Vol. 11, Special Issue 11 (2022)

Author(s):
Chandrakant K Sapkale, HN Bhange, BL Ayare, PM Ingle, PB Bansode and PR Kolhe

Abstract:
The Remote Sensing and GIS becoming an efficient tool for the collection of remotely sensed large areal extent of data in a periodic way. The globally available digital elevation model (DEM) is one of the example of GIS launched by different satellites which acquires terrain elevation data to characterize any size of watershed by estimating morphometric parameters for watershed management. The present study attempted to computation of morphometric parameters of the Western flowing Vashishti river basin in the district of Ratnagiri, M.S. The basin was delineated using AW3D30 DEM in ArcGIS 10.4 software. The study computed 32 categorized morphometric parameters. The drainage area is found 2129.97 km2 comprises 5^th order basin. The higher stream number of 316 obtained in 1st order indicates most dominant while lowest 28 stream number in 5th order. In linear aspects, mean bifurcation ratio (1.86) and Mean stream length ratio (0.98) indicates basin is less structurally disturbed and initial stage of geomorphic development. In areal aspects, drainage density (0.536 Km⁻¹) and stream frequency (0.296 Streams/Km2) indicates basin is highly permeable subsurface strata with coarser texture tends to less runoff potential having longer flow path. In areal aspects, Form factor (0.205), Elongation ratio (0.511) and Compactness coefficient (1.755) indicates elongated basin shape, less chances to attains flatter peak in flood hydrograph. In relief aspects, relief ratio (0.012), relative relief (0.425 m/km), ruggedness number (0.66), time of concentration (12 hr 45 min) indicates rolling to gentle slopes, moderate roughness and unevenness, dissected characteristics of the basin with minimum denudation stage and flow takes more travel time. The study concluded that the GIS based morphometric analysis give knowledge of lithology, infiltration capacity and prioritization of watershed very effectively by reducing the time and cost factor important for watershed management.