drainage density

Drainage density is a measure of the total length of streams within a drainage basin, divided by the total area of that basin. It quantizes the texture of a topography, indicating how many channels are present and how closely spaced they are. A high drainage density means numerous, closely spaced channels, which efficiently drain runoff and sediment. This parameter, along with slope, influences sediment yield, with steeper and better-drained systems producing more sediment per unit area. Drainage density is a key geomorphic variable considered in hydrology, which is the study of water on Earth and in the atmosphere.12