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The Drainage System of India
Drainage System
A drainage system can be defined as the pattern formed by the rivers, streams, and lakes in a particular drainage basin. They are governed by the topography of the land, whether a particular region is governed by hard or soft rocks and the slope of the land.
Geomorphology is the scientific study of the origin and evolution of topographic and bathymetric features created by physical or chemical processes operating at or near Earth’s surface.
The flow of water through well-defined channels is known as drainage and the network of such channels is called a drainage system. The drainage pattern of an area is the outcome of the geological time period, nature and structure of rock, topography, slope, amount of water flowing, and the periodicity of the flow.
The Indian drainage systems may be divided into various vases. On the basis of discharge of water, it is grouped into
- The Arabian Sea drainage
- The Bay of Bengal drainage
Nearly 77% of the drainage area consisting of the Ganga, the Brahmaputra, the Mahanadi, the Krishnam, etc. Is oriented towards the Bay of Bengal while 23% comprising the Indus, the Narmada, the Tapi the Mahi and the Periyar systems discharge their waters in the Arabian Sea.
When the rivers discharge their waters from all directions in a lake or depression, the pattern is known as centripetal.
The drainage pattern resembling the branches of a tree is known as dendritic the examples of which are the rivers of the northern plain.
When the rivers originate from a hill and glow in all directions the drainage pattern is known as radial.
When the primary tributaries of rivers flow parallel to each other and secondary tributaries join them at right angles the pattern is known as a trellis.
River System
The Himalaya Rivers
The Himalayan drainage system mainly includes
- The Ganga
- The Indus and
- The Brahmaputra river basin.
River Kosi, also known as the Sorrow of Bihar has been notorious for frequently changing its course. Kosi brings a huge quantity of sediments from its upper reaches and deposits it in the plains.
The river systems of the Himalayan Drainage
The Indus System
It is one of the largest river basins in the world covering an area of 11, 65,000 sq. km and a total length of 2,880 km
In India
Area – 3, 21,289 sq. km
Length – 1,114 km
The Indus is also known as the Sindhu is the westernmost of the Himalayan Rivers in India. It originates from a glacier near Bokhar Chu in the Kailash Mountain range. In Tiber, it is known as Singi Khamban or Lion’s mouth
It enters into Pakistan near Chilas in the Dardistan region,
The Indus receives a number of Himalayan tributaries such as the Shyok, the Gilgit, the Zaskar, the Hunza, the Nubra, the Shigar, the Gasting, and the Dras, it finally emerges out of the hills near Attock where it receives the Kabul river on its right bank.
The Indus flows in India only through Jammu and Kashmir.
The Chenab is the largest tributary of the Indus. It is formed by two streams, the Chandra and the Bhaga, which join at Tandi near Keylong in Himachal Pradesh. It is also known as Chandrabhaga, the river flows for 1,180 km before entering Pakistan.
The Jhelum, an important tributary of the Indus, rises from a spring at Verinag situated at the foot of the Pir Panjal in the southeastern part of the valley of Kashmir. It flows through Srinagar and the Wular Lake before entering Pakistan through a deep narrow gorge, it joins the Chenab near Jhang in Pakistan.
The Ravi is another important tributary of the Indus. It rises west of the Rohtang Pass in the Kullu hills of Himachal Pradesh and flows through the Chamba valley of the state. Before entering Pakistan and joining the Chenab near Sarai Sidhu, it drains the area lying between the southeastern part of the Pir Panjal and the Dhauladhar ranges.
The Satluj originates in the Rakas lake near Mansarovar an altitude of 4,555 m in the Tiber where it is known as Langchen Khambab, it flows almost parallel to the Indus for about 400 km before entering India and comes out of a gorge at Rupar, It passes through the Shipki La on the Himalayan ranges and enters the Punjab plains. It is a very important tributary as it feeds the canal system of the Bhakra Nangal Project.
