Hypsometric Analysis of Watershed Using Geographic Information System

Abstract

Hypsometric analysis reveals the geological stage of watershed and is a measure of its maturity, indicating the susceptibility of the watershed to erosion. In the present study, Karso watershed located in the Hazaribagh district of Jharkhand State was considered as the case study area. The watershed was delineated into seven sub watersheds and hypsometric analysis was carried out for all of them using the digital contour map, which was generated using Arc/Info GIS. The hypsometric integral values for all the sub watersheds of Karso range between 0.108 and 0.367. In the study area, two stages of erosion cycle development, namely, equilibrium stage and monadnock phase are identified.