Elements of Air-Photo Pattern

Drainage Pattern

What constitutes a drainage pattern?

Arrangement of surface drainage ways and
shallow sub-surface drainage ways
In complete detail of their density, orientation,
uniformity and plan etc.
Shallow sub-surface ways which carry water
during wet weather, either as shallow surface
run off or as shallow near surface percolation
caused by saturation.

Drainage

Variations in Drainage

Variations in Drainage and Materials

What type of an information does

surface drainage pattern provide?
Physical characteristics of materials
Over-all pattern characteristics of a broad
area
Individual segments of the pattern
characteristics of specific areas and locations

Primary justification for surface

drainage analysis
Drainage Pattern function of infiltration-runoff
ratios of various earth materials
Infiltration-runoff ratios -- dependent on
phyhsical characteristics of materials (for a given
climatic regimen)
Physical characteristics of earth materials over
long periods of geological erosion and climatic
change, exerts the dominant effect upon the
development of the runoff or surface drainage
pattern

Some dominant implications of

physical characteristics of materials on
drainage pattern
Well developed drainage pattern -- low
infiltration and relatively impervious materials
Poorly developed drainage pattern high
infiltration and general perviousness.
Drainage pattern gives clues concerning the
infiltration-runoff ratio, infiltration capacity,
perviousness and texture of the materials in
an area.

Other values of surface drainage

interpretation
1. Extent and location of materials having
significant differences.
2. Degree of uniformity of materials.
3. Location and extent of localised changes.
4. Localised or general factors of control.
5. Existence of, and depth to, bedrock or hard
pan.
6. Origin of underlying bedrock.

 Localised change in drainage pattern -- localised

change in material characteristics
Type and extent of erraticism -- type and extent of
material control that causes it.
Repetitive pattern -- bedrock at or near the depth of
stream erosion.
Pattern appears and disappears -- variation in the
depth of overburden and to a variation in depth of
stream erosion.
Shape of drainage pattern -- origin and type of rock
that underlies a given area -- under either a
transported overburden or residual soil.
Fractures/joints in certain rocks -- rocks are indicated.
Certain rocks have typical patterns -- because of their
formational, erosional and physical characteristics of
the rocks themselves -- rock types and origins.

Characteristics of Drainage Pattern

which we should concentrate upon

Degree of Integration
Density
Degree of Uniformity
Orientation
Degree of Control
Angles of Juncture
Angularity

Degree of Integration
Degree of unity
Indicates uniformity and degree of erodibility
(texture, perviousness, infiltration-runoff
ratio)
Length of erosion
Existence and location of modifying factors
material characteristics, topographic
expressions

Density
Number of drainage ways per unit area
Indicative of: degree of erodibility, length of
erosion and special climatic conditions

Degree of Uniformity
Relative homogeneity of the pattern
Indicative of: uniformity of erodibility and
materials, uniformity of erosion history and
boundaries between areas of different
characteristics of history
A pattern in a large area may be non-uniform
but the component smaller areas may be
uniform

Orientation
Implies direction
Indicates the effect of geological factors
relatively shallow bedrock, structural features,
tectonic movement, drainage subsequent to
depositional forms

Degree of Control
Relative dominance of orientation
Exclusively follows oriented directions
Provides clues geological factors and relative
depth to bedrock

Angularity
Abruptness of directional change
Abruptness can be confined to a single
location along a stream or to a segment.
Indicative of existence of erratic conditions
and materials, hidden faults, fractures, shear
zones, underground structures etc.,

Angles of Juncture
Special aspect of orientation and angularity
Normal angle of juncture is acute angle
Some types of rocks and structures are
characterised by distinct, typical, repetitive
angles of juncture definite indications of
rocks or structures involved.

Component Classes of Drainage

Primary
Secondary
Tertiary drainage ways
Rill and Gully drainageways

Primary Drainageways
Largest ones, master streams
Indications of geological history and important
regional trends
Survive geological variations and superimpose
their flow across all but the most competent
rocks types

Secondary Drainageways
Tributaries to primary streams
Provide major clues about the extent and
broad physical characteristics of materials in
the area

Tertiary Drainageways
Small tributaries to the secondary
drainageways
Not usually represented in the small scale
maps
Visible on the photos/imagery
Types of materials, boundaries between
different materials

Rills and Gullies

At the extreme ends of watershed or along
banks of any class of streams
Indicative of nature of surficial deposits

Special factors causing significant

differences in drainage patterns
developed upon similar materials
Climate, Age & Erosional history
Climate does not eliminate the essential
characteristics of the drainage pattern.
But tends to exaggerate, intensity of subdue
certain characteristics
In similar materials and same climatic
regimen, may have different drainage patterns
because of significantly different ages

 Erosional history: exceptionally low position

Exceptionally high position
Uplifted position