The Ganga System
The Ganga is the most important river of India both from the point of view of its basin and cultural significance. It rises in the Gangotri glacier near Gaumukh 3,900 m in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand, it is known as the Bhagirathi. It cuts through the Central and the Lesser Himalayas in narrow gorges.
At Devprayag, the Bhagirathi meets the Alaknanda it is known as the Ganga.
The Alaknanda has its source in the Satopanth glacier above Badrinath. The Alaknanda consists of the Dhauli and the Vishnu Ganga which meet at Joshimath or Vishnu Prayag.
- The Ganga enters the plains at Haridwar.
- It flows first to the south then to the southeast and east before splitting into two distributaries namely the Bhagirathi and the Hugli.
- The river has a length of 2,525 km. it is shared by Uttarakhand 110 km and Uttar Pradesh 1,450 km, Bihar 445 km, and West Bengal 520km.
- The Ganga basin covers about 8.6 lakh sq. Km area in India alone.
- The Ganga river system is the largest in India has a number of perennial and non-perennial rivers originating in the Himalayas in the north and the Peninsula in the south.
Son River
The son is its major right-bank tributary. The important left-bank tributaries are the Ramganga, the Gomati, the Ghaghara, the Gandak, the Kosi, and the Mahananda. The river finally discharges itself into the Bay of Bengal near Sagar Island.
- The Son River rises in the Amarkantak Plateau.
- Its source is close to the origin of the Narmada.
- It passes along the Kaimur Range.
- It joins the Ganga near Danapur in the Patna district of Bihar.
- It flows for a distance of 784 km from its source.
- The important tributaries of the Son are the Johilla, the Gopat, the Rihand, the Kanhar, and the North Koel. Almost all the tributaries join it on its right bank.
The Yamuna
The westernmost and the longest tributary of the Ganga has its source in the Yamunotri glacier on the western slopes of Banderpunch range 6,316 km.
- It joins the Ganga at Prayag (Allahabad).
- It is joined by the Chambal, the Sind, the Betwa, and the Ken on its right bank which originates from the Peninsular plateau while the Hindan, the Rind, the Sengar, the Varun, etc. join it on its left bank.
The Chambal
It rises near Mhow in the Malwa plateau of Madhya Pradesh and flows northwards through a gorge upwards of Koa in Rajasthan, where the Gandhisagar dam has been constructed.
From Kota, it traverses down to Bundi. Sawai Madhopur and Dholpur, and finally join the Yamuna.
The Chambal is famous for its badland topography called the Chambal ravines.
The Banas Rivers
- The Banas is a tributary of the Chambal.
- It originates in the southern part of the Aravali Range.
- It joins the Chambal on Rajasthan – Madhya Pradesh border near Sawai Madhopur.
The Sind
- The Sind originates in the Vidisha Plateau of Madhya Pradesh.
- It flows for a distance of 415 km before it joins the Yamuna.
- The Betwa rises in Bhopal district (Vindhyan Range) and joins the Yamuna near
- It has a total length of 590 km.
- The Dhasan is its important tributary.
Damodar River
- The Damodar river rises in the hills of the Chotanagpur plateau and flows through a rift valley.
- Rich in mineral resources, the valley is home to large-scale mining and industrial activity.
- It has a number of tributaries and sub tributaries, such as Barakar, Konar, Bokaro, Haharo, etc.
- The Barakar is the most important tributary of the Damodar.
- Several dams have been constructed in the valley, for the generation of hydroelectric power. The valley is called “the Ruhr of India”.
- The first dam was built across the Barakar River, a tributary of the Damodar river.
- It used to cause devastating floods as a result of which it earned the name ‘Sorrow of Bengal’. Now the river is tamed by constructing numerous dams.
- It joins the Hugli River 48 km below Kolkata.
- The total length of the river is 541 km.
Ramganga River
- The Ramganga River rises in the Garhwal district of Uttarakhand.
- It enters the Ganga Plain near Kalagarh.
- It joins the Ganga at
- The Khoh, the Gangan, the Aril, the Kosi, and the Deoha (Gorra) are important tributaries of Ramganga.
