Morphometric Characterization And Land Use Dynamics In The Hindon River Basin Using Remote Sensing & GIS

Abstract

This research focuses on evaluating the morphometry of the Hindon River basin by analyzing the linear, areal, and relief aspects, combined with LULCchange detection through supervised classification and NDVI techniques. The Hindon River, a tributary that merges with the Yamuna River, originates in the Shakumbhari Devi range of the Shivalik Hills in Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur district and converges with the Yamuna near Tilwada village in Gautam Buddha Nagar. The basin extends over an area of around 6,940 km², with elevation range in between 190 m and 868 m above mean average sea level. Morphometric evaluation indicates that the shape of  HindonRiver basin is elongated with low relief, moderate structural influence, and sparse drainage densityfactors that contribute to reduced surface runoff and lower susceptibility to erosion. LULC assessments highlighted a substantial rise in built-up land and a simultaneous reduction in agricultural and barren areas between 2017 and 2024, suggesting rapid urban development. Meanwhile, NDVI analysis revealed relatively consistent vegetation cover over the years, with only slight variations in greenness.