MORPHOMETRIC ASSESSMENT OF THE MULA–PAVANA BASIN USING LINEAR PARAMETERS

I studied the linear morphometric characteristics of the Mula–Pavana River basin to understand how its drainage network is organized and what that means for runoff and erosion. Using Strahler’s method and ArcGIS, I mapped 93 stream segments from 1st to 4th order and measured stream number, stream length, mean stream length, bifurcation ratio, drainage density, and length of overland flow. The basin area is 1297.71 km² with elevations ranging from 534 to 1241 m. Total stream length is 422.65 km and mean stream length is 105.66 km. The average bifurcation ratio is 4.87, suggesting limited structural control, while a low drainage density (0.32 km/km²) and short overland flow (0.16 km/km²) point to gentle slopes and higher infiltration. Overall, the dominance of 1st‑order streams indicates a relatively youthful drainage network with potential for rapid runoff concentration. These results provide a basic framework for future watershed management and more detailed hydrological studies.