Ghaghara River
- Its source is near Gurla Mandhata peak, south of Manasarovar in Tibet (river of the trans-Himalayan origin).
- It is known as the Karnaili in Western Nepal.
- Its important tributaries are the Sarda, the Sarju (Ayodhya is located on its bank), and the Rapti.
- The Ghaghara joins the Ganga a few kilometers downstream of Chhapra in Bihar.
- After reaching the plain area, its stream gets divided into many branches of which, Koriyab and Garwa are important.
- The river bed is sandy and sudden bends start occurring in the stream.
- The river has a high flood frequency and has shifted its course several times.
- Rises in the high glaciers of trans-Himalaya.
- It forms the boundary between Nepal and Kumaon.
- It is known as the Sarda after it reaches the plains near Tanakpur.
Gandak River
- Originates near the Tibet-Nepal border at a height of 7,620 m
- It receives a large number of tributaries in Nepal Himalaya.
- Its important tributaries are the Kali Gandak, the Mayangadi, the Bari and the Trishuli.
- It debouches into the plains at
- It flows into Ganga at Hajipur in Bihar.
Kosi River
- The Kosi river consists of seven streams namely Sut Kosi, Tamba Kosi, Talkha, Doodh Kosi, Botia Kosi, Arun, and Tamber, and is popularly known as
- These streams flow through eastern Nepal which is known as the Sapt Kaushik region.
- The sources of seven streams of the Kosi have located in snow-covered areas that also receive heavy rainfall.
- Consequently, a huge volume of water flows with tremendous speed.
- Seven streams mingle with each other to form three streams named the Tumar, Arun, and Sun Kosi.
- They unite at Triveni north of the Mahabharata Range to form the Kosi.
- The river enters the Tarai of Nepal after cutting a narrow gorge in the Mahabharata Range.
The Brahmaputra System
- The Brahmaputra is one of the largest rivers in the world.
- It originated in the chemayungdung glacier often the Kailash range near the Mansarovar lake.
- It traverses eastward longitudinally for a distance of nearly 1,200 km in a dry and flat region of southern Tiber where it is known as the Tsangpo which means the Purifier
- The Rango Tsangpo is the major tight bank tributary of the river in Tibet
- It emerges as a turbulent and dynamic river after carving out a deep gorge in the Central Himalayas near Namcha Barwa 7,755 m.
- The river emerges from the foothills under the name of Siang or Dihang.
- It enters India west of Sadiya town in Arunachal Pradesh
- It receives its main left bank tributaries viz. Dibang or Sikang and Lohit thereagter it is known as the Brahmaputra
- The Subnsiri has its origin in Tibet.
- The Brahmaputra enters Bangladesh near Dhubri and glows southward.
- The Tista joins it on its right bank from where the river is known as the Yamuna.
- It finally merges with the river Padma which falls in the Bay of Bengal.
Major water Channels of India
Name | Situation |
8° Channel | Middle of Maldives and Minicoy |
9° Channel | Middle of Kavaratti and Minicoy |
10° Channel | Middle of mini Andaman and Car Nicobar |
Grand Channel | Middle of Sumatra and Nicobar |
Palk Strait | Middle of Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka |
Duncan Pass | Middle of South Andaman and Mini Andaman |
Coco Strait | Middle of Coco Island and Northern Andaman |
The Peninsular Rivers System
The Western Ghats, which runs from north to south close to the western coast, form the main water divide in Peninsular India. The major rivers of the Peninsula which flow into the Bay of Bengal include the Mahanadi, the Godavari, the Krishna, and the Kaveri. The Narmada and the Tapi are the only long rivers that flow west and make estuaries.
The Tapi Basin
The Tapi rises in the Satpura ranges, in the Betul district of Madhya Pradesh. Its basin covers parts of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra. The main west rivers flowing west are Sabarmati, Mahi, Bharathpuzha, and Periyar.
