee IPA- Under Creative Commons license 3.0
Research article ISSN 0976 – 4402
Received on December 2015 Published on January 2016 429
Characterization of hydro geological behavior of the upper watershed of
River Subarnarekha through Morphometric analysis using Remote
Sensing and GIS approach Pipas Kumar1, Varun Joshi2
1-Research Scholar, University School of Environment Management, Guru Gobind Singh
Indraprastha University, New Delhi, India
2-Associate Prof., University School of Environment Management, Guru Gobind Singh
Indraprastha University, New Delhi, India
doi:10.6088/ijes.6049
ABSTRACT
The investigation of geo hydrological features of drainage basin is necessary for planning and
implementation of various watershed development programmes. The visual interpretation
techniques coupled with morphometric analysis is used in the present study to evaluate the
geomorphic process of upper watershed of river Subarnarekha in the state of Jharkhand, India.
Various spatial information is extracted with the help of remote sensing and GIS techniques,
which provided an understanding of precise scenario related to basin development.
Morphometric analysis reveals that the upper watershed of River Subernarekha is of eighth
order with dendritic drainage pattern. The study also concludes that the geomorphic
development of drainage basin is highly affected by slope and elevation, whereas the
development of stream segments is affected by rainfall pattern and infiltration. The mean
bifurcation ratio of the basin is 5.62 that is an indicator of flash flooding during the heavy
rain and storm. The DEM reveal that the lowest basin elevation is of 48 metre in the plains
and highest of 1,043 mt in the plateau region. The ruggedness number of 0.78 indicates steep
slope of the basin. The value of elongation ratio in the study area is found to be 0.64
indicating relatively moderate relief and elongated shape. Based on drainage frequency and
density analysis, the basin has moderate to low surface run off and high infiltration capacity.
The subsoil is permeable indicating good groundwater recharge rate. This study will help the
policy makers for watershed prioritization and identification of ground water potential zones.
Keywords: Subarnarekha, Ranchi, Morphometric, watershed, drainage.
1. Introduction
Watershed management plays a significant role in restoration of ecological balance, sustained
growth and development of an area. It directly affects water balance component of
ecosystems, which helps in ground water recharge and growth of natural vegetation. It is very
much important for the countries, like India, which is mainly dependent on monsoon rainfall.
The best management practices can address the issue of drought, flood, excessive runoff,
poor infiltration and soil erosion. The challenges in the implementation of watershed
management lie at the sub-watershed and micro-watershed level due to unavailability and
variability of precise data related to topography, precipitation, surface run off, etc, The hydro-
geological component like morphology, surface run-off, soil texture, landform, etc. plays an
important role in devising a plan for integrated watershed management of an area.
Morphometry is the mathematical analysis of the configuration of the earth’s surface, shape
Characterization of hydro geological behavior of the upper watershed of river Subarnarekha through
morphometric analysis using remote sensing and GIS approach
Pipas Kumar, Varun Joshi
International Journal of Environmental Sciences Volume 6 No.4 2015 430
and dimensions of its landforms (Clarke, 1996). Morphometric analysis helps in planning and
prioritization at the micro-watershed level for effective development of management plans.
Renowned geomorphologist like Strahler, Schumm, Morisawa, Scheidegger, Shreve, Gregory,
Gregory, Walling, etc carried some of the pioneering work in the field of drainage basin
morphometry. Stream network of any basin represents the surface water hydrological
characteristics with reference to its climatic condition, relief and geological features (Reddy
et al., 2004). It can be applied to describe the geomorphological feature of the area, to
compare basins of different sizes, evaluation of surface and groundwater potential (Hajam et
al., 2013). The integration of scientific and technological know-how, like, use of remote
sensing and GIS technology, various statistical tools, etc in morphometric analysis has
enhanced the success rate of any watershed development program. In India, researchers have
carried out various geohydrological studies pertaining to the resource planning and watershed
management (Chalam et al., 1996; Pakhmode et al., 2003; Rekha et al., 2006).
Morphometric analysis integrated with remote sensing and GIS is adopted to study the soil
degradation of various watersheds (Jain and Kothyari, 2000; Sekhar and Rao, 2002). The
study of the groundwater potential zoning of watershed using remote sense data is carried out
for various landforms (Krishnamurthy et al., 1995; Shahid et al., 2000; Avinash et al., 2014,).
Manju and George (2014) carried out critical evaluation and assessment through the
calculation of morphometric parameters of Vagamon and Peermade sub-watersheds of Kerala
by using Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System techniques. The artificial
recharge sites in Manchi basin, Eastern Rajasthan is also identified using morphometric
parameters calculation (Rais and Javed, 2014). Similarly, Kanak et al., (2014) computed
morphometric characteristics of the Lonar nala watershed in Akola district, Maharashtra.
