Indus River System PDF

The Indus basin extends over Tibet, India, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. In India, the basin spreads over J&K, HP, Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Chandigarh, covering nearly 9.8% of the total geographical area. The basin is surrounded by the Himalayas to the east, the Karakoram and Haramos...

The Indus basin extends over Tibet, India, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. In India, the basin spreads over J&K, HP, Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Chandigarh, covering nearly 9.8% of the total geographical area. The basin is surrounded by the Himalayas to the east, the Karakoram and Haramosh ranges to the north, the Sulaiman and Kirthar ranges to the west, and the Arabian Sea to the south. The Indus Waters Treaty, brokered by the World Bank in 1960, governs the distribution and man- agement of the river's waters between India and Pakistan. Indus River The 2,880 km long Indus River rises from a glacier near Bokhar Chu in the Kailash Mountain range in Tibet. It is known as ‘Singi Khamban’ (Lion’s mouth). In India, it flows for 1,114 km through Ladakh. It enters Pakistan near Chilas of Dardistan region and finally discharges into the Arabian Sea. Left bank tributaries: Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, Sutlej, Zanskar etc. Right bank tributaries: Shyok, Gilgit, Kabul, Kurram, Gomal, Shigar, etc. Important place: Leh is located on the right bank of the Indus River. Nimoo Bazgo Dam is an important hydroelectric project on the Indus River located in Leh. Chenab (or Chandra Bhaga) 103 Chenab is the largest tributary of the Indus River. It is formed after the two streams, Chandra and Bhaga, originating near Baralacha La Pass in Lahul and Spiti, merge with each other at Tandi. PMF IAS IPG The drainage area of the Chenab River basin within India is located in the two states — Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir. Chenab River joins the Indus River near Shorkot in Pakistan.  Thirot, Sohal, Bhut Nallah, Liddrari, and Marusudar are the main tributaries of the Chenab River. Major hydroelectric projects: Baglihar Dam (Ramban, Jammu & Kashmir), Dulhasti Dam (Kisht- war, Jammu & Kashmir) and Salal Dam (Reasi, Jammu & Kashmir). Jhelum Jhelum originates from a spring at Verinag in J&K, located at the foot of the Pir Panjal Range. It is called Vyeth in Kashmiri, Vetesta in Sanskrit, and Hydaspes in Greek. It is the main waterway of the Kashmir Valley, which flows through Srinagar and Wular Lake. This transboundary river joins the Chenab near Jhang in Pakistan. Major tributaries: Liddar, Dudhganga and Sindh. Important cities: Srinagar, Baramulla and Uri. Uri Dam in Baramula, Jammu & Kashmir, is an important hydroelectric project of the Jhelum River. Ravi Ravi, a transboundary river, rises near Rohtang Pass in the Kullu hills of HP and flows through the Chamba Valley. It joins the Chenab near Sarai Sidhu in Pakistan. It drains the area lying between the Pir Panjal and Dhauladhar ranges. It 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), etc., Important cities: Amritsar and Pathankot. Beas Beas originates from the Beas Kund near Rohtang Pass. The river flows through the Kullu valley and forms gorges in the Dhauladhar range. It enters the Punjab plains, where it meets the Sutlej near Harike. It 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), etc., Sutlej Sutlej rises in Raksas Tal near Mansarovar in Tibet, where it is called Langchen Khambab. It flows almost parallel to the Indus before entering India. It is the longest tributary of the Indus. It passes through Shipki La in the Himalayan range and enters the Punjab plains. 104 It is an antecedent river (it existed even before the formation of the Himalayas). It is an important tributary that feeds the canal system of the Bhakra Nangal project. PMF IAS IPG The main tributaries of the Sutlej River in India are Ravi and Beas. Important cities: Ferozpur and Ludhiana.  Major hydroelectric projects: Bhakra Dam (Bilaspur, HP), Kol Dam (Bilaspur, HP), Nathpa Jhakri Dam (Kinnaur, HP), etc.,  The name Punjab is made of two words — Punj (Five) + Aab (Water), i.e. land of five rivers. These five rivers of Punjab are Sutlej, Beas, Ravi, Chenab, and Jhelum. Only the Sutlej, Ravi, and Beas rivers flow in today’s Punjab. The other two rivers are now in the Punjab state of Pakistan. Panjnad River The Panjnad River joins the Indus River a little above Mithankot. It is created by the merging of five rivers: Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej. Jhelum and Ravi join the Chenab; Beas River joins the Sutlej; and Sutlej and Chenab join to form the Panjnad River. [UPSC 2021] With reference to the Indus river system, of the following four rivers, three of them pout into one of them which joins the Indus direct. Among the following, which one is such river that joins the Indus direct? a) Chenab b) Jhelum c) Ravi d) Sutlej Explanation Sutlej River is the longest among the five tributaries. Answer: d) Sutlej (According to UPSC) [UPSC 2009] Which one of the following rivers does not originate in India? a) Beas b) Chenab c) Ravi d) Sutlej Explanation The source of the Sutlej River is Lake Rakshastal of Tibet. The rest originate in HP. Answer: d) Sutlej [UPSC 2006] From North towards South, which one of the following is the correct se- quence of the given rivers in India? 105 a) Shyok-Spiti-Zaskar- Sutlej b) Shyok-Zaskar-Spiti-Sutlej PMF IAS IPG c) Zaskar-Shyok-Sutlej- Spiti d) Zaskar-Sutlej-Shyok-Spiti