Rivers of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab

Ravi River

• Originates near Rohtang Pass in Kullu hills of Himachal Pradesh
• Flows through Chamba Valley and joins Chenab near Sarai Sidhu in Pakistan
• Drains area between Pir Panjal and Dhauladhar ranges
• Passes through Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, and Punjab
• Major hydroelectric projects: Bassi Dam (Mandi, HP), Chamera Dam I, II, III (Chamba, HP), Ranjit Sagar Dam (Kathua, Punjab)
• Important cities: Amritsar and Pathankot

Beas River

• Originates from Beas Kund near Rohtang Pass
• Flows through Kullu Valley and forms gorges in the Dhauladhar Range
• Enters Punjab plains and meets Sutlej near Harike
• Passes through Himachal Pradesh and Punjab
• Important cities: Manali, Kullu, and Mandi
• Major hydroelectric projects: Pandoh Dam (Mandi, HP), Pong Dam (Maharana Pratap Sagar) (Kangra, HP)

Sutlej River

• Rises in Raksas Tal near Mansarovar in Tibet, where it is called Langchen Khambab
• Flows almost parallel to Indus before entering India
• Longest tributary of Indus
• Passes through Shipki La in the Himalayan range and enters Punjab plains
• Antecedent river, existing before Himalayas formed
• Important tributary feeding Bhakra Nangal project canal system
• Main tributaries in India: Ravi and Beas
• Important cities: Ferozpur and Ludhiana
• Major hydroelectric projects: Bhakra Dam (Bilaspur, HP), Kol Dam (Bilaspur, HP), Nathpa Jhakri Dam (Kinnaur, HP)

Punjab

• Name derived from two words: Punj (Five) + Aab (Water)
• Land of five rivers: Sutlej, Beas, Ravi, Chenab, and Jhelum
• Only Sutlej, Ravi, and Beas flow in present-day Punjab
• Other two rivers now in Punjab state of Pakistan

Panjnad River

• Joins Indus River above Mithankot
• Formed by merging of five rivers: Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej
• Jhelum and Ravi join Chenab; Beas joins Sutlej; Sutlej and Chenab form Panjnad

Indus River System

• Extends over Tibet, India, Afghanistan, and Pakistan
• In India, the basin covers J&K, HP, Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Chandigarh, covering nearly 9.8% of the total geographical area
• Surrounded by Himalayas to the east, Karakoram and Haramosh ranges to the north, Sulaiman and Kirthar ranges to the west, and Arabian Sea to the south
• Indus Waters Treaty (1960) governs distribution and management of water resources between India and Pakistan

Indus River

• 2,880 km long
• Rises from glacier near Bokhar Chu in Kailash Mountain range in Tibet
• Known as ‘Singi Khamban’ (Lion’s mouth)
• Flows for 1,114 km through Ladakh in India
• Enters Pakistan near Chilas of Dardistan region and discharges into Arabian Sea
• Left bank tributaries: Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, Sutlej, Zanskar
• Right bank tributaries: Shyok, Gilgit, Kabul, Kurram, Gomal, Shigar
• Important place: Leh located on right bank
• Nimoo Bazgo Dam - important hydroelectric project in Leh

Chenab (Chandra Bhaga)

• Largest tributary of Indus
• Formed by merging of Chandra and Bhaga streams originating near Baralacha La Pass in Lahul and Spiti at Tandi
• Drainage area within India located in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir
• Joins Indus near Shorkot in Pakistan
• Main tributaries: Thirot, Sohal, Bhut Nallah, Liddrari, and Marusudar
• Major hydroelectric projects: Baglihar Dam (Ramban, Jammu & Kashmir), Dulhasti Dam (Kishtwar, Jammu & Kashmir) and Salal Dam (Reasi, Jammu & Kashmir)

Jhelum

• Originates from spring at Verinag in J&K, at foot of Pir Panjal Range
• Called Vyeth in Kashmiri, Vetesta in Sanskrit, and Hydaspes in Greek
• Main waterway of Kashmir Valley, flowing through Srinagar and Wular Lake
• Joins Chenab near Jhang in Pakistan
• Major tributaries: Liddar, Dudhganga, and Sindh
• Important cities: Srinagar, Baramulla, and Uri
• Uri Dam in Baramulla, Jammu & Kashmir, is an important hydroelectric project