(Gowhar et al., 2015) used morphometric variables in GIS environment to study the
watershed characteristics on the flood vulnerability of Jhelum basin in Kashmir Himalaya.
The statistical techniques like cluster and principal component analysis (PCA) are applied to
different-size watersheds utilizing various morphometric variables. (Dhruvesh et al., 2015;
Ali M Subyani et al., 2012). Some new techniques like weighted sum analysis (WSA) is
applied in the fragile arid and semi-arid tropics of Pimpalgaon Ujjaini village, Maharastra for
watershed prioritization (Aher et. al., 2014). Semi-quantitative method of the sediment yield
index (SYI) model for watershed prioritization is also used in many studies. (Mosbahi et al.,
2012; Jang et al., 2013). Hydrological modeling approach has defined a new dimension in
integrating the result of morphometric analysis data into simpler decision-making system.
Mishra et al., (2007) used Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) in small multi-vegetated
watershed to quantify the effect of land use/cover properties.
2. Study area
The Subarnarekha river in the state of Jharkhand, cover an area of 12831.12 Km2. (Figure1).
In Indian language, the river name “Subarnarekha” is a combination of two words meaning
“streak of gold”. As per tradition, gold was mined near the origin of the river. The river
Subarnarekha originates in the village named Piskanagri, near Ranchi, the capital of state
Jharkhand, India. After origin, the river flows through Ranchi, East Singhbhum, Saraikela
Kharsawa districts of Jharkhand, West Medniapore district of state West Bengal and Balasore
district of state Odisha, before reaching the Bay of Bengal. Its main tributaries are Kanchi,
Karkari, Kharkai, Raru, Garru, Dulang. The geographic extension of the study area is
latitude 23° 18' N and longitude 85° 11' E. This area is represented on Survey of India (SoI)
topographical map no. 73 E (1: 2, 50,000). This region is predominately called as
Chhotanagpur plateau that is characterized by numerous small streams and isolated hills and
Characterization of hydro geological behavior of the upper watershed of river Subarnarekha through
morphometric analysis using remote sensing and GIS approach
Pipas Kumar, Varun Joshi
International Journal of Environmental Sciences Volume 6 No.4 2015 431
mountains and absence of any perennial river. The geography of the Subarnarekha basin
chiefly consists of undulating plateaus, uplands and some flat plains with deposits of red and
laterite soil. The river course consists of gorges and waterfalls with exposed rocks of granite,
genesis, pegamatite (Gupta et. al., 2004). The sediment's erosion and transportation is
affected by the meandering of the river. This region is represented by exposed earth’s surface
due to removal of super-incumbent load of overlaying rocks through continued erosion.
(Rasool et. al., 2011).
According to Köppen Climate Classification, this area is classified as “Humid Subtropical”
which is characterized by hot summer from March to May and dry and cold winter during the
month of November to February. The mean monthly temperature varies from 40.5° C in the
month of May to 9.00 ° C in December whereas annual average maximum and minimum
temperatures vary from 32.4° C to 18.0°C respectively (Gupta et. al., 2004). This basin
receives its rainfall from South-West monsoon, which starts from June and ends in October.
The average annual rainfall for the basin is around 1800 mm (Gupta et. al., 2004). Vast cover
of exposed granite represents the rocky terrain of the area with the presence of gravel and
pebbles. The gravels are mostly fluviate in origin. 'The presences of fractured rocks are
representative of potential aquifers at deeper levels. The ground water occurs under semi
confined to confined conditions and is being exploited through bore wells, dug well and open
ponds. Laterite and well-drained loamy soils dominates the region, which is a mixture of
hydro oxides of iron and aluminum and weathering product of rocks.
Figure 1: Location of Subarnarekha River basin in state Jharkhand, India
3. Methodology: Input data and source
In the present study, to achieve the goals of morphometric analysis, remote sensing and GIS
techniques, survey of India topographical maps are used extensively for the extraction of
drainage pattern. The remote sensing data dated 20th April 2015 (path-140, row-44 and path-
139, row-44) which represent the study area is downloaded from freely available site i.e,
https://www.landsat.org. These data are then processed in Erdas Imagine 9.0 of Leica
Geosystems and ARC GIS 10.1. The techniques and tools, like, image enhancement,
radiometric correction, transformation, classification and spatial analysis are used to derive
various geo hydrological information of the study area. The elevation pattern plays an
important role in providing information about the river drainage system. The elevation data at
a resolution of 90 m acquired through the shuttle radar topography mission (SRTM) available
Characterization of hydro geological behavior of the upper watershed of river Subarnarekha through
morphometric analysis using remote sensing and GIS approach
Pipas Kumar, Varun Joshi
International Journal of Environmental Sciences Volume 6 No.4 2015 432
for the globe is downloaded from the http://srtm.usgs.gov/data/obtaining.html (dated 20th
April 2015) and processed in ARC GIS 10.1 using hydrology tool (Rabus et al., 2003).
