Morphometric characterization of the Moctezuma River Watershed in Sonora: an example of application of geographical information systems

The first step for a proposal of a watershed management model is the morphometric characterization of its properties. The present study aims at determining the main morphometric parameters of the Moctezuma River watershed. In order to calculate the most important morphometric parameters for water analysis, the INEGI digital map was compiled and the MDE scale of 1:50 000 Digital Elevation Model was used. Interpretation of the data was digitized in ArcGIS / Info Version 1.8.0 10 Qgis Lisbon program. The results highlighted that the Moctezuma River watershed has an area of 6712.089 km2 and a perimeter of 522.135 km, with an average width of 47.117 km. The basin has a maximum length of 142.453 km, being this the distance from the gauging point to the highest point in a horizontal direction as far as the main river that cuts the contour of the basin. The minimum rate is 350 m high and the maximum height is 2450 m, with an average height of 1309 m, while the drainage density is 2.37 km / km2. The values of different shape rates calculated at the basin of the Moctezuma River determine that the basin has an elongated shape and smooth avenues in time of rain. The time of concentration from the top to the bottom is long; however it stays longer in flood times. Morphometric tools are a helpful tool in understanding the water relationship with the physical environment under the perspective of watershed management.