Indus River Basin

• The Indus basin spans across Tibet, India, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.
• In India, the basin covers nearly 9.8% of the total geographical area and stretches across Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Chandigarh
• The Indus River, originating from a glacier in the Kailash Mountain range in Tibet, flows through Ladakh in India and then enters Pakistan, eventually emptying into the Arabian Sea.
• Important tributaries of the Indus River include the Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej on the left bank, and the Shyok, Gilgit, Kabul, Kurram, Gomal, and Shigar on the right bank.
• Leh is a prominent city situated on the right bank of the Indus River, and the Nimoo Bazgo Dam, a significant hydroelectric project, is located in Leh.

Chenab River

• The Chenab River, the largest tributary of the Indus River, is formed by the confluence of the Chandra and Bhaga rivers near Tandi in Himachal Pradesh.
• The Chenab River basin in India is located in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir.
• It merges with the Indus River near Shorkot in Pakistan.
• Major tributaries of the Chenab include Thirot, Sohal, Bhut Nallah, Liddrari, and Marusudar.
• Important hydroelectric projects are located on the Chenab, such as the Baglihar Dam, Dulhasti Dam, and Salal Dam.

Jhelum River

• The Jhelum River originates from a spring at Verinag in Jammu & Kashmir.
• It is known as Vyeth in Kashmiri, Vetesta in Sanskrit, and Hydaspes in Greek.
• It is a major waterway of the Kashmir Valley, flowing through Srinagar and Wular Lake.
• It joins the Chenab near Jhang in Pakistan.
• The Liddar, Dudhganga, and Sindh rivers are key tributaries.
• Srinagar, Baramulla, and Uri are notable cities along its course.
• The Uri Dam, situated in Baramula, is a significant hydroelectric project on the Jhelum River.

Ravi River

• The Ravi River, a transboundary river, rises near Rohtang Pass in Himachal Pradesh and flows through the Chamba Valley.
• It joins the Chenab near Sarai Sidhu in Pakistan.
• The Ravi River drains the area between the Pir Panjal and Dhauladhar ranges.
• It flows through Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, and Punjab.
• Notable hydroelectric projects on the Ravi include the Bassi Dam, Chamera Dam (I, II, III), and Ranjit Sagar Dam.
• Amritsar and Pathankot are important cities located along the river.

Beas River

• The Beas River originates from Beas Kund near Rohtang Pass.
• It flows through the Kullu valley and forms gorges in the Dhauladhar range.
• It merges with the Sutlej near Harike after entering the Punjab plains.
• The Beas River passes through Himachal Pradesh and Punjab.
• Key cities along the Beas include Manali, Kullu, and Mandi.
• The Pandoh Dam and Pong Dam (Maharana Pratap Sagar) are significant hydroelectric projects on the Beas.

Sutlej River

• The Sutlej River, known as Langchen Khambab in Tibet, rises in Raksas Tal near Mansarovar.
• It flows almost parallel to the Indus before entering India.
• It is the longest tributary of the Indus River.
• It passes through Shipki La in the Himalayan range and enters the Punjab plains.
• It is an antecedent river, predating the formation of the Himalayas.
• The Sutlej River is a crucial contributor to the canal system of the Bhakra Nangal project.
• The Ravi and Beas Rivers are major tributaries of the Sutlej.
• Ferozpur and Ludhiana are important cities on the Sutlej.
• Key hydroelectric projects on the Sutlej include the Bhakra Dam, Kol Dam, and Nathpa Jhakri Dam.

Punjab River System

• The name Punjab is derived from the words Punj (Five) and Aab (Water), meaning "Land of Five Rivers."
• The five rivers of Punjab are Sutlej, Beas, Ravi, Chenab, and Jhelum.
• Only the Sutlej, Ravi, and Beas flow through present-day Punjab. The other two rivers are now in the Punjab state of Pakistan.

Panjnad River

• The Panjnad River joins the Indus River near Mithankot.
• It is formed by the confluence of five rivers: Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej.
• The Jhelum and Ravi join the Chenab.
• The Beas joins the Sutlej.
• The Sutlej and Chenab merge to form the Panjnad River.