Geo-hydrological inferences through morphometric aspects of the Himalayan glacial-fed river: a case study of the Madhyam
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ORIGINAL PAPER
Geo-hydrological inferences through morphometric aspects of the Himalayan glacial-fed river: a case study of the Madhyamaheshwar River basin Akhilesh Kumar Mishra 1,2
&
Suresh Chand Rai 2
Received: 18 November 2018 / Accepted: 12 June 2020 # Saudi Society for Geosciences 2020
Abstract Morphometric parameters are usually prerequisites for the assessment of hydrological facets of a basin. Quantitative evaluation of a drainage basin further helps in the micro-level study of its physiographic characteristics. In this study, an attempt has been made to determine the detailed aspects of morphometric characteristics of the Madhyamaheshwar River basin, a watershed of the Mandakini River that constitutes a part of the Alaknanda River. There are a large number of drainage systems which have their source in the Himalaya. This study was performed using the hydrology tool in geographic information system (GIS) environment. Evaluation of linear, aerial, and relief morphometric parameters was achieved through digital delineation and drainage analysis to provide hydrological insights. A detailed morphometric analysis obtained in this study enlightens distinctive morphometric settings of stream within the drainage system like stream behaviour, the interrelation between connected streams, system’s inputs and outputs of matter, and energy. The geometric structure of the basin is ideal for flood velocity assessment backing significantly to stream energy and erosive patterns. Such geometric forms are ideal for increasing flood velocities, which contribute greatly to the available stream energy, and erosion and transportation capacities. Features such as hydrogeology have been evaluated to anticipate the drainage characteristics of the river. This study is also vital regarding the understandings of the subsurface lithology of the basin and sustainable management of the river resources. Keywords Morphometric parameters . Himalayas . Slope . Alaknanda River basin
Introduction Morphometry is the scientific measurement of the configuration of the earth’s surface, dimension, and shape of its landform (Clarke 1966). Quantitative dimensions of morphometry can be used as an exploration tool to make inference about specific characteristics of a region, e.g. surface runoff, tectonic activity, soil erosion, and flood flow in the watershed (Ozdemir and Bird 2009). Eze and Efiong (2010) have described that the vigorous nature of runoff is very sensitive to the attributing basin and Responsible Editor: Broder J. Merkel * Akhilesh Kumar Mishra [email protected] 1
Department of Geography, Kalindi College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India
2
Department of Geography, Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India
regulated by the geomorphologic structure of the catchment. Drainage basins are commonly treated as physical units in morphometric studies, and in this study, a morphometric analysis is undertaken on the Madhyamaheshwar River basin to investigate the hydrological behaviour by analysing its attri
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