TN-63 : Geomorphological characteristics of western ghats region Part I- upper Krishna basin

Abstract

Geomorphology is science of landforms. It describe landforms and attempts to explain the evolution of landform in terms of lithology, structure, climate and geomorphology. The advance knowledge of geomorphology of the region is of importance in the field of flood control measures and engineering projects, since the geomorphological characteristics of river basins in mountainous areas affect runoff process and formation of flood in these areas.

Parameters of Hydrologic models describing rainfall-runoff process may be estimated either by optimisation technique using rainfall-runoff data or using topographical and climatic information of the basin. Since most of the locations in mountainous areas are either ungauged or sufficient data is not available for them, the study of geomorphological, characteristics of such areas become much more important and significant. Thus one of the main objectives of geomorphological studies is to regionalise the hydrologic models describing rainfall-runoff process.

Various geomorphological parameters which have mostly been used by various investigators can be broadly classified as those describing ( 1) Linear Aspect of Channel System (2) Areal Aspect of Channel System and (3) Relief Aspect of the basin.

The river systems of western ghats region are non-snowfed. Since the rain falling over these basins is directly converted into overland flow and channel flow, it becomes all the more important to have clear idea of geomorphological characteristics of these basins.

The main objectives, of present study is to evaluate some of the widely used geomorphological parameters of few selected sub basins in western ghats region. The study may be useful at finding out effect of geomorphology on watershed runoff response and identifying those parameters which are more closely related to runoff in western ghat region.