Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies Available online at www.ajms.co.in Volume1, Issue 4, November 2013 ISSN: 2321-8819 Morphometric Analysis of Birbhum District Prolay Mondal Research Scholar, Dept. of Geography, Visva Bharati, Santiniketan Abstract: Lateritic soil of Birbhum district made a different topography which is known as “khoai region”. Topographically/ landscape heterogeneity is taken place here. To understand the heterogeneity, in this paper, an attempt has been made to study the detail morphometric characteristics of Birbhum district. For detailed study, we used LISS-III data for preparing digital elevation model (DEM), and geographical information system (GIS) was used in evaluation of linear, areal and relief aspects of morphometric parameters. All the morphometric attribute of this area have been prepared using Arc-Hydro Tool; and Surface Tool in Arc-GIS 9.3 software & ASTER (DEM). Different thematic maps i.e. drainage density, slope, relief, superimposed profile, and longitudinal profiles have been prepared by using Arc-GIS software. I have computed 20 morphometric parameters of all aspects. Based on all morphometric parameters analysis it is evident that the streams gradients become steeper (aggradation) or less steep (degradation) due to excess deposition or erosion of sediment, respectively. Aggradation and degradation are often the symptoms of a problem within this district, such as changes in land use within the district that occur over a broad area and affect the stream's hydrology. It is caused by a very large storm event or a localized disturbance, such as earthwork without proper sediment controls. It actually changes shape which is very much associated with Rills and gullies erosion. These studies are very useful for planning of land degradation and its integrated management. Key words: Morphometric analysis, Land degradation, Morphometric parameter, Fluvial erosion. Introduction: morphometric analysis of this area. District boundary, flow length, stream Morphometric Analysis is quantitative ordering have been prepared using Arc- description and analysis of landforms as Hydro Tool; and contour, slope, aspect, practiced in geomorphology that may be hillshade have been prepared using applied to a particular kind of landform or Surface Tool in Arc-GIS 9.3 software, and to drainage basins and large regions ASTER (DEM). Different thematic maps generally. Birbhum has a great important i.e. drainage density, slope, relief, for his geomorphic feature i.e. “Khoai” superimposed profile, and longitudinal region which is built up by lateritic profiles have been prepared by using Arc- landscape. The western part (“Khoai” GIS software. This quantitative approach contain region) of the district is very much with modifications was later developed by affected by the work of denudation. To Strahler (1950, 1952, 1956, 1957, 1964), understand the geomorphic Millar (1953), Schumm (1956, 1957), process/characteristic, I have attempt the Singh (1974, 1976, 1978), Chakraborty 141 Morphometric Analysis of Birbhum District (1991), Kale.et al. (1994), Jha (1996, To help morphometric analysis of all 2000, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2009) and other. patches (exposed at the surface) and This paper is based on the manuscript of the entire region to be determine V. C. Jha (2009). degradation severity; It’s also helped to take decision about Objectives: geomorphic prioritization with In the context of above point of views, the preparation of integrated management. present study aims at the detail Study Area: morphometric characteristics of Birbhum district. Objectives are: Birbhum (23° 32' 30" and 24° 35' 0"N and 88° 1' 40" and 87° 5' 25" E) extends over To understand the physiographic 4545 Km2. Birbhum is bounded on the characteristic of Birbhum district; north and west by the Santal Parganas of To assess the ecogeomorphological Jharkhand state and the district of characteristic this study can help to Murshidadbad; on the east by the districts understanding the morphology and of Murshidabad and Burdwan; and on the morphometric characteristic of south by Burdwan, from which it is geomorphic features in separated by the Ajoy river. hydrogeomorphic units of this area; Administratively, it comprises of three It is very much important tool to Sub-divisions (Suri, Bolpur and calculation or identification of land Rampurhat), 19 Community Development degradation as well as environmental blocks and 2,467 villages. degradation of the study area; Figure-1: Location of the Study Area The study area belongs to the moderate morphogenetic region with prevalence of week mechanical weathering, strong chemical weathering, least wind erosion, moderate mass wasting, maximum fluvial erosion. Methodology (Sources of Data): This paper is based on secondary data Topographical Sheet survey of India, Satellite Image LISS-III (Geo-coded IRS P6), and District statistical Hand Book etc. Secondary data used to carry out this study are shown in Table 1 and Table 2. Table-1: Remote sensing data used in the study Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies, 