Based on the data, the slope, aspects and other required information are extracted to prepare
base maps. According to the digital elevation model (DEM), the study area shows the lowest
elevation of 48 mt and the highest elevation of 1043 mt (Figure 2a). The trunk stream
network (Figure 2b) is extracted with the help of hydrology tools of ARC GIS 10.1. Apart
from this, the comprehensive ground survey is also conducted to incorporate ground truth
inputs in preparation of base and drainage maps.
Figure 2a,b: Digital Elevation Model (DEM) of upper watershed of River Subarnarekha,
Trunk stream network of upper watershed of River Subarnarekha
Table 1: Method of calculating linear aspects of the drainage basin
S.no Parameters Symbol Formula Reference
1 Stream length Lu Length of the stream Horton (1945)
2 Stream order Nu Hierarchical Rank Strahler (1964)
3 Bifurcation
ratio Rb
Rb = Nu / Nu +1
Nu = No. of stream segments of a
given order
Nu +1= No. of stream segments of
next higher order.
Schumm (1956)
4 Stream length
ratio RL
RL = Lu / Lu -1
Lu = total stream length of order
‘u’,
Lu -1= the total stream length of
its next lower order
Horton (1945)
5 Length of
overland flow Lg
Lg = 1/D* 2 where Lg = length of
overland flow, D = drainage
density
Horton (1945)
6 Length of the
main channel Lm
Length along longest water course
from the outflow point of to the
upper limit of
catchment boundary
Horton (1945)
7 Mean stream
length Lsm Lsm = Lu / Nu Strahler (1964)
8 Basin length Lb Distance between outlet and Ratnam et al.,
Characterization of hydro geological behavior of the upper watershed of river Subarnarekha through
morphometric analysis using remote sensing and GIS approach
Pipas Kumar, Varun Joshi
International Journal of Environmental Sciences Volume 6 No.4 2015 433
farthest point on the basin
boundary
(2005)
9 Basin
perimeter P
Length of the watershed divide
which surrounds the basin Horton (1945)
Table 2: Method of calculating relief aspects of drainage basin
S.no Parameters Symbol Formula Reference
1 Basin Relief R
Maximum vertical distance
between the lowest and highest
points on the valley floor of a
watershed
H = Z – z
Where, Z = Maximum elevation
of the basin (m)
z = Minimum elevation of the
basin (m)
Schumm
(1956)
2 Basin Relief
Ratio Rh
Rh = H / Lbmax
Where, H = Maximum basin
relief (m)
Lbmax = Maximum basin length
(m)
Schumm (1956)
3 Ruggedness
number Rn
Rn = Maximum basin relief (H)
*drainage density (D) Melton (1958)
4 Dissection
index DI
DI = H /Ra
Where, H = basin relief (m)
Ra = Absolute relief (m)
Magesh et al.,
(2012)
5 Channel
gradient Cg
Cg = H/{(Pi)*Cp}
Where, H= Basin relief (m)
Cp= logest dimension parallel to
trunk drainage line
Prasad et
al.,(2008)
Table 3: Method of calculating aerial aspects of drainage basin
S.no Parameters Symbol Formula Reference
1 Drainage Density Dd
(Km/Km2 )
Dd = Lµ/A
Where, Dd = Stream
density
Lµ = Total stream length of
all orders
A = Area of the basin
(Km2).
Horton (1932)
2 Drainage
Frequency Ds
Ds = Nµ/A
Where, Fs = Stream
frequency.
Nµ = Total no. of streams
of all orders
A = Area of the basin
(Km2).
