ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPLICATIONS OF MORPHOMETRIC FEATURES ON HYDRO-GEOMORPHIC PROCESSES OF THE DONGA RIVER BASIN IN TARABA STATE, NIGERIA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10/3303/jees.2026.0301/027Keywords:
Morphometric, Basin area, Drainage density, Slope, Basin shapeAbstract
This paper analysed the morphometric parameters of the Donga River Basin in Taraba State, Nigeria, to understand the key factors influencing hydro-geomorphic processes. Data used for morphometric analysis were derived from the Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission Digital Elevation Model, obtained from the United States Geological Survey website. Water stage/discharge data were obtained from the Upper Benue River Basin Development Authority, Yola, Adamawa State, Nigeria. Channel width was determined in the field at the confluence of each succeeding Sub-Basin and from a 2020 satellite image. Twenty-one (21) morphometric parameters of area, linear, and relief aspects were generated and calculated using various formulas from the literature. These morphometric parameters were subjected to correlation and principal component analysis in SPSS version 23. The result of the analysis revealed that the study area comprises one hundred and one (101) sub-basins that discharge water and sediments into the main Donga River channel. Water stage/discharge data from five gauging stations on the River Donga (Gembu, Abong, Manya, Donga Town, and Bantaje) showed an increase in downstream flow with channel width. High-level multi-correlation exists between the morphometric parameters and six (6) variables with eigenvalues greater than one (>1), which were factored out and explain 77.154% of the total variance in morphometric attributes. They are: index of basin area (32.922%), slope/relief (16.972%), stream network (13.327%), basin shape (8.235%), and terrain ruggedness (5.699%). These influences slope processes, discharge, erosion, sediment transport, deposition, and the morphology of the study area. Measures for basin planning and management were strongly recommended.
References
Ajibade, L.T., Ifabiyi, I.P., Iroye, K.A. & Ogunteru, S. (2010). Morphometric Analysis of Ogunpa and Ogbere Drainage Basins, Ibadan, Nigeria. Ethiopian Journal of Environmental Studies and Management 3(1), 13–19.
Anil, S.S., Sasi, M. (2024). Hydrological Insights from Morphometric Analysis of the Mandovi River Basin: A Geospatial Approach. Geographical Analysis. 13(1): 18–24. https://doi.org/ 10.53989/bu.ga.v13i1.10.
Avinash, K., Jayappa, K. S. & Deepika, B. (2011). “Prioritization of subbasins based on geomorphology and morphometric analysis using remote sensing and geographic information system (GIS) techniques,” Geocarto International, 26(7), 569–592.
Bhatt, S.C., Singh, R., Ansari, M.A. & Bhatt, S. (2020). Quantitative morphometric and morphotectonic analysis of Pahuj catchment basin, Central India. Journal of the Geological Society of India. 96, 000–000. Doi: 10.1007/s12594-020-xxxx-x.
Boyce, R.B., & Clark, W.A.V. (1964). The Concept of Shape in Geography, Geographical Review 54, 561–72.
Charlton, R. (2008). Fundamentals of fluvial geomorphology. London: Routledge & Francis Group.
Damilola, A.E. (2016). The Osun drainage basin in the western lithoral hydrological zone of Nigeria: A morphometric study. Malaysian Journal of society and space, 12(8), 71–88.
Esimo, N. & Hayicho, H. (2024). Characterizing and Analyzing Morphometric Parameters and Their Implications for Watershed Management in the Sub-Upper Wabe Shebele Drainage Basin, West Arsi Zone, Ethiopia. Journal of Equity in Science and Sustainability Development, 7(1), 97–118. DOI: https: //doi.org/10.20372/mwu.jessd.2024.1556.
Eze, E. B., & Efiong, J. (2010). Morphometric Parameters of the Calabar River Basin: Implications for Hydrologic Processes. Journal of Geography and Geology 2 (1), 18-26. www.ccsenet.org/jgg.
