Remote Sensing and GIS-Based Assessment of Morphometric Parameters for Watershed Management in Wakawali, India

Abstract

The present study was carried out to study the morphometric characteristics of the Wakawali watershed using GIS techniques located in Dapoli tahsil of Ratnagiri district, Maharashtra, India. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing are essential tools for collecting and analysing large amounts of geographic data. In this study, the SRTM DEM was used to study the detailed morphometric characteristics of the Wakawali watershed. The total area of Wakawali is 685ha. The total twenty morphometric parameters linear, aerial and relief aspects of the watershed were calculated. The result revealed that the basin has a 4th-order drainage network. The mean bifurcation value of the watershed was 1.95 which indicates that the drainage pattern has strong structural control. The value of drainage density was 2.30 km/km2, which falls in the Coarse drainage structure, which denotes the gentle to steep slope terrain, medium dense vegetation, and less permeable with medium precipitation. Form factor (0.56) and circularity ratio (0.25) indicate that the basin is elongated in shape. The value of the relief ratio of the watershed was 0.031 which indicates that the rolling and gentle slopes and the basin are less prone to erosion. This study helps in understanding the watershed hydrological behaviour, which directly influences runoff and soil loss.