Classification of River Basins and Hydrological Regionalization (as Exemplified by Japan)

A set of problems related to formation of areas homogeneous in hydrological aspect is considered. A methodology of regionalization is proposed. New analytical methods of the methodology are intended of solving such problems as (i) the problem of regionalization and (ii) the problem of constructing of a classification for river drainage basins. Efficiency of the methods proposed has been tested on the problems, which arise in the process of constructing classifications for river drainage basins, and also on the problem of territorial regionalization of Japan islands. Investigations, which presume obtaining a set of morphometric and hydrographic characteristics of catchment areas, allow one to study conditions of extreme inundations. It has been discovered that boundaries of the areas have striking similarities in the spatial location of geological structures. Furthermore, these are coincide with the boundaries of the main tectonic fields.