## 4 Results and Discussion
### Linear Features of the Wadi Haly Catchment  
High densities of streams and channels in catchments are typically indicated by elevated values in stream length ratios, bifurcation ratios, and drainage densities, all of which can contribute to a higher susceptibility to erosion. Likewise, watersheds with longer overland flow paths and high stream frequencies often support greater water volumes and flow velocities. These characteristics, influenced by drainage structure and flow dynamics, generally correlate with a greater potential for soil erosion. In this study, stream length ratios serve as indicators of water transport efficiency, with higher ratios in lower-order streams suggesting slower flow and increased infiltration, potentially reducing erosion risks. Lower stream length ratios (RI), on the other hand, may signal more rapid water flow, contributing to elevated erosion risks. For example, bifurcation ratios in this study \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{l c c c c c c c c c c c} \hline \hline \multirow{2}{*}{**Sub-Catchments**} & \multicolumn{8}{c}{**Stream Orders**} & \multicolumn{1}{c}{**Total Orders**} & \multicolumn{1}{c}{**Total Orders**} & \multicolumn{1}{c}{**Bifurcation Ratio**} \\ \cline{2-11}  & **1** & **2** & **3** & **4** & **5** & **6** & **7** & **8** & **Orders** & **Length** & **Ratio** \\ \hline Sub-C1 & 2004 & 457 & 96 & 22 & 4 & 1 & 1 & 1 & 2586 & 1600.63 & 3.57 \\ Sub-C2 & 286 & 217 & 56 & 11 & 1 & 1 & 1 & - & 573 & 171.26 & 3.88 \\ Sub-C3 & 1445 & 348 & 70 & 18 & 4 & 1 & - & - & 1886 & 1120.97 & 4.30 \\ Sub-C4 & 641 & 143 & 33 & 9 & 1 & 1 & 1 & - & 829 & 478.46 & 3.91 \\ Sub-C5 & 829 & 205 & 50 & 10 & 3 & 1 & - & - & 1098 & 634.86 & 4.07 \\ Sub-C6 & 718 & 159 & 38 & 10 & 2 & 1 & - & - & 928 & 566.48 & 3.89 \\ Sub-C7 & 1793 & 349 & 84 & 19 & 6 & 1 & - & - & 2252 & 1226.43 & 4.57 \\ Sub-C8 & 127 & 29 & 5 & 1 & 1 & 1 & 1 & - & 165 & 143.10 & 3.02 \\ Sub-C9 & 248 & 59 & 13 & 2 & 1 & - & - & - & 323 & 200.10 & 4.31 \\ Sub-C10 & 321 & 73 & 18 & 4 & 1 & 1 & 1 & - & 419 & 311.51 & 3.15 \\ Sub-C11 & 1986 & 466 & 101 & 25 & 6 & 3 & 1 & - & 2588 & 1567.85 & 3.68 \\ Sub-C12 & 615 & 144 & 33 & 6 & 2 & 1 & 1 & - & 802 & 524.70 & 3.35 \\ Sub-C13 & 952 & 209 & 47 & 13 & 3 & 1 & - & - & 1225 & 728.76 & 3.99 \\ Sub-C14 & 1962 & 453 & 94 & 21 & 2 & 1 & - & - & 2533 & 1523.80 & 4.35 \\ Sub-C15 & 1336 & 313 & 66 & 16 & 4 & 2 & 1 & - & 1738 & 1044.07 & 3.52 \\
**Total/Average** & 15,263 & 3624 & 804 & 187 & 41 & 17 & 8 & 1 & 19,945 & 11,671.77 & 5.76 \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 3: Total stream order, stream length, and bifurcation ratio parameters of the study catchment area. range from 3.08 in sub-catchment 8 to 4.35 in sub-catchment 14, with higher bifurcation values generally indicating denser stream networks, where sediment can settle and reduce further erosion. In sub-catchment 7, a dendritic drainage pattern is supported by higher bifurcation ratios, which could amplify erosive forces and speed up runoff collection. Conversely, sub-catchment 8's lower bifurcation ratio of 3.02 suggests a less erosion-prone environment. Previous studies on erosion-prone areas recommend prioritizing high-risk regions for resource allocation and targeted soil preservation efforts, combining bifurcation and other morphometric factors to improve erosion control and landscape sustainability. The authors in Refs. [3; 24; 51] said that high rates of drainage density are recorded due to weak or impermeable underlying soils, steep sloping, and sparse vegetation cover. They also suggested that low topographic levels and highly penetrated underlying soils beneath dense vegetation cover are the major reasons to record low values of the drainage density parameter. The results of the current study infer that sub-catchment 14, with its high rates of permeable material, low reliefs, minimal surface runoff, and high infiltration, has a low value Dd parameter as 0.33 km/km\({}^{2}\) (Table 4; Figure 6).