Geomorphologic Evolution and Morphometric Analysis of the Upper Basin (Güzelsu) of the Engil River (Van)

Abstract

The study area is located in the Eastern Anatolian Plateau found in the Alpine-Himalayan fold mountain belt. The Engil River Upper Basin (Güzelsu) is within the Lake Van Closed Basin, the largest soda lake in this belt in terms of volume and area. This study aims to investigate the geomorphologic evolution of the Güzelsu Basin and support this development with morphometric analysis. With this aim, a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) was created with the aim of quantifying and evaluating field observations and findings, 22 subdrainage areas located in the basin was determined by the DEM. The indices of Hypsometric integral, Hypsometric curve, Basin shape, Elongation ratio, Drainage basin asymmetry, Mountain front sinuosity ratio, Valley width-height ratio were applied to these drainage areas which were formed depending on internal and external processes. When the geomorphological and sedimentological findings in the field studies were evaluated with the applied index results, it was revealed that the basin geomorphology was formed under the influence of tectonism, climate and fluvial processes.