Geo-spatial Analysis and Characterization of Jibwa Basin in Minna (Niger State, Nigeria) for Agricultural Suitability

Geo-spatial techniques play a vital role in hydrological investigations that are needed for proper management of drainage basins. This study aimed to determine and characterize tropical river basin for its suitability for diverse use and sustainable agro-economic development using the Jibwa catchment in Minna – Niger State, Nigeria as the region of interest. The data sets used includes: multi-date satellite imagery (Landsat TM 1987, Landsat ETM 2001), and the topographic map covering the study area at a scale of 1:50,000 from which the drainage network and contour were extracted. The hydro-basin was delineated and the output subjected to different hydro- morphometric computations using geo-spatial techniques and automated hydro geo-statistical GIS extensions. The result of this study showed that the Jibwa basin has a fourth-order dendritic stream network with a total of 173 streams and a drainage density of 1.42 per sq. km which indicates the presence of at least 2 streams per square kilometer of the study area. The average bifurcation ratio and slope of the basin is 5.26 and < 2% respectively. The study revealed the area to have adequate surface runoff which makes the area suitable for fishing, irrigation and an all year crop cultivation.