Prioritization of watershed susceptible to erosion using morphometric indices and GIS techniques, in Béré Region, Côte d’Ivoire

The discipline of geomorphometry is concerned with the measurement and the mathematical analysis of the Earth's surface, including its dimensions. It is particularly useful for characterizing watersheds when field data is not readily available. In this study, SRTM imagery and the GIS are used to identify erosion-prone areas and to assess their groundwater potential within the Béré region sub-catchment. Morphometric parameters, including bifurcation ratio, drainage density, flow frequency, drainage texture, basin length, form factor, circulatory ratio, elongation ratio, surface flow length, basin form factor, and compactness coefficient, were used to prioritize sub-catchments and identify areas with high groundwater potential and areas susceptible to erosion. Consequently, the lowest corresponding compound parameter (Cp) was considered as one for the final priority ranking (Rp), then the second lowest value as two, and so on. In terms of water and soil conservation, SW09 is of high priority while SW15 is of low priority. In terms of groundwater potential, SW09 has the lowest amount of groundwater while SW15 has the highest. Morphometric analysis is useful for water and soil conservation practices in areas where groundwater and relevant data sets are unavailable.