Morphometric Analysis Using Remote Sensing and Geographical Information System: A Case Study of Nawagarh Watershed of Chhattisgarh, India

Abstract

The study highlights the suitability of a GIS-based approach for evaluating morphometric parameters. It focuses on the quantitative analysis of morphometric characteristics within thirteen sub-watersheds of the Nawagarh watershed, which originates from the Seonath river catchment in the Mahanadi basin in Chhattisgarh, India. The Nawagarh watershed spans an area of 2647.27 km2. Its outlet is located at 21°46'10" N Latitude and 81° 48’43” E Longitude. The Nawagarh watershed covers four districts in Chhattisgarh - Kabirdham, Bemetara, Baloda Bazar, and Mungeli. The analysis reveals the relative qualities of the sub-watersheds in terms of hydrological response. The Nawagarh watershed features a dendritic drainage network with 2760 streams of different orders. The slope of the land directly affects water absorption and drainage. High relief ratio 0.032 in SWD1 and SWD3 indicates rapid concentration, rapid stream flow, and greater susceptibility to erosion than other sub watersheds. The drainage density is 0.80 km-1, which is close to 1 km-1, indicating that the basin has a nearly high drainage density, which demonstrate that the location with impermeable weak subsurface material and has high relief. The elongated shape with the values of form factor (0.39), circulatory ratio (0.28) and elongation ratio (0.69), indicated that the Nawagarh watershed is more elongated with lower peak flow of long duration having low permeability. The drainage density in the basin is relatively high, suggesting a significant drainage network. The study emphasizes the need for effective erosion control methods in the Nawagarh watershed to protect the land.