Morphometric Analysis of Kangshabati-Darkeswar Interfluves Area in West Bengal, India using ASTER DEM and GIS Techniques

Abstract

The aim of the study is to delineate the morphometric characteristics of Kangshabati-Darkeswar Interfluves Area using remote sensing and GIS technology. 10 km2 grids were elaborate to delineate the relief characteristics using Advance Space Thermal Emission and Radiometer (ASTER) data. Drainage networks were automatically extracted from digital aster elevation models. Second order local polynomial (LP) interpolation technique was used to estimate the surface characteristics of the study area using ArcGIS 9.3. The absolute elevation of the study region is extended between 4.0-949.29 m with an average elevation of 484.50 m. The highest relative relief resulted 833.69 m, whereas the average ruggedness index of the study area is recorded as 0.09 per 10 km2 area. The average drainage density of the study area was computed 0.73/sq. km and the highest drainage intensity are recorded as 9.58/10 km2 grid area. The average length of overland flow of the study area was 2.56/10 km2 grid areas. The result of the study highlights an about the spatial distribution of relief and hydrological characteristics which may provide the knowledge to devise and accomplish an appropriate plan to progress agriculture and others allied activities. Hence, from the study, it can be concluded that remote sensing data (ASTER –DEM) coupled with GIS techniques prove to be a competent tool in morphometric analysis and the data can be used for basin or interfluves area management and other hydrological studies in future.