The Narmada Basin
The Narmada river rises in the Amarkantak hills in Madhya Pradesh. It flows towards the west in a rift valley. On its way to the sea, it forms many picturesque locations like the ‘Marble rocks’ and the ‘Dhuadhar falls’.The tributaries of the Narmada are very short. This basin covers parts of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.
The Godavari Basin
The Godavari is the largest Peninsular river. It rises from the slopes of the Western Ghats in the Nasik district of Maharashtra. The length of the river Godavari is about 1500 km. It drains into the Bay of Bengal. It also has the largest drainage basin. The basin covers parts of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Andhra Pradesh. The tributaries that join the Godavari are the Purna, the Wardha, the Pranhita, the Manjra, the Wainganga and the Penganga.
The Mahanadi Basin
The Mahanadi rises in the highlands of Chhattisgarh. It reaches the Bay of Bengal after flowing through Odisha. The length of the Mahanadi river is 860 km. It covers parts of Maharashtra, Chhatisgarh, Jharkhand, and Odisha.
The Krishna Basin
The Krishna river rises from a spring near Mahabaleshwar and flows for 1400 km. It reaches the Bay of Bengal. The tributaries of the Krishna river are the Tungabhadra, the Koyana, the Ghatprabha, the Musi, and the Bhima. Its drainage system covers parts of Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh.
The Kaveri Basin
The Kaveri rises in the Brahmagri range of the Western Ghats and reaches the Bay of Bengal in the south of Cuddalore, in Tamil Nadu. The total length of the Kaveri river is 760 km. The main tributaries of the Kaveri river are Amravati, Bhavani, Hemavati, and Kabini. It covers parts of Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.
Lakes
A large water body which is surrounded by land is called a lake.
Most of the lakes are permanent, while some contain water only during the rainy season.
Lakes are formed by the action of glaciers and ice sheets, by wind, river action, and by human activities.
There are about 500,000 lakes on Earth, storing a volume of water equalling 103,000 cubic Km.
India has many lakes.
One of the most lakes in the Dal lake of Kashmir attracts thousands of tourists. Most lakes are perennial and some contain water only during the rainy season.
Most of the freshwater lakes are in the Himalayan region. The Wular lake in Jammu and Kashmir is the largest freshwater lake in India.
Other freshwater lakes include the Dal lake, Bhimtal, Nainital, Loktak, and Barapani. There are also some artificial lakes such as Guru Gobind Sagar, which are formed by the damming of water.
Types of lakes
1. Ox-bow Lake: A lake formed when a meandering river is cut off from the mainstream. The shape of this lake resembles an ox-bow.
2. Lagoon: When the lake is formed by spits and bars in coastal areas, it is called a lagoon. Chilika Lake, Pulicat Lake, Kolleru Lake, etc. are examples of the lagoon.
3. Glacial Lake: A lake formed by the melting of glaciers is called a glacial lake. Most of the lakes in the Himalayan region are glacial lakes.
Drainage
• Drainage describes the river system of an area.
• The area drained by a single river system is called a drainage basin.
• Any upland or a mountain separating two adjoining drainage basins is known as water divide.
Drainage Systems in India
The Indian rivers are divided into two major groups:
→ the Himalayan rivers
→ the Peninsular rivers
Features of Himalayan rivers
- These are perennial (flow all years).
- These rivers receive water from rain as well as from melted snow from the lofty mountains.
- The Himalayan rivers have long courses from their source to the sea.
- The Himalayan rivers form meanders and many other depositional features in their floodplains.
Features of Peninsular rivers:
- They are seasonal.
- Their flow is dependent on rainfall.
- The Peninsular rivers have shorter and shallower courses as compared to their Himalayan rivers.
- Most of the rivers of peninsular India originate in the Western Ghats and flow towards the Bay of Bengal.
The Himalayan Rivers
- The Indus, the Ganga, and the Brahmaputra are major Himalayan rivers.
- A river along with its tributaries may be called a river system.
- Source: The river Indus rises in Tibet, near Lake Mansarovar.
- It enters India in the Ladakh district of Jammu and Kashmir flowing west.
