Himalayan River Systems Quiz

Drainage Overview

• Himalayan rivers are predominantly perennial.
• Major rivers include Indus and Brahmaputra, originating from the northern mountains.

Indus River System

• Originates near Tibet, close to Lake Mansarowar.
• Enters India in Ladakh, flowing through regions like Baltistan and Zask Gilgit.
• Key tributaries: Shylok, Zhaskar, Nubra, Hunza.
• Joins with Satluj, Ravi, Chenab, and Jhelum before flowing into Pakistan.
• Empties into the Arabian Sea, east of Karachi.
• Basin includes Ladakh, Jammu, Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Punjab.

Ganga River System

• Headwaters known as "Bhagirathi."
• Major tributaries include Yamuna, Kosi, Ghaghara, and Gandak.
• Last three tributaries frequently cause flooding in the Northern plains.
• Additional tributaries from the peninsula: Chambal, Betwa, Son.

Bhagirathi-Hoogly River System

• Flows southwards into deltaic plains, eventually reaching the Bay of Bengal.
• Known downstream as Meghna.
• Merges waters from Brahmaputra and Ganga before entering the Bay of Bengal.
• Creates the Sundarban Delta.
• Ambala is situated on the water divide between Indus and Ganga.

Brahmaputra River System

• Begins in Tibet, east of Mansarowar Lake.
• Takes a 'U' turn at Namcha Barwa before entering Arunachal Pradesh as Dihang.
• Key tributaries include Dibang and Lohit, forming Brahmaputra in Assam.
• Characterized by numerous riverine islands and a braided channel.
• Prone to flooding during the rainy season, affecting Assam and Bangladesh.
• Experiences frequent channel changes and significant sediment deposits that raise the riverbed.

Narmada Basin

• Originates in the Amarakantak hills, Madhya Pradesh.
• Known for picturesque sites like Marble Rocks near Jabalpur and Ohuadur falls.
• Flows westward through a rift valley.
• Basin encompasses parts of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.

Tapi Basin

• Rises in the Satpura ranges (Betul district of Madhya Pradesh).
• shorter than Narmada and flows parallel in a rift valley.
• Covers parts of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra.
• Coastal rivers, including Sabarmati, Mahi, Bharapuzha, and Periyar, are relatively short due to a narrow coastal plain.

River Basins of India

Godavari Basin

• Originates from Western Ghats in Maharashtra’s Naik district.
• Largest perennial river, approximately 1500 km long.
• Covers regions including Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Maharashtra, and Andhra Pradesh.
• Major tributaries: Purna, Wardha, Pranhita, Manjra, Wainganga, Penganga.
• Also known as Dakshin Ganga.

Mahanadi Basin

• Begins in the highlands of Chhattisgarh.
• Approximately 800 km in length.
• Covers Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Odisha.

Krishna Basin

• Originates from Mahabaleshwar, flows about 1400 km.
• Key tributaries include Tungabadra, Koyana, Ghatprabha, and Musi.
• Covers Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh.

Kaveri Basin

• Begins in the Brahmagiri range of Western Ghats.
• Reaches the Bay of Bengal south of Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu.
• Approximately 700 km long with tributaries: Amravati, Bharani, Hemavati, Kobiai.
• Basin spans Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Kerala.
• Features the Shivasamudram Falls, the second largest waterfall in India.

Lakes

• Oxbow lakes form when meandering rivers create cut-offs.
• Notable lakes: Chilika, Pulicat, Kolleru; Wular Lake in Jammu & Kashmir is the largest freshwater lake, originating from tectonic activity.
• Other significant lakes include Dal, Nainital, Loktak, and Barapani.
• Damming rivers for hydroelectric power generates lakes, exemplified by Guru Gobind Sagar from the Bhakra Nangal Project.