Horton (1932)
3 Drainage Texture Dt Fs = Nµ /P
Where, Nµ = No. of Horton (1945)
Characterization of hydro geological behavior of the upper watershed of river Subarnarekha through
morphometric analysis using remote sensing and GIS approach
Pipas Kumar, Varun Joshi
International Journal of Environmental Sciences Volume 6 No.4 2015 434
streams in a given order P
= Perimeter (Km)
4 Form Factor Rf
Rf = A/Lb2
Where, A = Area of the
basin and
Lb2 = Maximum basin
length
Horton (1932)
5 Constant Channel
Maintenance C
C = 1/ Dd
D= Drainage density Schumm (1956)
6 Circulatory Ratio Rc Rc = 4 * Pi * A/P2 Miller (1953)
7 Compactness
Constant Cc Cc = 0.2821 P/A 0.5 Horton (1945)
8 Infiltration
number Ig
Ig = Dd × Ds
Where, Dd = Drainage
density (Km/Km2)
Ds = Drainage frequency.
Zavoiance
(1985)
9 Elongation Ratio Re Re = √(4*A/p)/Lb Schumm (1956)
Figure 3: Detailed stream network of upper watershed of River Subarnarekha
Characterization of hydro geological behavior of the upper watershed of river Subarnarekha through
morphometric analysis using remote sensing and GIS approach
Pipas Kumar, Varun Joshi
International Journal of Environmental Sciences Volume 6 No.4 2015 435
4. Result and discussion
Based on the formula suggested for morphometric analyses by various works (Table 1-3) for
different parameters following results are obtained.
4.1 Linear aspects
Linear aspects of the basins are closely linked with the channel patterns of the drainage
network (Clarke, 1996). The calculated values of linear aspects (Table:4-8) of morphometric
analysis of basin include stream order (U), stream length (Lµ), mean stream length (Lsm), and
bifurcation ratio (Rb), stream length ratio (RL), Length of overland flow (Lg).
4.1.1 Stream order (U)
Figure 4: Stream order- Stream number relationship of upper watershed of River
Subarnarekha
Horton's (1945) method modified by Strahler’s (1952) is applied to branch stream network as
different stream order. The Strahler’s system of classification is a slight modification of
Horton’s system of classification. In this system of classification, the smallest, un-branched
fingertip streams are designated as 1st order, the confluence of two 1st order streams gives
stream of 2nd order; two 2nd order streams join to form a stream of 3rd order and so on. This
way all successive streams join and forms stream of next order. The trunk stream is the
stream segment of the highest order. As per the Strahler’s (1964) ordering scheme, the
Subarnarekha watershed in Jharkhand is eight-order stream. The main river stream joined by
the major tributaries from its both banks resulting in the increase of stream order. The
increase in stream order directly affects the size of the river basin. The selected study area has
a size of 12831.12 Km2. The numerous Ist order stream are said to be formed by the
continuous erosion of the river banks. Drainage pattern of stream network from the basin
have been observed as mainly of dendritic type, which indicates the homogeneity in texture
(Rastogi, 1976). It is characterized by irregular branching of tributary stream in many
different directions with different angle. They are mostly found on the area having horizontal
sedimentary rocks or massive igneous rocks of uniform resistance that lacks structural control.
Characterization of hydro geological behavior of the upper watershed of river Subarnarekha through
morphometric analysis using remote sensing and GIS approach
Pipas Kumar, Varun Joshi
International Journal of Environmental Sciences Volume 6 No.4 2015 436
4.1.2 Stream length (Lu)
Figure 5: Stream Order- Stream Length relationship of upper watershed of River
Subarnarekha
Horton’s second law suggests that, the total length of stream segments is maximum in first
order streams and decreases with the increase in stream order (figure 5). The stream of
relatively smaller length is characteristics of areas with larger slopes and finer texture, where
as the streams which are relatively longer, indicate a flatter gradient. The attribute table of the
stream network as obtained from the analysis of digital elevation model of the study area is
used to compute and calculate the stream length.
4.1.3 Stream number (Nµ)
The count of stream channels in a given order is known as stream number (Reddy, 2004).
Stream number is directly proportional to the size of the total drainage basin area. The total
count of the stream segment (Table 5) is found to decrease as the stream order increase in the
basin. A higher stream number indicates a high rate of infiltration and less permeability to
soil. A graph between stream order and stream number (figure 4) show shows a negative
correlation. This implies that there is decrease in geometric progression of the stream as the
order of stream increases.
4.1.4 Stream length ratio (RL)
Stream length ratio is estimated as the ratio of mean stream length of any given order (u) to
the predecessor order of mean stream segment length (u_1). The variation of stream length
ratio between successive stream orders is due to the differences in slope and topographic
conditions. It also shows a significant relationship between the surface flow discharge and the
erosional stage of the basin. This erosion pattern over a long period of time also indicates the
geomorphic development stages of the basin.