Tributaries of Indus:
- The Zaskar, the Nubra, the Shyok, and the Hunza join it in the Kashmir region.
- The Satluj, the Beas, the Ravi, the Chenab, and the Jhelum
- The Indus plain has a very gentle slope.
- Total length: 2900 km
The Ganga River System
- Source: The headwaters of the Ganga, called the ‘Bhagirathi’ is fed by the Gangotri Glacier.
Tributaries of Ganga:
- Alaknanda joined at Devaprayag in Uttarakhand.
- The Yamuna rises from the Yamunotri Glacier in the Himalayas joins at Allahabad.
- the Ghaghara, the Gandak and the Kosi rise in the Nepal Himalaya.
- the Chambal, the Betwa, and the Son rise from semi-arid areas.
- Total length: 2500 km Sunderban Delta: The delta formed by the rivers the Ganga and the Brahmaputra is known as the Sunderban delta.
The Brahmaputra River System
- Source: The Brahmaputra rises in Tibet east of Mansarovar lake very close to the sources of the Indus and the Satluj.
- Dibang, the Lohit
- It forms many riverine islands. Majuli is the world’s largest riverine island formed by the Brahmaputra.
The Peninsular Rivers
- The main water divide in Peninsular India is formed by the Western Ghats.
- Major rivers of the Peninsula such as the Mahanadi, the Godavari, the Krishna, and the Kaveri flow eastwards and drain into the Bay of Bengal.
- The Narmada and the Tapi are the only long rivers, which flow west and make estuaries.
The Narmada Basin
- Source: It rises in the Amarkantak hills in Madhya Pradesh.
- It flows towards the west in a rift valley formed due to faulting.
- All the tributaries of the Narmada are very short and most of these join the mainstream at right angles.
- The Narmada basin covers parts of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.
The Tapi Basin
• Source: It rises in the Satpura ranges, in the Betul district of Madhya Pradesh.
• It also flows in a rift valley parallel to the Narmada but it is much shorter in length.
• Its basin covers parts of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra. Other West flowing rivers: Sabarmati, Mahi, Bharathpuzha, and Periyar.
The Godavari Basin
- Source: It rises from the slopes of the Western Ghats in the Nasik district of Maharashtra. • It is the largest Peninsular river.
- Tributaries of Godavari: → the Purna, the Wardha, the Pranhita, the Manjra, the Wainganga and the Pengang.
- The basin covers parts of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Andhra Pradesh. • It drains into the Bay of Bengal.
- Total length: 1500 km
The Mahanadi Basin
- Source: The Mahanadi rises in the highlands of Chhattisgarh.
- It flows through Odisha to reach the Bay of Bengal.
- Its drainage basin is shared by Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Odisha.
- Total length: 860 km The Krishna Basin
- It rises from spring near Mahabaleshwar.
Tributaries of Krishna:
The Tungabhadra, the Koyana, the Ghatprabha, the Musi, and the Bhima.
- Total length: 1400 km
- Its drainage basin is shared by Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh. The Kaveri Basin
- Source: It rises in the Brahmagri range of the Western Ghats.
Tributaries of Kaveri:
Amravati, Bhavani, Hemavati, and Kabini
- Total length: 760 km
- It reaches the Bay of Bengal in the south of Cuddalore, in Tamil Nadu. Other east-flowing rivers: The Damodar, the Brahmani, the Baitarni, and the Subarnrekha.
Role of Rivers in the Economy
- From ancient times. Rivers banks attracted settlers as water from the rivers is a basic natural resource, essential for various human activities.
- Rivers are used for irrigation, navigation, and hydropower generation.
River Pollution
- The demand for water from rivers is increasing to meet growing domestic, municipal, industrial, and agricultural needs which naturally affect the quality of water.
- More and more water is being drained out of the rivers reducing their volume.
- Also, a heavy load of untreated sewage and industrial effluents are emptied into the rivers which affect not only the quality of water but also the self-cleansing capacity of the river.
- Concern over rising pollution in our rivers led to the launching of various action plans to clean the rivers.
