IMPLICATION OF FRACTAL DIMENSION ON PROPERTIES OF RIVERS AND RIVER BASINS

Fractals are geometric figures that are made up of patterns which repeat themselves at smaller scales. The concept of fractals is made use of in the determination of hydrological parameters of individual streams and stream networks. The present study deals with the estimation of fractal dimension of individual streams of seventeen rivers in Kerala. The scaling exponent of catchment area of three river basins in Kerala was also determined. Th e scaling behavior of drainage network within the drainage basin was also studied. The runoff from a river catchment depends mainly on catchment characteristics and these are generally estimated from topographical maps of specified scale s.