Drainage Morphometric Analysis of Bhera River Watershed, Ranchi and Ramgarh Districts, Jharkhand, In

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Drainage Morphometric Analysis of Bhera River Watershed, Ranchi and Ramgarh Districts, Jharkhand, India Uday Kumar 1, Neha Mallick1 University Department of Geology, Ranchi University, Ranchi

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Corresponding author: Uday Kumar (kumaruday10@gmail.com)

Abstract The quantitative analysis of morphometric parameters is found to be of immense significance in river basin evaluation.

Morphometric analysis of a watershed provides a quantitative description of the drainage system. This study was undertaken to determine the drainage characteristics of Bhera river watershed (2A2H1) which is a tributary of Damodar River with an area of 268 km2. Geographical Information System (GIS) techniques are nowadays used for measuring various morphometric parameters of the drainage basins and watersheds, as they have emerged as a powerful tool for the manipulation and analysis of spatial information. In the present study stream number, order, frequency, density and bifurcation ratio are derived and arranged on the basis of areal and linear properties of drainage channels using GIS. Morphometric analysis has revealed that the watershed is a 5th order drainage basin. The low order streams dominate the watershed than higher orders. This phenomenon causes less time availability for the infiltration of rain water in the upper catchment areas. The calculated value of bifurcation ratio, drainage texture and drainage density in the watershed reveals that the watershed is occupied with hard rocks. The watershed indicates elongated basin as per the value of circulatory ratio. The length of overland flow value for the watershed shows that the rainwater travels a relatively shorter distance before getting concentrated to channels.

Keywords Orphometry, Bhera River Watershed, Spatial Information Technology, Drainage Characteristics

Introduction Watershed can be defined as the area that drains the entire precipitation into a particular stream outlet. In other words it is the catchment’s area from which all precipitation i.e. rainfall as well as snow melt water drained into a single stream. It forms naturally to dispose the runoff as efficiently as possible. It is a natural convergent mechanism which consists of a network/ branch of streamlets converging into a major stream. Studies of morphometry and hydrologic analysis on different watersheds have been carried out in many parts of the world.

Relief and climate are the key determinants of running water ecosystems functioning at the basin scale (Lotspeich and Platts 1982, Frisselet al. 1986). Morphometric descriptors represent relatively simple approaches to describe basin processes and to compare basin characteristics (Mesa 2006) and enable an enhanced understanding of the geomorphic history of a drainage basin (Strahler 1964). Drainage basin morphometric parameters can be used to describe the basin characteristics. They are basin size (stream order, stream length, stream number, and basin area), basin shape factors (circularity ratio, elongation ratio, form factor and compaction ratio), basin perimeter, bifurcation ratios, drainage density, stream frequency and drainage intensity.

The basin morphometric characteristics of the various basins have been studied by many scientists using conventional (Horton, 1945; Smith, 1950; Strahler, 1957) and remote sensing and GIS methods (Krishnamurthy and Srinivas, 1995; Srivastava and Mitra, 1995; Agarwal, 1998; Biswas et al., 1999; Narendra and Nageswara Rao, 2006, Kumar, Mallick et. al., 2012, Kumar, Parveen and Mallick, 2012; Parveen and Kumar, 2012.)

Location of the Study Area The present study area is enclosed between latitude 230 25’N to 230 40’N and longitude 850 25’E to 850 45’E, covering an area of 268 sq. kms, falling in Survey of India (SOI) toposheet Nos: No. 73 E/6, 73 E/7, 73 E/10, 73 E/11 on

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1:50,000 scale (Fig. 1). Bhera River watershed which is a tributary of Damodar River, originates from west of Khirabera near Chuttupalu Ghat in the Ranchi & Ramgarh district of Jharkhand state.

FIG.1: LOCATION MAP OF THE STUDY AREA

Geology of the Area Bhera River watershed has basically two types of rock formations that is granitic and at some places exposures of Talchir and Barakar (pebbly and medium grained sandstone) is also seen.

