Hypsometric Analysis of Watershed using Geographical Information System

Hypsometry of drainage basins (area-elevation analysis) has generally been used to reveal the stages of geomorphic development (stabilized, mature and young). In the present study, Kanoli river watershed located in Nashik district of Maharashtra was considered as the study area. The watershed was delineated into seven sub-watersheds and hypsometric analysis was carried out for all of them using the digital contour map, which was generated using Arc/Info GIS. In analysis, a curve is derived by plotting the relative heights (h/H) and relative areas (a/A); the obtained curve is called as hypsometric curve. The area under the Hypsometric curve is the Hypsometric Integral (HI). The hypsometric integral values for all of the sub-watersheds of Kanoli river ranges between 0.45 and 0.88. It was observed from HI that the sub-watersheds WS2, WS4, WS6 are in the mature stage and moving toward the deteriorating stage. The sub-watershed WS3 yielded higher hypsometric integral value, explaining its late youthful stage which calls for suitable measures of soil and water conservation. Further, sub-watersheds WS1, WS5 and WS7 have got very high value of hypsometric integral which takes them to young stage i.e. very susceptible to erosion. Therefore, these sub-watersheds are more prone to subsequent erosion activities and needs immediately appropriate soil and water conservation measures