Graziano, M., Deguire, A.K. & Surasinghe, T.D. (2022). Riparian buffer as a critical landscape feature: Insight for river scape conservation and policy renovations. Diversity 14, 1–20. https://doi.org/10.3390/d14030172.
Gregory, K.J. & Walling, D.E. (1973). Drainage Basin Form and Process: A Geomorphological Approach, Edward Arnold, London.
Hadley, R.F., Schumm, S.A. (1961). Sediment Source and Drainage Basin Characteristics in the Upper Cheyenne River Basin, U.S. Geological Survey Water-Supply Paper 1531-B, 198.
Hassan, M. & Kabir, A. (2019). Morphometric and vulnerability analysis of the Gada River Basin to erosion and sediment yield. FUDMA Journal of Science, 3(2), 58–66.
Horton, R. E. (1945). Erosional development of streams and their drainage basins: a hydro-physical approach to quantitative morphology. Geol. SOC. Am., Bull., 56(3), 275–370.
Ifabiyi I.P. (2017). Association of drainage basin characteristics and runoff in the upper Kaduna catchment, Nigeria. Journal of geography and development 7(1), 795–808.
Ijafiya, D.J. (2023). Analysis and Mapping of the impacts of geomorphic changes in River Donga on the riparian environment in Taraba State, Nigeria. Unpublished Ph.D. thesis, Department of Geography, Modibbo Adama University, Yola.
Ijafiya, D.J., & Iroye, K. A. (2017). Effects of Human Activities on the Morphology of the Lower Course of River Mayo-Inne, Yola South, Adamawa State, Nigeria. Journal of Geography and Development, 7(1), 742–753.
Jimoh, H.I. & Ajao, L.I. s(2009). Problems of suspended sediment loads in Asa River Catchment, Ilorin, Nigeria. Pakistan journal of social sciences, 6(1), 19-25.
Jimoh, H.I. & Iroye, K.A. (2010). Managing high runoff discharge in the urbanized basins of Asa River Catchment Area of Ilorin, Nigeria. Canadian Social Science 6 (4):210-223. www.cscanada.net.
Kabite, G. & Gessesse, B. (2018). Hydro-geomorphological characterization of Dhidhessa River Basin, Ethiopia. International Soil and Water Conservation Research, 6(2), 175-183. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iswcr.2018.02.003.
Knighton, A.D. (1984). Fluvial forms and processes. London: Edward Arnold.
Knighton, A.D., (1981). Local Variation of cross sectional form in a small gravel bed stream. Journal of Hydrology, 20: 131-142.
Mane, I., Gharge, A. & Patel, M. (2019). Morphometric analysis of Venna River Basin Using GIS Tool. International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology, 4(4), 2406-4217.
Manoj, G. & Anilkumar, R. (2015). Analysis of morphometric characteristics of Vamanapuram River basin Kerala. International journal of science and research (IJSR), 6(14).
Mazumdar, M., Dutta, M. K & Bharadwaj, M. (2023). A Geographic Information System (GIS) based approach for drainage and morphometric characterization of Beki river basin, India. MAUSAM, 74(3), 673-684. DOI : https://doi.org/10.54302/mausam.v74i3.5608.
Miller, V.C. (1953). A Quantitative Geomorphic Study of Drainage Basin Characteristics on the Clinch Mountain Area, NR Technical Report 3: Virgina and Tennessee, Project, 389-402.
Mishra A., Dubey D. P., & Tiwari R. N, (2011). Morphometric analysis of Tons Basin, Rewa District, Madhya Pradesh, based on water shed approach. Earth science India 4(3) 171-180.
Mubi, A.M., & Adebayo, A.A. (2005). Soil and Vegetation. In Tukur A.L., Adebayo, A.A. and Galtima, M (eds), The Land and People of Mambilla Plateau (pp. 40-50). Ibadan, Nigeria: Heinamann Educational Books Plc.