1(4) November, 2013 142 Morphometric Analysis of Birbhum District Theme Description Source Year Resolution Geo-coded IRS P6 Images LISS III 29th Nov. 24 mts. 2006 Table-2: Secondary Data used in the study Theme Description Source Geomorphology Geomorphology classes National atlas map map Topographical map Topography and other Survey of India (1:50,000) detailed information Administrative areas CD blocks demarcation Official Website Of The Birbhum map District Land use statistics General land use pattern Statistical Abstract, Government Of West Bengal Elevation Data Detailed Elevation points Topographical map, Survey of of the Birbhum district India The methodology adopted for carrying out this analysis could be categorized into 6 steps as follows and after collecting the essential information required for this study, the digital analysis of these data was carried out through following technique. Figure-2: Methodology Image Rectification Image Digitizatio and Restoration Registration n Data analyses, Data Ground truth data collection verification interpretation and analysis Morphometric analysis Result and Discussion: Satellite imagery morphometric attributes i.e. Stream Order and Topographical Map of Birbhum (Nu), Stream Length (k.m.), Mean stream district provided the Morphometric length (k.m.), Bifurcation Ratio (Rb), statistical result through GIS software Mean Bifurcation Ratio (Rbm), Drainage which is needed for the study. The utility Density (Dd) km/km2, of remotely sensed data in extracting the flowing information is of great value to Stream Frequency (F), Drainage Texture landscape mapping as the starting point of (T), Circulatory Ratio (Rc),Elongation most landscape ecological studies is Ratio (Re), From Factor (Rf), Texture focused on different patches. All these Ratio (T), Compactness Constant (Cc), Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies, 1(4) November, 2013 143 Morphometric Analysis of Birbhum District Basin Relief (Bh), Relief ratio (Rh), Perimeter (P) Km., Area (A) Sq Km., Absolute Relief (Ra) m, Average Slope (S) Length of the over land flow (Lo), are in degrees, Relative Relief (Rr) (mt.), tabled bellow: Figure-3: Map showing absolute relief and stream order of Birbhum Table-1: Morphometric analysis of the study area Sl. Morphometric Formula Reference Result No Parameter 1 Stream Order (Nu) Hierarchical rank Strahler 1 to 5 (1964) 2 Stream Length Lu = L1+L2 ……Ln Strahler 3326.895 (k.m.) (1964) 4 Mean stream length Total stream length divide by total Strahler 1.070 (k.m.) number of streams (1964) 2 Bifurcation Ratio Rb= Nu/Nu+1 Schumm 2.28 to (Rb) Where Nu= Total number of (1956) 4.42 stream segment of order u Nu+1= Total number of stream segments in next higher order 3 Mean Bifurcation Rbm = Average of Bifurcation Strahler 3.745 Ratio (Rbm) ratio of all orders (1964) 5 Drainage Density Dd =Lu/Au Strahler 0.7356 (Dd) km/km2 Where Lu =total length of stream (1964) segments cumulated for each stream order, Au= Basin area 6 Stream Frequency F = Nu/Au Horton 0.3531 (F) where Nu=total number of stream (1945) segments of all order, Au=Basin area 7 Drainage Texture T= Dd x F Smith (1950) 0.2597 (T) Where Dd= Drainage Density, F= Stream Frequency Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies, 1(4) November, 2013 144 Morphometric Analysis of Birbhum District 8 Circulatory Ratio Rc=4πA/ P² Miller (1953) 0.138 (Rc) Where, Rc= Circularity Ratio, A= Area of the Basin (km²), P = Perimeter (km) 9 Elongation Ratio Re=2 √(A/π) /Lb Schumm 2.99 (Re) Where, Re=Elongation ratio (1956) Lb= Length of basin (km), A = Area of the basin (km²) 10 From Factor (Rf) Rf = A/Lb² Horton 0.011 Where A = Area of the basin (km²) (1945) Lb² = Square of the basin length 11 Texture Ratio (T) T = Nu/ P Horton 2.488 Where Nu = Total number of (1945) streams of all orders, P = Perimeter (km) 12 Compactness Cc = 0.2821 P/A0.5 Horton 0.080 Constant (Cc) Where A = Area of the basin (km²) (1945) P = Perimeter of the basin (km) 13 Basin Relief (Bh) Bh = H- h Schumm 134 Where H = Maximum height of (1956) the basin, h = minimum height of the basin 14 Relief ratio (Rh) Rh =H/Lb, Schumm 0.239 Where H=Total height (km), (1956) Lb=maximum basin length 15 Absolute Relief GIS Software Analysis ------ 154 (Ra) m 16 Average Slope (S) S = (Z * (Ctl/H)) / (10 * A) Wenthworth’ <1% to in degrees s (1930) >3% 17 Relative Relief (Rr) Rr= MH-mh -- 134 (mt.) Where MH = Maximum height of the basin, mh = minimum height of the basin 18 Length of the over Lo = 1/D*2 Horton 0.679 land flow (Lo) Where Lo= Length of the over (1945) land flow, D= Drainage Density 19 Area (A) Sq Km. GIS Software Analysis Schumm 4545.00 (1956) 20 Perimeter (P) Km. GIS Software Analysis Schumm 641.746 (1956) Source: Computed from Topographical map & Liss-III image 2006 by GIS Software Conclusion: Coverage of sisal plants/ date palm/ and other local semi-xerophytic. Natural From the above table (Table-1) it is vegetation species in commercial scale – evident that the different result comes out double multiple benefit of: Land Quality for different morphometric attributes of the protection, small scale house hold industry study area.