Characterization of hydro geological behavior of the upper watershed of river Subarnarekha through
morphometric analysis using remote sensing and GIS approach
Pipas Kumar, Varun Joshi
International Journal of Environmental Sciences Volume 6 No.4 2015 437
4.1.5 Length of overland flow
It represents the total length of flow of water over the ground surface before it becomes
concentrated in specific stream channels. The surface water moves over the land and traces a
particular stream channel whose characteristics depends on the steepness of the slope and
land cover. Horton (1945) defined length of overland flow as the length, projected to the
horizontal, of non-channel flow from a point on the drainage divide to a point on the stream
channel. The geo-hydrological development of the drainage basin is greatly affected by the
length of overland flow. The value obtained is 0.23 which indicates that the basin is
elongated having high length of stream channels.
4.1.6 Bifurcation ratio (Rb)
The bifurcation ratio is calculated as ratio of the number of stream segments of a given order
to the number of segments of the next higher order. Horton (1945) considered the bifurcation
ratio as an index of relief and dissections. Strahler (1957) demonstrated that the bifurcation
ratio shows a small range of variation in different regions or different environmental
conditions, except where the geology dominates. As per the Horton (1945) bifurcation ratio,
having a less value about 2 to 3 is of the flat region. In the present study area, bifurcation
ratio is 5.64. High bifurcation ratio is an indicator of flash flooding during the heavy rain and
storm events in the areas (Gupta et. al., 2004).
Table 4: Drainage network parameters of upper watershed of River Subarnarekha
Table 5: Stream numbers in different orders of upper watershed of River Subarnarekha
Stream
Order 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Total
Total no. of
stream 5586 2627 1016 330 70 3 2 1 9653
Table 6: Bifurcation ratio of upper watershed of River Subarnarekha
1/2 2/3 3/4 4/5 5/6 6/7 7/8 Total Mean
2.13 2.59 3.08 4.71 23.33 1.50 2.00 39.34 5.62
4.2 Relief aspects
The relief aspects include total relief (H), relief ratio (Rh), relative relief and ruggedness
number (Rn). Based on geophysical and topographic conditions of the terrain, relief aspects
(Table 9) is used for the evaluation of the direction of stream flow and represent the
denudation progression occurring within the watershed (Rasool. et al., 2014)
S.no Parameters Value
1 Basin Area (Km2) 12831.12
2 Basin Perimeter (Km) 1233.89
3 Basin Length (Km) 198
4 Length of overland flow (Lg) 0.23
Characterization of hydro geological behavior of the upper watershed of river Subarnarekha through
morphometric analysis using remote sensing and GIS approach
Pipas Kumar, Varun Joshi
International Journal of Environmental Sciences Volume 6 No.4 2015 438
Table 7: Order wise total stream length (Km) of upper watershed of River Subarnarekha
Stream
Order 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Total
Total
length
of
stream
6226
.61
3162.
48
1585.
96
652.
11
491.
62
211.
21
107.
14
98.9
9
10113.
02
Table 8: Stream length ratio of upper watershed of River Subarnarekha
2/1 3/2 4/3 5/4 6/5 7/6 8/7
0.51 0.50 0.41 0.75 0.43 0.51 0.92
Table 9: Relief aspects
S.no Parameter Calculated Value
1 Maximum elevation 1043 m
2 Minimum elevation 48 m
3 Basin relief (H) 995 m
4 Basin relief ratio (Rh) 5.27
5 Ruggedness number (Rn) 2.15
6 Channel gradient (Cg) 3.2 m/km
4.2.1 Basin relief (H)
Basin relief helps the characterizing the details of geomorphic processes and landform. It is
the elevation difference between the lowest and the highest point on the watershed. The
lowest basin relief of 48 m is observed in the plains and highest of 1,043 m in the plateau
region dominated by scattered mountainous structures.
4.2.2. Basin relief ratio (Rh)
Relief ratio (Rh) measures the overall steepness of a drainage basin and is an indicator of the
intensity of the erosional process operating on the slope of the basin (Schumn, 1956). There
is a direct relationship between the relief and the gradient of the channel. High relief ratio of
the basin is an indicator of the hilly region. The value obtained for the study area is 5.27 that
indicate steep to moderate slope. It can also be ascertained that this region is predominantly
dominated by plateau with undulating landforms and rocky remains of granite.
4.2.3. Ruggedness number (Rn)
It is the product of maximum basin relief (H) and drainage density (Dd), where both
parameters are in the same unit, Strahler (1957). Extreme values of ruggedness number occur
when both variables are large, when slope is not only steep but long as well (Strahler, 1958).
In the present study, the value of ruggedness number is 0.78 indicating a steep slope.
