Assessment of the morphometric characteristics of the subbasins of the Grijalva-Villahermosa Hydrological Region in southeastern Mexico

Resumo

Morphometric analysis of watersheds is key to identifying and establishing comparisons between geomorphological, topographical, morphodynamical, and hydrological characteristics in watersheds with limited climatic information. Recurrent flood events and vulnerability to related adverse effects have characterized southeastern Mexico. The main goal of the research is to evaluate the statistical relationships of 12 morphometric parameters and examine their significance for grouping sub-basins with similar morphometric characteristics, to analyze the homogeneity in morphodynamical and hydrologic behavior of the 26 sub-basins of the Grijalva-Villahermosa Hydrological Region (RH30D), in southeastern Mexico. The results revealed four distinct sub-basin groups. Group 1 showed positive correlations with efficient drainage patterns, while group 4 was associated with heavy floods and large flows. Although groups 2 and 3 presented values close to the mean for most parameters, differences were observed in having inverse values for Bifurcation ratio (Br) and Stream Frequency (Fs). Furthermore, group 3 presented drainage patterns controlled by geological structures (high Br values), while group 2 showed a high number of streams per unit area, from which faster hydrological responses are inferred. This study seeks to contribute to knowledge, research, and decision-making on related topics.