Morphological Study of Surma River: A Geographic Investigation

Syed Tawhidur Rahman^1, , Nusrat Jahan Koley¹ and Shetu Akter¹

¹Department of Geography and Environment, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet - 3114

Cite this paper

Syed Tawhidur Rahman, Nusrat Jahan Koley and Shetu Akter. Morphological Study of Surma River: A Geographic Investigation. American Journal of Water Resources. 2018; 6(2):53-61. doi: 10.12691/AJWR-6-2-2

Abstract

Surma, which is the lifeline of Sylhet region, travelling a long way from the Manipur state of India, divided at the border of Bangladesh and amongst them, one of flow northward that bestow prosperity. Commerce was flourished on the bank of the river and now-a-days, it is remaining as the livelihood center of this region. This river isn’t only important for human beings but also for biodiversity which lived in surrounding environment. So, it is needed to learn the morphological characteristics through geographical investigation to adapt with the change of river. To find out present condition, an experimental method was conducted on selected nine cross-sectional points of the Surma river. For trend analysis, selected Landsat and DEM images were purchasing from authentic sources. As well as depth and discharge data (1990 to 2014) were collected from BWDB. Remote sensing and geographic information system provide tools for quantitative and qualitative river morphological analysis. From the analysis of data, it was found out that the depth and gradient of river was high in upstream that gradually decreases towards downstream. The condition was reverse for the width. This investigation supported the theory that upper portions are highly active in the case of erosion and which particles were victimized, flows with the force of water and bit by bit deposited at the down areas. As the depth was shallow at the down part, width of the valley was comparatively higher than upper. From the trend analysis, it was obtained that depth as well as discharge rate of Surma were showed decreasing trend. The SI was respectively high at Up and low at middle part of the river. And the channel was tending to migrate on the northward.

Keywords

morphology, Surma River, water discharge, geographic investigation, channel pattern.

Copyright

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