Cosmos: A Journal of Geography

DEM & Morphometric Based Watershed Prioritization & Analysis in Foothill Catchments Area of the Eastern Himalaya: Mountainous Landscapes Promoting for Sustainability

The present study utilized a Digital Elevation Model (DEM)-based approach to explore a Geomorphometric technique for prioritizing watersheds in the hilly areas of the Lish & Gish catchment. This study evaluated Microwatersheds to assess their susceptibility to erosion and hydrological response by employing topographic parameters, as well as drainage density, stream frequency, bifurcation ratio, relief ratio, and ruggedness number. To delineate micro-watersheds and extract linear, areal, and relief morphometric features, 30-meter resolution SRTM DEM data and Survey of India (SOI) topographic maps were utilized. These components were integrated to develop a Composite Priority Index (CPI), which was used to classify the watersheds into high, medium, and low priority categories. Owing to their steep slopes, extensive drainage systems, and rocky landscapes, watersheds 1 and 3 were identified as high priorities in the analysis, highlighting the urgent need for soil and water conservation measures. This study offers a scalable framework for managing watersheds in other mountainous regions and underscores the significance of terrain analysis for resource planning.