GIS BASED MORPHOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF GADILAM RIVER BASIN, TAMIL NADU, INDIA

Geographical Information System (GIS) have proved to be an efficient tool in the delineation of drainage pattern for water resources management and its planning. In this study, GIS and image processing techniques have been adopted for the identification of morphological features and analyzing the properties of the of Gadilam river basin, Cuddalore District, Tamil Nadu. The morphometric parameters considered for analysis includes the linear, areal aspects of the basin. The Means basin covers an area of 1628 km2 and is a drainage basin with mainly parallel to sub-parallel drainage pattern. The mean bifurcation ratio is 4.46 indicating the basin is largely controlled by structure. The basin has medium drainage density of 0.82 per km2 and is elongated in shape. The study has strengthened in understanding the hydrological, geological characteristics of the Means drainage basin.