GIS-Based Morphometric Analysis of the Upper Kundalika Watershed, Maharashtra.

Upper Kundalika watershed is a minor catchment zone on the Konkan region, covering 371.75 sq. km of hard massive basalt rocks from Sahyadri hill range. The sixth-order stream has a circular basin. Drainage development in Upper Kundalika River basin created a 43.68-km basin. Circular drainage basins impact catchment stream discharge. The basin has 1690 streams. Although Upper Kundalika River has a tiny catchment in Konkan, it supplies water to 108 settlements and an industrial sector developed there. Circularity ratio is larger than elongation ratio, indicating water from all catchments. The river is perennial; however, flash floods occur in the wet season. Dams or power projects near Roha tehsil retain remaining water. The morphometric analysis of the Upper Kundalika River Basin provides vital insights into the hydrological behavior, drainage characteristics, and terrain evolution of the region. Located in the Western Ghats of Maharashtra, this basin exhibits a dendritic drainage pattern and varied topographical features influenced by monsoonal precipitation and geological structure. This study employs remote sensing and GIS techniques to evaluate key linear, areal, and relief parameters such as stream order, bifurcation ratio, drainage density, form factor, and hypsometric integral. The results suggest that the basin is moderately dissected with a youthful geomorphic stage, indicative of active fluvial processes and high runoff potential. Such morphometric insights are essential for sustainable watershed management, soil conservation, and planning of water resource development in the Upper Kundalika basin.