Characterization of hydro geological behavior of the upper watershed of river Subarnarekha through
morphometric analysis using remote sensing and GIS approach
Pipas Kumar, Varun Joshi
International Journal of Environmental Sciences Volume 6 No.4 2015 439
4.2.4. Channel gradient (Cg)
This feature reflects the altitudinal variation of channel surface. The average fall of the basin
is 3.2 m/km in downward direction. It means that the slope of mean channel decreases with
increasing stream order. This testifies to the validity of Horton’s Law of stream slopes, which
defines the relationship between the slope of the streams and their orders, which can be
expressed by an inverse geometric series law (Hajam et al., 2013).
4.3. Areal aspect
The areal aspects (Table 10) determine various relationships between stream area, its length,
basin shape, etc. It includes drainage density (Dd), drainage frequency (Fs), texture ratio (Rt),
form factor (Rf), constant channel maintenance (Cm), circulatory ratio (Rc), compactness
constant (Cc), Infiltration number (Ig), elongation ratio (Re). The various areal parameters of
the stdy area is obtained using the formula as suggested in Table 3.
Table 10: Areal aspects
S.no Parameters Calculated Value
1 Drainage density (Dd) 0.98
2 Drainage frequency (Ds) 0.75
3 Drainage texture (Rt) 4.53
4 Form factor (Rf) 0.45
5 Constant channel maintenance (Cm) 1.02
6 Circulatory ratio (Rc) 0.21
7 Compactness constant (Cc) 3.07
8 Infiltration number (Ig) 0.73
9 Elongation ratio (Re) 0.64
4.3.1 Drainage density
The drainage density determines the time travel by water (Schumn 1956). The measurement
of Dd is a useful numerical measure of landscape dissection and runoff potential (Chorley et.
al, 1957). The change in the drainage is responsible for the fluctuation of hydrological
characteristics of a watershed. (Yildiz 2009). It is also related to various significant
parameters of landscape classification such as climate and vegetation (Moglen et al. 1998),
soil and rock properties (Kelson and Wells 1989). It determines the infiltration capacity and
the basin response time between precipitation and discharge. Drainage basin with high Dd
indicates that a large proportion of the runoff activity due to precipitation. On the other hand,
a low drainage density indicates the most rainfall infiltrates the soil surface, and few streams
are required to carry the runoff. Dd is the result of interacting factors controlling the surface
runoff and in turn influences the output of water and sediment from the drainage basin
(Chorley et. al, 1957). The Dd of the drainage basin is moderate (0.98 km/km2) clearly
indicates that the basin has permeable subsurface material causing more infiltration of water,
which has a high potential of ground water recharge.
Characterization of hydro geological behavior of the upper watershed of river Subarnarekha through
morphometric analysis using remote sensing and GIS approach
Pipas Kumar, Varun Joshi
International Journal of Environmental Sciences Volume 6 No.4 2015 440
4.3.2 Drainage frequency
The number of stream segments per unit area is termed drainage frequency (Horton, 1945). It
is an index of the various stages of landscape evolution. It depends on the lithological
characteristics of the basin and reflects the texture of the drainage network. The parameters,
which affect the stream frequency are vegetation cover, basin relief, sub surface material
permeability and amount of precipitation. The drainage frequency is dependant on the rainfall
pattren and physio geological setting of the area. The value obtained is 0.26. The stream
frequency of Subarnarekha basin shows that the basin has good vegetation index, high
infiltration capacity, and later peak discharges owing to low runoff rate.
4.3.3 Drainage texture
Horton (1945) defined the drainage texture as the total number of stream segments of all
order in a basin per perimeter of the basin. Smith (1950) has classified drainage texture into
five different textures, i.e., very coarse (<2), coarse (2 to 4), moderate (4 to 6), fine (6 to 8)
and very fine (>8). The drainage texture depends on natural factors such as vegetation cover
and its density, mantle rock or bed rock and soil type and its infiltration capacity, relief and
geomorphic stage of development. Low drainage density leads to a coarse drainage texture
while high drainage density leads to a fine drainage texture. More is the value of texture,
more will be dissection, contributing more to the soil erosion. The value obtained is 4.53.
Thus, the Subarnarekha basin falls into moderate texture category and indicates the soil
permeability is good with lower run off rate.
4.3.4 Form factor
Form factor is the numerical index commonly used to identify different basin shapes (Horton,
1932). It is the ratio of basin area (A) to the square of basin length (Lb). The value of form
factor lies between 0.1-0.8. Smaller the value of form factor, more elongated will be the basin
while the larger value is the representative of the circular basin. The form factor value is low,
0.45 representing elongated shape basin.
