Integrated Morphometric Evaluation of Varuna River Basin with GIS and Remote Sensing

Morphometric analysis of a river basin is characteristics through a fundamental approach for examining structural and hydrological patterns. The present investigation examines morphometric properties of the Varuna River Basin in Uttar Pradesh, India, using GIS applications. High-resolution Digital Elevation Model data facilitated extraction of essential linear, areal, and relief parameters to assess basin geometry, drainage networks, and terrain characteristics. The basin encompasses roughly 1789 km2, with elevations ranging between 45 and 117 m above mean sea level. A dendritic drainage configuration dominates the area, suggesting uniform lithological conditions with limited tectonic control. Stream classification reveals hierarchical organization up to fifth-order, with first-order and second-order streams being most prevalent. The bifurcation ratio (3.2–4.5) and drainage density (2.1 km/km2) reflect moderate runoff potential and well-integrated drainage development. The basin exhibits an elongated shape, as reflected by an elongation ratio of 0.68 and a form factor of 0.45, which generally corresponds to a lower likelihood of flooding. The relief characteristics, such as a basin relief of 72 m and a ruggedness number of 1.51, point to a moderate degree of topographic variation. These findings highlight the significance of applying integrated GIS-based morphometric techniques to enhance the understanding of fluvial dynamics.