The Chuttupalu Region is a vast expanse of granitic rocks, with metapelites, quartzites, calcareous metasediments and amphibolites occurring in close association. Their nature indicates the existence of rocks of argillaceous, arenaceous and calcareous facies as primary rock material, subjected to various phases of tectonism which took place between mesoproterozoic and neoproterozoic, resulting in metamorphism of these sedimentaries and associated basic magmatic intrusives, as well as formation of granitic rocks.

The stratigraphic succession of study area is as below: Soil cover Laterite Barren Measure Barakar Formation Talchir Formation ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Unconformity ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Quartz vein, pegmatites and Aplites Amphibolites (massive) Granites Granite gneisses and migmatites Amphibolites (foliated) Calcareous metasediments Quartzite Pelitic schist

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Methodology Morphometric analysis of a drainage system requires delineation of all existing streams. In the present study, the satellite remote sensing data has been used for updating of drainage network, obtained from SOI top sheets and the updated drainage network has been used for morphometric analysis. The stream delineation was done digitally in GIS system. All tributaries of different extents and patterns were digitized, the catchment boundary was also determined for Bhera River. Digitization work was carried out for entire analysis of drainage morphometry. The different morphometric parameters have been determined as shown in Table 1.

TABLE 1: MORPHOMETRIC PARAMETERS

Parameters

Formulae

1

Stream Order (Nu )

Hierarchical Rank

2

Streams Length (Lu)

Lu=∑Nu

3

Bifurcation Ratio (Rb)

Rb = Nu/(Nu + 1)

4 5 6

Drainage Density (D) Stream Frequency (Fs)

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Form Factor (Rf)

12

Sinuosity Index (Si)

13

Drainage texture (T)

8

9

10

Fs = N/A

Texture Ratio (T) Circulatory Ratio (Rc) Average overland flow (Lo)

Constant of Channel Maintenance (C) Weighted mean ratio (Rbwm)

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D = L/A

T = D x Fu Rc= 4πA/P2

Description The channel segment of the drainage basin has been ranked in hierarchical order L was calculated as the number of streams in each order( Nu) and total length of each order was computed at sub basin level Rb was computed as the ratio between the number of streams( Nu ) of any given order to the number of streams in the next higher order ( Nu+1) D was measured as the length of stream (L) channel per unit area (A) of drainage basin Fs was computed as the ratio between the total number of streams and area of the basin T was estimated as the ratio between the total no of streams of all order and perimeter of the basin Rc is defined as the area of the basin to the area of a circle having the same circumference as the perimeter of the basin

Reference Strahler (1964) Horton (1945)

Schumn (1956) Horton (1945) Horton (1945) Horton (1945) Strahler (1964)

Lo=1/2(D)

Lo is expressed as equals to half of reciprocal twice of drainage density

Horton, (1945)

C=1/D

C is expressed as the reciprocal of drainage density

Horton (1945)

Mean of ( Rb x total streams involved in the ratio)

Rbwm is expressed as the product of bifurcation ratio and total streams involved in the ratio

Strahler (1952)

Rf = A/(Lb)2

Rf was computed as the ratio between the basin area and square of the basin length

Horton (1945)

Sinuosity has been defined as the ratio of channel length to down valley distance (Si)= channel length/down valley distance channel length/down valley distance T=DxFs drainage density and drainage frequency have been

collectively defined as drainage texture

Mueller (1968)

Smith (1950)

Results and Discussion The following morphometric parameters of the Bhera River watershed were determined.

Linear Aspects of the Channel System The linear aspects of drainage network such as stream order (Nu), bifurcation ratio (Rb), stream length (Lu) results have been presented.

Stream Order (Nu) In the drainage basin analysis the first step is to determine the stream orders. In the present study, the channel segment of the drainage basin has been ranked according to Strahler’s stream ordering system. According to Strahler (1964), the smallest fingertip tributaries are designated as order 1. Where two first order channels join, a

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channel segment of order 2 is formed; where two of order 2 join, a segment of order 3 is formed; and so forth. The study area is a 5th order drainage basin (Figure 2). The total number of 413 streams were identified of which 210 are the 1st order streams, 98 are the 2nd order, 56 are the 3rd order, 27 in the 4th order and 22 in the 5th order (Table 2).

