Morphometric and longitudinal profile analysis in the Cauvery River basin: a geospatial approach

The present study using a 90-m resolution Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM), digital elevation model (DEM), and geospatial techniques and an in-depth study of geomorphic and structural characteristics has been carried out for the Cauvery River basin (CRB) of India. The study of terrain characteristics and their evolution has, in fact, been transformed in recent years by the combination of remote sensing data such as the SRTM, DEM with GIS technology. The analysis involves morphometric assessments of the drainage system, focusing on linear, aerial, and relief aspects. Additionally, the longitudinal profile analysis synthesizes the influence of lithology on the basin’s characteristics. Notably, Cauvery is identified as the 8th order drainage basin, covering a substantial area of 85,071.6 km². River basin structural control is found to be low to moderate, according to the bifurcation ratio study. Because of the hard rock lithology, there is less stream frequency (0.22) and drainage density (0.6 km/km²), which indicates that there may be more permeability in the strata below the surface, river’s mean stream length, which varies from 1.8 to 241.4 for all orders, and the stream length ratio, which varies from 0.38 to 0.65, which has a surface area of 85,071.6 sq. km and a circumference of roughly 2573.2 km. The vastness of the basin, as seen by its area and perimeter, emphasizes how important it is to the dynamics of peak flow and runoff in hydrological processes. The basin is extremely elongated, as indicated by the shape parameters, which makes managing flood control within the basin comparatively easier and river watershed management.