P. Akhila^1*, R. Sakthivel¹ and Shaik Mohammad Hussain²

¹Department of Geology, Bharathidasan University, Khajamalai Campus, Tiruchirappalli-620023 (TN), India

²Department of Geology, University of Madras, Guindy Campus, Chennai-600025 (TN), India (*Corresponding Author, E-mail: pakhila1990@gmail.com)

Abstract

The present study aims to examine the significance of multivariate statistics in studying morphometric behaviour and its relationship in 13 sub- watersheds of Santanavardhani Watershed, Tamil Nadu. Geographic Information System (GIS) based drainage morphometric analysis has been carried out to decipher the geomorphic behaviour of watershed. Different parameters of Linear, Areal and Relief aspects are considered and quantify with the help of Survey of India (SOI) topographic maps and Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission (SRTM) based Digital Elevation Model (DEM) in GIS platform. Correlation Analysis is carried out for twelve morphometric parameters to measure the linear relationship between the variables using Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) method. Most of the variables show a strong correlation and represent similar geomorphic characteristics. The correlated data was further used to group the variables into different components using Factor Analysis (FA) and it gives 3 different components like Factor of steepness, Factor of magnitude and Factor of geometry. Hierarchical Clustering method (Ward’s method) is implemented to group different sub-watersheds based on its geomorphic behaviour. Cluster-1 consists of sub-watersheds S1, S2, S13, S4, S11, S5, S9, S10 shows homogeneous nature and Cluster-2 and Cluster-3 comprises S6, S12, S3 and S7, S8, respectively show heterogeneity of the sub-watersheds.

Keywords: Quantitative Drainage Morphometric Analysis, Correlation Analysis, Factor Analysis, Cluster Analysis, GIS