Quantitative analysis of the drainage and morphometric characteristics of the Palar River basin, Southern Peninsular India; using bAd calculator (bearing azimuth and drainage) and GIS

The Palar River basin is one of the major rivers in southern peninsular India. Morphometric analysis coupled with drainage network analysis was carried out for the Palar River basin to understand its drainage characteristics and the drainage network geometry with reference to tectonics. The morphometric analysis has been carried out using ‘bearing azimuth and drainage (bAd) calculator’ which a new and easy methodology for extraction of watershed morphometric parameters. The entire Palar River basin has been divided into five major sub-basins and various linear, areal, and relief morphometric parameters were calculated. The sub-basins I, II, and III reflect low to medium stream frequency (Fs) and moderate drainage density (Dd) and a high bifurcation ratio of various stream orders signifies that they are surging through tectonically active areas, followed by high overland flow and less recharge into the subsurface resulting in low groundwater potential. Moreover, sub-basins IV and V show the relatively low overland flow, which helps to percolate water, hence ground water potential will be higher. The morphometric result suggests that the drainage network geometry is variously controlled by recent tectonics. Lineaments trending majorly NW-SE, NE-SW, and E-W mark the major drainage network in Palar River drainage basin. Lower order streams and higher order streams follow NW-SE, NE-SW lineaments. Which also points toward the tectonic control of drainage in Palar River. As a result of channel orientation due to tectonic activity: (i) most channels are A-type or B-type associated with the lineaments, (ii) the pattern of the drainage network is dendritic, rectangular sometime trellis too, and (iii) the main rivers flow longitudinally to the predominant lineament direction