Abstract
Morphometric analysis was conducted for the major tributaries of river Benue in Taraba with emphasis on its hydrological response to storm events. The Study Rivers comprises of twenty two small watersheds. The drainage networks show that while dendritic pattern dominated river Donga and River Taraba, River Lamurde depicts more of sub-dendritic patterns. Stream orders range from seventh to ninth order. The L o values range from 0.076 km for River Lamurde to 4.88 km for River Donga denoting gentle slopes and longer paths network on the drainage basins. The mean R b vary between 2.0 and 6.05 for River Donga basins, and between 3.0 and 5.14 for River Taraba watersheds, while River Lamurde R b vary between 4.0 and 6.3 indicating transitional zone of geological structure with a remarkable influence of structural disturbances (i.e., warping, alternating high rounded hills and intervening flat topped ridges) .All watersheds have long L b , ranging from 83.85 km for River Lamurde to 241.62 km for River Taraba. This is indicative of low flooding susceptibility. Catchment charaterizations of the study area from basin morphometry do not typify high flooding susceptibility. Environmnetal degradation through profiliration of haphazard and uncontrolled development within and around the flood plain seem the cause of incessant flooding in major parts of the catchments. The study reccommends the need to update the database of the River Benue catchment area in Taraba State using GIS and Remote sensing techniques to plan and monitor influx to buffer and exploitation of such in the drainage basins.
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