Quantitative analysis of morphometry on Ribb and Gumara watersheds: Implications for soil and water conservation

Morphometric analysis is a quantitative measurement and mathematical analysis of landforms. It plays a significant role in understanding the geohydrological characteristics of a drainage basin in relation to the terrain feature and its flow patterns. It also helps to estimate the incidence of infiltration and runoff, and other related hydrological character of a watershed like erosion and sediment transport which has a strong implication for natural resource conservation. This study has attempted to quantify the morphometric characteristics of Guna- Tana watershed for proper implementation of soil and water conservation practices. ASTER (DEM) was used for extracting morphometric parameters. The watershed covers a total area of 3601.5 km² and it has a basin length of 78.89 km. It has been tried to generate morphometric parameters which account basin drainage network, geometry, drainage texture, and relief characteristics together with hypsometric characteristics. The morphometric analysis of drainage density of the study watershed is 0.49 km/km² which indicates the basin is highly permeable and result with better underground water storage capacity. Ruggedness number is 0.02 that implies the area is less prone to soil erosion. In addition, it has stream frequency of 0.32 and form factor 0.57 which indicates slightly elongated basin shape. Comparative analysis of its sub watersheds Gumara and Ribb was also undertaken. Therefore, practicing soil and water conservation in the watershed could enhance/strengthen the water storage capacity, prevent sediment loss and related natural resource from the watershed that rehabilitate its productivity.