~ 2467 ~ International Journal of Chemical Studies 2019; 7(5): 2467-2476 P-ISSN: 2349–8528 E-ISSN: 2321–4902 IJCS 2019; 7(5): 2467-2476 © 2019 IJCS Received: 29-07-2019 Accepted: 30-08-2019 AM Paghadal Research Associate, Research Training and Testing Centre, Junagadh Agricultural University, Junagadh, Gujarat, India HD Rank Professor and Head, College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Junagadh Agricultural University, Junagadh, Gujarat, India PS Pipaliya College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Junagadh Agricultural University, Junagadh, Gujarat, India JM Makwana Senior Research Fellow, Department of Renewable Energy Engineering, College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Junagadh Agricultural University, Junagadh, Gujarat, India GV Prajapati Associate Professor, Research Testing, and Training Centre, Junagadh Agricultural University, Junagadh, Gujarat, India Corresponding Author: AM Paghadal Research Associate, Research Training and Testing Centre, Junagadh Agricultural University, Junagadh, Gujarat, India Prioritization of watersheds of Ozat river basin based on morphometric analysis using remote sensing and GIS AM Paghadal, HD Rank, PS Pipaliya, JM Makwana and GV Prajapati Abstract Watershed prioritization has gained importance in natural resources management, especially in the context of watershed management. Watershed management encompasses various activities from watershed delineation to monitoring. The present research attempted to study various morphological characteristics and to implement Remote Sensing and Geographical Information System (GIS) techniques for identification and prioritization of critical sub watersheds situated in region of Ozat river basin, Gujarat. The morphometric analysis of river basin helps to explore the interrelationship between hydraulic parameters and geomorphologic characteristics. Various morphometric parameters, namely linear and shape have been determined for each watersheds and assigned ranks on the basis of value/relationship so as to arrive at a compound value for a final ranking of the watershed. There are in total 4 sub-watersheds which have been delineated and taken up for prioritization based on morphometric analysis using GIS and RS techniques. Detailed morphometric analysis was carried out using ArcGIS V10.1. The value of compound parameter for all 4 watersheds varied from 27 to 32. The watershed 5G1C4 (compound parameter value 27) receives the highest priority value and so it becomes potential and prioritized candidate for applying soil conservation measures, in contrast to the other watersheds with low priorities are subjected to lower degree of erosion. The morphometric properties and prioritization for each watershed will be useful for the sound planning of conservation measures, water harvesting, and groundwater recharge projects on watershed base. Keywords: Watershed, Prioritization, Morphometry, Ozat River basin, DEM 1. Introduction A drainage basin or watershed is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain, melting snow, or ice converges to a single point at a lower elevation, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another water body, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean. The watershed plays a dominant role in the development of landforms and therefore, the study of drainage basin has a great significance in geomorphic studies (Chandrashekar et al., 2010) [5] . A watershed is an ideal unit for management of natural resources like land and water for achieving sustainable development. The watershed management concept recognizes the interrelationships among the linkages between uplands, low lands, land use, geomorphology, slope and soil. A comprehensive watershed management programme may have multiple objectives such as controlling damaging runoff and managing and utilizing the same for useful purposes, controlling erosion and reduction in the sediment production, enhancing ground water storage and appropriate use of the land resources in the watershed (Sebastian et al., 1995). Soil and water conservation are the key issues in watershed management while demarcating watersheds. Morphometry is the measurement and mathematical analysis of the configuration of the earth's surface, shape and dimension of its landforms (Agarwal, 1998; Obi Reddy et al., 2002) [1, 30] . It is a significant tool for prioritization of sub watersheds even without considering the soil map (Biswas et al., 1999) [3] . Morphometric analysis of a watershed provides a quantitative description of the drainage system, which is an important aspect of the characterization of watersheds (Strahler, 1964) [48] . A major emphasis in geomorphology over the past several decades has been on the development of quantitative physiographic methods to describe the evolution and behaviour of surface drainage networks (Horton, 1945; Leopold & Maddock, 1953) [15, 18] . The success of watershed development programme revolves around the conservation of soil and water resources in that watershed and hence, it is imperative to