Abstract

Conservation of soil and water is essential to sustain any developmental activity carried out on a watershed. Analyzing shape parameters and drainage pattern parameters is known to be very important in watershed management. The Umbaniun micro-watershed with an area of 3951.18 ha located at 25°27’29’’ to 25°32’34’’ North latitude and 91°47’10’’ to 91°52’40’ East longitude has an elongated shape with low sediment production rate (SPR) of 0.16218 ha-m/100 sqkm/year. It is under high biotic pressure and no conservation measures have been taken up to maintain its ecological health and stability. In this paper, we highlight a pilot study analyzing soil erosion and sediment production rate with reference to morphometric characteristics of the Umbaniun micro-watershed in Meghalaya.

Key words: Shape parameters, drainage pattern parameters, run-off rate, sediment production rate, Meghalaya, North-eastern India.