Morphometric analysis of Korattalaiyar River basin, Tamil Nadu, India: A GIS approach

Watershed development and management plans are very important for harnessing surface water and groundwater resources. To prepare a comprehensive watershed development plan, it becomes necessary to understand the topography, erosional status and drainage pattern of the area. This study was undertaken to determine the drainage characteristics of Korattalaiyar river basin and the area of the basin is 3,625 km². The morphometric parameters are computed by using Geographic Information system (GIS). GIS was used in evaluation of linear and areal aspects of morphometric parameters. The drainage patterns of the basin are dendritic and include a seventh order stream. The quantitative analysis of various aspects of river basin drainage network characteristics reveals complex morphometric attributes. The streams of lower order mostly dominate the basin. The development of stream segments in the basin area is more or less affected by rainfall. The erosional processes of fluvial origin have been predominately influenced by the subsurface lithology of the basin.