FIG.2: DRAINAGE NETWORK AND STREAM ORDER MAP TABLE 2: STREAM ORDER IN BHERA RIVER WATERSHED

Stream Order

Number of streams

1

210

2

98

3

56

4

27

5

22

The low order streams are frequent in the western upland areas of the watershed whereas the 4th and 5th order dominate the level valley fill areas between Ramgarh and Chitarpur.

Stream Length (Lu) The length of a stream is a measure of the hydrological characteristics of the underlying rock surface and the degree of drainage. Where the formations are permeable or topography is gentle smaller numbers of streams of longer lengths are formed and in impermeable formation or areas with higher slopes, large numbers of streams of smaller lengths are developed. Stream length is defined as the total length of all streams of each order in the drainage basin. Strahler (1964) suggested that the stream length of a particular order is inversely proportional to the stream order i.e. length of stream decreases with increase in stream order. The stream length for all identified stream orders is depicted in Table 3. As the low order streams dominate the watershed in the western uplands, the longer lengths of first and second order streams allow the rain water to move into the lower order streams at a very faster rate. This phenomenon causes less time availability for the infiltration of rain water in the upper catchment areas.

TABLE 3: STREAM LENGTH IN BHERA RIVER WATERSHED

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Stream Order

Stream Length (m)

1

182005.50

2

75553.53

3

59807.79

4

31906.64

5

16085.66

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Bifurcation Ratio (Rb) According to Schumm (1956), the term bifurcation ratio may be defined as the ratio of the number of the stream segments of given order to the number of segments of the next higher orders. Rb depends on the slope, physiography, and climate. Rb is used to find out the degree of integration in drainage basin. The low bifurcation values are indicative of less structural complexity which in turn has not distorted the drainage pattern of the basin (Strahler 1964). The bifurcation ratio in the watershed varies between 1.22–1.75. Table 4 shows the linear morphometric parameters calculated for the watershed.

TABLE 4: BIFURCATION RATIO IN BHERA RIVER WATERSHED

Bifurcation Ratio

Value

BR1/2

2.1428

BR2/3

1.75

BR3/4

2.074

BR4/5

1.227

Weighted Mean Bifurcation Ratio (Rbwm) Strahler (1952) used a weighted mean bifurcation ratio obtained by multiplying the bifurcation ratio for each successive pair of orders by the total numbers of streams involved in the ratio and taking the mean of the sum of these values. This method has been used to determine the mean bifurcation ratio of Behra river watershed and was calculated to be 290.44.

Sinuosity Index (Si) Sinuosity deals with the pattern of channel of a drainage basin. Sinuosity has been defined as the ratio of channel length to down valley distance. In general, its value varies from 1 to 4 or more. Rivers having a sinuosity of 1.5 are called sinuous, and above 1.5 are called meandering (Wolman et al. 1964, pp. 281). Sinuosity Index (Si) calculated of the study area was found to be 1.40 indicating that the river is sinous.

Areal Aspects of the Drainage Basin Area of a basin (A) and perimeter (P) are the important parameters in quantitative morphology. The area of the basin is defined as the total area projected upon a horizontal plane contributing to cumulate of all order of basins.

Perimeter is the length of the boundary of the basin which can be drawn from topographical maps. Basin area is hydrologically important because it directly affects the size of the storm hydrograph and the magnitudes of peak and mean runoff. It is interesting that the maximum flood discharge per unit area is inversely related to size. The aerial aspects of the drainage basin such as drainage density (D), stream frequency (Fs), texture ratio (T), circularity ratio (Rc) were calculated.