4.3.5 Constant channel maintenance
Schumm (1956) used the inverse of drainage density as a property termed as “constant of
channel maintenance”. It depends on the basin relative relief, lithology, climate, etc. It
decreases with increasing credibility (Schumm, 1956). Higher values suggest more area is
required to produce surface flow which implies that part of water may get lost by evaporation,
percolation etc. lower value indicates fewer chances of percolation/infiltration and hence
more surface runoff. Constant of channel maintenance for the representative study area is
1.02 good infiltration phenomena and less surface runoff.
4.3.6 Circulatory ratio
It is estimated as the ratio of the area of the basin (A) to the circular area (Ac) having
circumference equal to the perimeter of the river basin. When the value of circulatory ratio
approaches unity, the basin shape tends to be circular (Miller, 1953). The low, medium and
high values of the circulatory ratio are indicator of the life cycle of the tributary basins i.e,
youth mature and old stages of basin. The value of circulatory ratio of the study area is 0.21,
which signifies that the basin is more elongated in shape. The various factors which
predominantly affect the basin shape are relief and stream pattern that arises due to
continuous erosional activity of the land surface.
Characterization of hydro geological behavior of the upper watershed of river Subarnarekha through
morphometric analysis using remote sensing and GIS approach
Pipas Kumar, Varun Joshi
International Journal of Environmental Sciences Volume 6 No.4 2015 441
4.3.7 Compactness constant
It is the ratio between basin perimeters to the perimeter of a circle to the same area of the
watershed (Horton, 1945). It derives the relationship between actual hydrologic basins to the
exact circular basin having the same area as that of hydrologic basin. (Aher et.al., 2014). The
value of compactness constant is an indicator of erosion risk factors. Lower values signify
less vulnerability, while higher values indicates great vulnerability for erosion. It is one of the
major aspects considered for proper evaluation and conservative measures to be implemented
in a watershed for management and planning.
4.3.8 Infiltration number
The infiltration number is the product of Drainage Density (Dd) and drainage Frequency (Fs).
There exists an inverse relationship between infiltration number and infiltration capacity. The
higher the infiltration number the lower will be the infiltration and consequently, higher will
be run off. The infiltration umber of upper watershed of river Subarnarekha is 0.73, which
indicates the slow runoff process of the basin.
4.3.9 Elongation ratio
Elongation ratio (Re) is defined as the ratio of diameter of a circle having the same area as of
the basin and maximum basin length (Schumm 1956). Elongation ratio gives information
about the shape, which determines the hydrological character of a drainage basin. The value
ranges from 0.6 to 0.8 for regions which has high relief and the values close to 1.0 have very
low relief with circular shape. The value of Re in the study area was found to be 0.64
indicating relatively moderate relief and elongated shape of the drainage basin.
4.4 Slope analysis
A slope map is prepared using spatial analyst tool of ARC GIS 10.1 (Figure 6 ). Slope is an
indicator of steepness of terrain and degree of inclination towards any horizontal surface. The
degree of slopeness is highly affected by climatic aspects of the basin. It also depends upon
the rock type and its sub surface permeability. According to the slope map the colour red
shows deep slopes while green shows gentle slopes. The degree of slopeness are indicated
using saturation (or brilliance of color) so that the steeper slopes are brighter than modertare
slopes. The higher slope gradient of upper watershed of river Subarnarekha is mainly due to
the undulating surface topology. Higher slope gradient will give more surface runoff and
subsequentely more soil erosion.
4.5 Aspect analysis
The aspect of the basin provides the direction of the slopes. Aspect gives inferences of
vegetation type and the pattern of precipitation. The aspect map of upper watershed of river
subarnarekha basin is shown in Fig. 7. The east facing slopes is dominant over the study area ,
which has fairly good ground water rechagre potential due to high moisture content. This
support the vegetation and scatterd shrubs over the palteaue region.
4.6 Hypsometry
Hypsometry is a measure of the relationship between elevation and area in a basin, watershed,
or catchment (Strahler, 1952). Basin hypsometry is strongly related to flood response and the
Characterization of hydro geological behavior of the upper watershed of river Subarnarekha through
morphometric analysis using remote sensing and GIS approach
Pipas Kumar, Varun Joshi
International Journal of Environmental Sciences Volume 6 No.4 2015 442
erosional maturity of a basin (Ohmori, 1993). Hypsometric analysis gives two important
inferences, i.e, Hypsometric Integral (a value) and Hypsometric Curve (a curve). A
hypsometric Integral (HI) reflects the elevation profile of the watershed, local effects of
denudation and tectonic uplift and erosional development of basin. It is also useful to make
comparative study during the prioritization of watershed. HI values of <0.30 describe
“tectonically stable”, “denuded”, “mature” basins. HI values >0.60 indicate “unstable”,
“actively uplifting”, “young” basins. In the present study area, the value of HI is 0.519
indicating tectonically stable basin.
