Automated Analysis of the Watershed of Yarmouk Basin Using ASTER (DEM) Data and GIS

The aim of this study was to analyze the geomorphological characteristics of Yarmouk River Basin. Shuttle Radar Topography Mission Elevation (ASTER) satellite data were used for preparing digital elevation model (DEM) for the morphometric measurement, which is available globally in Geo TIF format of 90m resolution. Geographical Information System (GIS) was used in the evaluation of linear, areal and relief aspects of morphometric parameters. Parameters such as watershed boundary, flow length, and stream ordering have been prepared using Arc Hydro Tool and the Contour, slope-aspect, and hillshade have been prepared using Surface Tool in ArcGIS-10.1 software. In this study, the geomorphological characteristics were analyzed for watershed properties, along with the network within an area differences in terms of geology, climate, and topography. The total catchment area is about 6790 km² including Syria, Jordan, occupied Golan Heights, and occupied Palestine. The main results of the study could be summarized as follows: (1).Area classified by relief to three main parts:- the western part of the Jordan Rift Valley (JRV) drops from 0 – 270 m below mean sea level (b.m.s.l), the mountainous area reaches a height of 1200 m above mean sea level (a.m.s.l), in the northern Jordan and southern Syria rising up to1800 m (a.m.s.l) (2).Variation in slope degrees ranging between flat (level) accounted for 32 % of the study area, to the severe cliffs by 10%, (3). Drainage density 0.68 km km ², (4). Different areas of Subwatershed the largest of which (A) forms 32.5% of the total study area, and the smallest of which (E) forms only 4%, (5). Stream of 7th order with 5 km in length, the total length of the tributaries from first order – seventh order is 4567 km. and (6). Basin relief is 12.6 m km.