Morphometric Characteristics of a Twin River Coastal Watershed: Implication for Watershed Management: A Case Study from the Mulki -Pavanje Rivers, Karnataka, India

Abstract

Morphometric investigation is a substantial means for prioritization of watersheds/sub-watersheds for their management. In the present paper Mulki -Pavanje twin rivers in the coastal Karnataka is studied for their conjunctive watershed management based on morphometric analysis is carried out using remote sensing and GIS. In this study the different morphometric properties of the watershed such as Areal, Relief and Linear aspects has been carried out using SRTM (DEM) data of 30m resolution. The Mulki - Pavanje streams originate at 240 and 200m above MSL on the western part of the western ghat, and together drain area of 581 Square Kilometres and seam the Arabian Sea through a common estuary. Morphometric analysis has revealed that the area is having moderate slope and infiltration rate, hen ce groundwater recharge is limited, while presence of lineaments indicates local percolation. Hence both surfaces harnessing of the water resources followed by local recharge is suggested.