ASSESSMENT OF PHYSIOGRAPHIC FEATURES AND CHANGING CLIMATE OF KABUL RIVER CATCHMENT AREA IN NORTHWESTERN PAKISTAN

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to estimate the catchment characteristics analysis on a Digital Elevation Modal of Kabul river catchment area spread between Pakistan and Afghanistan. For this purpose, the Arc Hydro tool has been used to delinate the features included; classification of land use classes, watershed, and sub-watershed areas, stream characteristics, climatic characteristics, topography, flood peak, and water yield. Results revealed that the relationship of geomorphological parameters with the hydrological features of the catchment provides a simple way to understand the hydrologic behavior of the different catchments. It is a fourth-order catchment, covering an area of 92,605 km2 . About 45% of the total catchment area fall in the Pakistan territory and rest 55% is a fall in Afghanistan. The outcome of the current investigation would be beneficial for the water resource development and can improved under various climatic stressed situations to overcome their adverse effects on the livelihood of population and agriculture in the study area.