Drainage Density (D) Drainage Density is defined as the total length of streams of all orders per drainage area. It is the measure of closeness of spacing of channels. Density factor is related to climate, type of rocks, relief, infiltration capacity, vegetation cover, surface roughness has no significant correlation with drainage density. Low density leads to coarse drainage texture while high drainage density leads to fine drainage texture. Drainage Density depends on annual rainfall infiltration capacity of rocks, vegetation cover, surface roughness and run‐off intensity. Drainage Density of the basin is 1.3696.

Drainage Texture (T) Drainage texture is the total number of stream segments of all orders per perimeter of that area (Horton, 1945). It is one of the important concepts of geomorphology which means that the relative spacing of drainage lines. Drainage lines are numerous over impermeable areas than permeable areas. According to Horton (1945), infiltration capacity as the single important factors which influences drainage texture and considered drainage texture which includes drainage density and stream frequency. The drainage density and drainage frequency have been collectively defined as drainage texture.

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It can be expressed by the equation (Smith, 1950), T=DxFs Based on the values of T it is classified as (smith 1950) Drainage texture (T)

Class

0‐4

Coarse

4.0‐10.0

Intermedite

10.0‐15.0

Fine

>15

Ultrafine (badland topography)

For the study area the drainage texture is 2.12 indicating the massive and resistant rocks cause coarse texture.

Stream Frequency (Fs) Stream frequency or channel frequency (Fs) is the total number of stream segments of all orders per unit area (Horton, 1932). The stream frequency value of the basin is 1.548. The value of stream frequency (Fs) for the basin exhibit positive correlation with the drainage density value of the area indicating the increase in stream population with respect to increase in drainage density.

Texture Ratio (T) Texture ratio (T) is an important factor in the drainage morphometric analysis which is depending on the underlying lithology, infiltration capacity and relief aspect of the terrain. In the present study the texture ratio of the basin is 1.74 and categorized as moderate in nature.

Circulatory Ratio (Rc) Miller (1960) defined a dimensionless circularity ratio (Rc) as the ratio of basin area to the area of circle having the same perimeter as the basin. Circulatory ratio is influenced by the length and frequency of streams, geological structures, landuse/land cover, climate, relief and slope of the basin. The circulatory ratio of the watershed is 0.23 indicating elongated basin.

Form Factor (Rf) It is the dimensionless ratio of basin area to the square of basin length (Horton, 1932) and is calculated by Rf = A/(Lb)2 Where A is the drainage area and Lb is the length of the river basin. The Rf value of 0 indicates a highly elongated shape and the value of 1.0, a circular shape with high peak flows for short duration but for elongated basin with low Rf with a flatter peak flows for longer duration. The flood flows of elongated basins can be easily managed than that of circular. The Rf value of the study area is 0.62 showing its elongated shape and its flood flows can be managed efficiently.

Constant of Channel Maintenance (C) C is expressed as the reciprocal of drainage density. Analysis reveal that value of Constant of Channel Maintenance is 0.730 which means to maintain one kilometer length of channel area required is 0.730 square kilometer.

Average Overland Flow (Lo) It is the length of water over the ground before it gets concentrated into definite stream channels. Length of overland flow is one of the most important independent variables affecting hydrologic and physiographic development of drainage basin. The average length of overland flow is approximately half the average distance between stream channels and is therefore approximately equals to half of reciprocal of drainage density (Horton, 1945). The length of overland flow value for this watershed is 0.365 indicating low value showing that the rainwater travels a relatively shorter distance before getting concentrated to channels.

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Conclusion The dominance of low order streams in the upper catchment is result of the higher slopes of the hill terrain. The longer lengths of first and second order streams allow the rain water to move into the lower order streams at a very faster rate in the Bhera Watershed area. This phenomenon causes lesser time availability for the infiltration of rain water in the upper catchment areas. The 4th and 5th order streams in the valley fill areas between Ramgarh and Chitarpur along with low Bifurcation Ratio favours the water availability in the main stream due to base flow which is evident by low order streams originating in these areas. The drainage morphometric analysis suggests the need for treatment of low order streams in order to increase the duration and amount of water flow in the downstream areas.

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