A QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF MORPHOMETRIC PARAMETERS USING REMOTE SENSING AND GIS TECHNIQUES IN THE GEIL RIVER BASIN OF DARJEELING HIMALAYABishal ChhetriAbstract The morphometric analysis of the Geil river basin has been carried out with the help of geographic information system (GIS). The drainage network has been classified using Strahlerâs scheme for ranking the streams, it has been found that the river basin exhibits dendritic drainage pattern and is a fifth order river basin which is entirely dominated by the lower order streams. The predominance of first order streams that run over a very short length over the steep slopes of the study area has produced a rugged terrain and deeply dissected valleys. The drainage basin has high degree of surface runoff due to the steepness of the topography, impermeable subsurface material and sparse vegetation which in turn makes the area more prone to soil erosion and landslides. The linear morphometric parameters were used for developing the prioritization of the streams; this exercise has helped in the identification of the streams/ stream orders where soil and water conservation measures can be concentrated for an efficient management of the watershed. |