Quantitative Morphometric Analysis of the Adula Watershed, in Ahmednagar Maharashtra Using the ESRI- ArcGIS Tool

Remote sensing and geographic information system (GIS) are two of the most important tools used to evaluate the morphometric characteristics of watersheds, as morphometric analysis of river basins using conventional methods, is very time to consume, laborious and cumbersome. In this study, the morphometric characteristics of the Adula watershed were calculated using ESRI- ArcGIS. The areal extent of the Adula watershed varies between 19°32’40” N to 19°43’2” N latitude and 74°10’15” E to 74°48’18” E longitude. The topographic sheets obtained from the survey of India on a scale of 1:50000 and the SRTM (Spectral Radar Topographic Mission) Digital Elevation Model of 30 m resolution, were used for watershed delineation and deriving the linear (stream order, stream number, bifurcation ratio), aerial (basin area, basin perimeter, drainage density, form factor, stream frequency, and circulatory ratio), relief (height of  outlet of watershed, basin relief, maximum height of watershed, total basin relief, absolute relief, relief ratio, ruggedness number) aspects. bifurcation ratio for varies from 3.0 to 8.33, indicating the elongated shape of the watershed. Drainage density factor values were 4.43 km/km2 indicating high drainage densities and 0.132 indicating an elongated basin with lower peaks respectively. Ruggedness number was 3.78 showing a dendritic and radial pattern with drainage texture. Therefore this morphometric analysis using geo-processing techniques employed in this study will assist in planning and decision making in the watershed development and management.