Analysis Hypsometric Curves for Watersheds in Jordan using GIS and Remote Sensing

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Geography Department, Yarmouk University Irbid, Jordan

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate hypsometric Curves of major basins in Jordan through identifying the relation between the area and altitude. Moreover, it seeks to explain the geomorphological development stages including youth, maturity, and senescence of the basins using remote sensing and GIS techniques and other functions related to the calculation of hypsometric Curves for each basin. Results showed that the hypsometric factor of Jordanian basins was in the range of 0.19 for Lahjani basin in the southern part of Wadi Araba and 0.80 in Zarqa'a Mae'en basin in the Dead Sea area. The regression analysis between hypsometric integralandbasin area and average altitude showed negligible relation (i.e., r2 0.045), and weak relation (r2 0.29), respectively. Therefore, the hypsometric integral of these basins are largely associated with tectonic structure or creation conditions of the basins. This is because most valley basins in Jordan, located between Dead Sea (south) and Albaqora (north), have a hypsometric integral greater than 0.55 and have convex hypsometric curves. Basins in arid regions have concave shapes though they have high hypsometric values. It is necessary to bear in mind the hypsometric analysis for land use planning and land management in the study area, and to mitigate natural hazards such as landslides and soil erosion in these basins.
 

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