Morphometric analysis and prioritization of Virupapura micro-watersheds using GIS and remote sensing techniques in Cauvery River Basin, India

Morphometric analysis is important for understanding watershed behaviour and supporting sustainable resource management, especially under changing climate and water stress conditions. This study evaluates morphometric characteristics and prioritizes eight micro-watersheds in the Virupapura sub-watershed, Cauvery River Basin, Karnataka, using GIS and remote sensing techniques. Watershed delineation, drainage extraction and parameter calculations were carried out using a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) in ArcGIS 10.8, and stream ordering was performed using the Arthur Strahler [66] method. The watershed is a fifth-order basin with a well-developed drainage network consisting of 119 first-order streams and a high bifurcation ratio (7.75–9.50), indicating structural control. Moderate drainage density (2.164 km/km 2 ) and stream frequency (2.74) suggest balanced runoff and infiltration, while the elongated basin shape and gentle slope reduce erosion risk. Hypsometric analysis showed integral values ranging from 0.151 to 0.484, indicating that the micro-watersheds are in mature to old geomorphic stages with varying levels of erosion susceptibility. Based on prioritization ranking using compound factor (Cf) values, Dholenahalli (Rank 1; Cf = 3.1) was identified as the most critical micro-watershed requiring immediate conservation measures, followed by Chikkamaskallu (Rank 2; Cf = 3.6) and K.G. Mallappanahalli (Rank 3; Cf = 3.9). These results are consistent with recent studies in semi-arid regions reporting increasing watershed degradation under climate variability and anthropogenic pressure. Given present challenges such as groundwater depletion, irregular rainfall and land degradation, the study highlights the need for targeted soil and water conservation measures, rainwater harvesting structures and scientific watershed planning for long-term sustainability.