Automated Drainage Characterization of Shaliganga Watershed

Shaliganga watershed, situated in Budgam district of Jammu and Kashmir, holds critical importance for the socio-economic and environmental well-being of the region. This paper presents a comprehensive geospatial analysis of morphometric parameters of the watershed. The current study used the ASTER Digital Elevation Model (DEM) in conjunction with hydrologic analytic capabilities in ArcGIS Spatial Analyst to automatically delineate and characterize the drainage of the Shaliganga watershed for a thorough examination of its linear, areal and relief parameters. Additionally, Strahler's classification was applied for the ordering of streams. The morphometric analysis revealed that Shaliganga watershed exhibits a dendritic to sub-dendritic drainage pattern, indicative of a relatively homogeneous lithology and moderate structural control. The calculated morphometric parameters included stream order value of 4. The circularity ratio (Rc) was measured at 0.2, significantly lower than the standard range of 0.4 to 0.5, while the elongation ratio (Re) was found to be 0.35, categorizing the watershed as "elongated." These values suggest that the watershed has a stable structure but requires management to address soil erosion and degradation, especially in the Karewas and Kandi zones.