Application of GIS and remote sensing in morphometric analysis of river basin at the south-western part of great Ganges delta, Bangladesh

Abstract

Analysing the morphometric parameters is the most expedient and parsimonious way of representing the hydrologic and physiographic attributes of river basins. The present study attempts to measure the morphometric parameters for assessing the understanding of morphological, hydrological, and physiographic properties of the south-western part of Ganges delta. Parameters were analysed from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission's (SRTM) maps and total of eight linear, six areal, eight relief, and five drainage texture parameters have taken with hypsometric analysis for the four major rivers and two tributary river basins. The values of linear parameter denote that most of the streams (82%) fall in first order, and other orders have homogeneous underline materials. The aerial parameters represent low peak discharge and the upper region is less vulnerable to flood. The relief parameter values show that the entire basin has low surface runoff and they are less erosional (slope < 3.97°). The drainage density indicates the coarser nature and circularity ratio (0.08) represents the elongated shape. The southern portion of the basin has a greater flood potential and hypsometric index (0.49) shows the entire basin is in mature stage of formation. These results would be helpful for reckoning the watersheds for drainage management and environmental planning for ecological management and sustainable development.