Figure 6: Slope map of upper watershed of river Subarnarekha
Figure 7: Aspect map of upper watershed of river Subarnarekha
4.7 The hypsometric Curve
The plot of cumulative area and normalized relief gives a curve called as hypsometric curves
(Figure 8). The X-axis is scaled from 0 to 1 (normalized, cumulative area). The Y-axis is
normalized elevation, also scaled from 0 to 1. A watershed is dominated by continuous
process of geomorphic evolution. The shape of a hypsometric curve can indicate the current
Characterization of hydro geological behavior of the upper watershed of river Subarnarekha through
morphometric analysis using remote sensing and GIS approach
Pipas Kumar, Varun Joshi
International Journal of Environmental Sciences Volume 6 No.4 2015 443
stage of geomorphic evolution of a watershed. A convex curve indicates more of the
watershed’s area (volume of rock or soil) held relatively high in the watershed. In this case,
diffusive hill slope processes such as land sliding, rain splash, soil creep, etc., play a larger
role in geomorphic development of basin. A concave curve indicates the bulk of the basin’s
area (or volume of rock and soil) resides at relatively low elevation. In the present study, the
shape obtained by plotting graph is convex-down indicating that bulk of watershed area is
held relatively high.
Figure 8: Hypsometric curve
5. Conclusion
The hydrology of any watershed is highly influenced by its morphometric characteristics. In
the present study, drainage networks derived from DEMs is used to identify various geo
hydrological responses of the basins. The advancement of GIS and remote sensing techniques
has resulted in efficient and effective way to study the geo-morphometric aspects of the
drainage basins even at micro level. GIS based tools facilitate the analysis of various
geomorphological parameters of the drainage basin like the lithology, surface run off
potential, infiltration capacity, etc. The present study area, i.e, Subarnarekha basin in the
State Jharkhand, India is of eight order. Drainage network of the basin exhibits the dendritic
pattern of stream network, which indicates the homogeneity in texture, and lack of structural
control. This feature helps in understanding various prevailing surface parameters such as
nature of the permeable rock, infiltration capacity, runoff, etc. The morphometric analysis
reveals that the basin is highly affected by seasonal water flow, as it is dependent on
monsoon rainfall. Sometimes this area also receives heavy torrential rainfall due to the effect
of cyclonic disturbance from nearby Bay of Bengal. This causes flash flood in the basin,
which is temporarily in nature. The morphometric parameters like drainage density,
frequency are highly affected by this flash flooding due to the presence of undulating surface.
This feature has a significant impact on drainage basin that control and determines the pattern
of various geomorphological parameters like surface runoff, sediment yield, flash flooding,
relief, etc. The drainage density of the basin reveals that the nature of subsurface strata is
more or less permeable mainly due to the rocky structure presents on the riverbed and
adjoining river banks. This is a characteristic feature of moderate drainage where density
values are less than 5.0. In this study area, the basin as a whole has low texture ratio, which
Characterization of hydro geological behavior of the upper watershed of river Subarnarekha through
morphometric analysis using remote sensing and GIS approach
Pipas Kumar, Varun Joshi
International Journal of Environmental Sciences Volume 6 No.4 2015 444
suggest high infiltration capacity and low a runoff rate. Infiltration and runoff characteristics
of a watershed are the governing factors in shaping its drainage pattern (Sharma et al. 1985;
Dar et al. 2013). The hypsometric curve reveals that the river basin is tectonically stable. The
result of various morphometric outputs can be used to study the ground water prospects and
zonation, surface run-off rain fall relationship, rainwater harvesting potential, flood
vulnerability, etc. The output related to hydrological behavior of watershed can be enhanced
with the application of some hydrological model. The modeling techniques can be also
coupled with geo hydro characteristics for climate change assessment of the river basin. Thus,
morphometric analysis can be very useful tool for planning and management of the drainage
basin. The result observed in this research can be utilized as a scientific data base for detailed
geo hydrological and geo technical investigation to ascertain various alternative solution for
watershed management planning and conservation.
Acknowledgments
The authors wish to express their sincere gratitute to the Dean, University School of
Environment Management, and all organisations mentioned above who provided data for the
present research work. The author also wishes thanks to G.G.S.I P University, New Delhi for
providing research fellowship.
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