Mubi, A.M., Ijafiya, D. and Bawa, D. (2013). Development and Recession Rate of the Jaffi Waterfall of River Nduvina, Biu Plateau, Nigeria. Nigeria Geographical Journal, 9(1), 75-93
Nageswara, Rao. K., Swarna Latha. P, Arun Kumar. P, & Hari Krishna. M. (2010).Morphometric analysis of Gostani River basin in Andhra Pradesh State, india using spatial Information technology. International journal of geomatics and geosciences 1(2), 179-187.
Ojo, A. D. (2010). Spatial Dimension of Drainage Channel Responses to Urbanization in a Tropical City. Being a paper presented at the 51st Annual Conference of the Association of Nigerian Geographers (ANG) held at Kogi State University, Anyigba from 7th to 11th March, 2010.
Oruonye, E. D. Ezekiel, B. B., Atiku, H. G. Baba, E. and Musa N. I. (2016). Drainage Basin Morphometric Parameters of River Lamurde: Implication for Hydrologic and Geomorphic Processes. Journal of Agriculture and Ecology Research International 5(2): 1-11. www.sciencedomain.org.
Parvez, M.B. & Inayathulla, M. (2019). Prioritization Of Sub-watersheds of Cauvery Region Based on Morphometric Analysis Using GIS. International Journal for Research in Engineering Application and Management, 5(1), 85-94. DOI : 10.18231/2454-9150.2019.0260.
Rathod, S. & Khadri, S.F.R. (2024). Remote Sensing and GIS-based Morphometric analysis of Bembla sub-basin in Maharashtra. Journal of Geomatics 18(1), 66-70. DOI: https://doi.org/10.58825/jog.2024.18.1.109
Riley, S.J. (1991). A terrain index that quantifies topographic heterogeneity. International Journal of Science, 5(1-4), 23-27.
Samson, S.A, Eludoyin, A.O, Ogbole, J., Alaga, A.T, Oloko-Oba, M., Okeke, U.H & Popoola O.S. (2016). Drainage basin morphometric analysis for flood potential mapping in Owu; using geospatial techniques. Journal of geography and earth science international 3, 1-8.
Schumm, S.A., (1956). Evolution of drainage systems and slopes in badlands at Perth Amboy, New Jersey”, Geol Soc Am Bull 67, 597–646.
Schumm, S.A., (1963). A tentative classification of alluvial river channels. U.S. Geological Survey Circular 477. Washington, DC.
Singh, P., Gupta, A. & Singh, M. (2014). Hydrological Inferences from Watershed Analysis for Water Resource Management Using Remote Sensing and GIS Techniques, Egyptian Journal of Remote Sensing and Space Sciences 17(2),111-121.
Smith, K.G. (1950). Standards for Grading Texture of Erosional Topography. American Journal of Science 248, 655-668.
Smith, B. & Sandwell, D. (2003). Accuracy and resolution of shuttle radar topography mission data. Geophys Res Lett 30(9), 20–21. https ://doi.org/10.1029/2002G L0166 43.
Sreedevi, P.D., Sreekanth, P.D., Khan, H.H. & Ahmed, S. (2012). Drainage morphometry and its influence on hydrology in a semi-arid region: using SRTM data and GIS. Environ Earth Sci, 70:839-848. Doi 10.1007/s12665-012-2172-3.
Strahler, A. N. (1964). Quantitative geomorphology of drainage basins and channel networks. In V. T. Chow (Ed.), Handbook of Applied Hydrology. (pp. 4, 39-4, 76) New York: McGraw Hill.
Strahler, A. N. (1964). Quantitative geomorphology of drainage basins and channel networks. In V. T. Chow (Ed.), Handbook of Applied Hydrology. (pp. 4, 39-4, 76) New York: McGraw Hill.
Strahler, A.N., (1957). Quantitative analysis of watershed geomorphology. Trans Am Geophys Union 38, 913-920.
Tukur, A.L. & Mubi, A.M. (2002). Impact of Kiri Dam on the Lower reaches of River Gongola, Nigeria. Geo Journal, 56(2), 93-96.
Waikar, M.L. & Nilawar, A.P. (2014). Morphometric analysis of a drainage basin using geographic information system: A case Study. International Journal of multidisciplinary and current research 2, 179-184.
