Watershed geomorphology

Watershed geomorphology
Morphometry is defined as the measurement of the shape. Morphometric studies in the field of hydrology were first initiated by R.E. Horton and A.E. Strahler in the 1940s and 1950s. The main purpose of this work was to discover holistic stream properties from the measurement of various stream attributes One of the first attributes to be quantified was the hierarchy of stream segmentsaccording to an ordering classification system In this system, channel segments were ordered numerically from a stream's headwaters to a point somewhere down stream

Numbering
Numerical ordering begins with the tributaries at the stream's headwaters being assigned the value 1. A stream segment that resulted from the joining of two 1st order segments was given an order of 2. Two 2nd order streams formed a 3rd order stream, and so on

Stream order
Strahler (1957) and modified Horton (1945) method

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bifurcation ratio
The ratio between the number of stream segments in one order and the next, called the bifurcation ratio, It was consistently around three.
R.E. Horton called this association the law of stream numbers

Various Horton laws

Law of stream numbers law of mean stream lengths Law of basin areas Law of total stream lengths Law of stream gradients

Stream orders Bifurcation Ratio

The order of a stream segment is designated by u. The bifurcation ratio (Rb) is defined as

Bifurcation ratio
Number Bifurcati of on Ratio Segments 3.33 10 3.00 3

Order 1 2 3

Stream Numbers
R.E. Horton: The numbers of stream segments of successively lower orders in a given basin tend to form a geometric series, beginning with a single segment of the highest order and increasing according to a constant bifurcation ratio. Eg. Bifurcation ratio is 3, the trunk segment is the sixth order, the number of segments will be 1, 3, 9, 27, 81 and 243.

Stream Numbers
The formula should be

The total numbers of stream segments of the entire drainage basin should be

Stream Length
The 1st order stream segments have the shortest length, and the segments become longer as order increases. The mean length of stream segments increases by a length ratio (R1) with each increase in stream order.

Stream Length
R.E. Horton: The cumulative lengths of stream segments of successive orders tend to form a geometric series beginning with mean length of the 1st order segments and increasing according to a constant length ratio.

Stream Slopes
Slope is stated as a ratio. 0.01 is a ratio of 1:100. (a drop of 1 metre vertically in 100 metres horizontally).

Profile a and profile b have the same slope

 Horton: The mean basin areas of successive stream orders tend to form a geometric series beginning with mean area of the firstorder basins and increasing according to a constant area ratio.

Basin Areas

Usually, the discharge of a stream increases with increasing drainage area.

Drainage Density
This is found by measuring the total length of all of the streams within the basin. (km/km2)

Drainage density are controlled by several factors, but the most import control factor is infiltration capacity.

Drainage patterns
Drainage patterns are largely controlled by two factors
Slopes of the drainage area Local differences in the resistance of rocks or geological structures (faults.)

Drainage Patterns
Dendritic Pattern Rectangular Pattern Trellised Pattern Radial Pattern Centripetal

Dendritic Pattern
Tree-like, random branching pattern developed in a region of uniform or homogeneous rock.

Rectangular Pattern
It is a rectilinear or gridlike pattern developed in a region with strong marked joint systems or faults intersecting at approximately right angles. This pattern is largely controlled by structural weakness.

Trellised Pattern
It is a rectilinear stream pattern developed in region of alternate layers of resistant and less resistant rocks which dip in the same direction. The streams join one another at right angles

Radial Pattern
A radial pattern of drainage is a stream pattern developed on a structure dome, volcanic cone, uplifted fault block or a conical hill.

Centripetal Pattern
It consists of streams drainage from different directions towards the centre of a depression or basin. It is very common in inland drainage system, where streams terminate in a lake at the centre. Streams in intermontane basin or desert basins often develop this pattern.

River Brahmaputra

Drainage basins formation

The dendritic pattern develops where the river channel follows the slope of the terrain. The stream with its tributaries resembles the branches of a tree, thus the name dendritic. A river joined by its tributaries, at approximately right angles, develops a trellis pattern. A trellis drainage pattern develops where hard and soft rocks exist parallel to each other. A rectangular drainage pattern develops on a strongly jointed rocky terrain The radial pattern develops when streams flow in different directions from a central peak or dome like structure.

A combination of several patterns may be found in the same drainage basin.

Basin order
The basin order of the catchment is highest channel order

Basin shape
Numerous symmetrical and irregular forms of drainage areas are encountered in practice

Watershed shape parameters

Form factor < 1 shape factor > 1 elongation ratio circulatory ratio compactness coefficient approaches 1 as watershed shape approaches circle.

Basin length
A multitude of dimensionless parameter defined watershed shape. These factors involves, watershed length, area and perimeter which can be defined as
Greatest stream line distance between two points on the perimeter The greatest distance between outlet and any point in the catchment The length of main stream from its source to outlet