Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

IMPLICATIONS OF LINEAR MORPHOMETRIC PARAMETERS ON THE GEO-ENVIRONMENT OF SHENDURNEY RIVER BASIN, SOUTH KERALA, INDIA – A GIS BASED ANALYSIS

V. Smitha Asok and V. Sobha

Abstract

Drainage morphometry depicts through its various components, the existing scenario of the topographical and hydrological setting of a river basin. The present study is an attempt to evaluate the morphometric characteristic of Shendurney river originating in the Western Ghats and flowing through a continuous stretch of vast valuable forest of Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary. The implications of the said characteristics in shaping up the geo-environment of the river basin are also appreciated by way of the study. The analysis of different morphometric parameters of sub-watersheds of the river helps in understanding the environmental implications of each of the parameters. These indicated the presence of underlying homogenous rock material subjected to weathering and erosion characteristics of the basin. Streams of Shendurney are of relatively smaller lengths, which are characteristics of areas with larger slopes and finer textures. The bifurcation ratio values of the Shendurney basin indicated that the geological structures are less disturbing the drainage pattern. The length of overland flow depicted lesser values and the streams of Shendurney River were found to be short, integrated, joined and controlled with lesser spacing between them indicating higher rates of erodibility in the basin. All the sub basins of Shendurney are found to be under the influence of high structural disturbance, low permeability, steep to very steep slopes and high surface runoff.