Anatomization of Drainage System of Thanjavur Delta Using GIS

Water is a precious natural resource and at the same time complex to manage. Hence the drainage basin management approach has emerged as a holistic and an integral way of research. Drainage Basin is not simply the hydrological unit but also sociopolitical and ecological entity which plays a crucial role in determining food, social and economical security and provides life support services to rural people. In this study a standard methodology is proposed to determine drainage pattern using integration of RS & GIS technique. The composite map is generated using ArcGIS tools. The criteria for selecting drainage basin size also depend on the objectives of the development and terrain slope. Conservation of natural resources is essential to sustain any developmental activity. The global climatic conditions as well as the land mass locality are varying in an irregular manner. Hence for the development of land and water resources and to arrest land degradation process to preserve environment and ecological balance. In order to achieve this plan, require scientific knowledge of soils, surface water, ground water and land cover have been generated as a multi-spectral and social economic data in a GIS for the sustainable development of land and water resources. The use of suggested methodology is demonstrated for a selected study area in Thanjavur delta and rural area around it of Tamil Nadu state. This watershed management information in the form of digitized map will be useful for effective identification of spatial variations in land and water resources.