DAVPS, CRRC, MEDICAL ROAD, GAYA
[Link] GEOGRAPHY CHAPTER – 03 DRAINAGE
(A) Fill in the blanks –
1. The term drainage describes the river system of an area.
2. The area drained by a single river system is called a drainage basin.
3. The world’s largest drainage basin is of the Amazon river.
4. The Indian rivers are divided into two major groups –
(a) The Himalayan rivers
(b) The Peninsular rivers.
5. Most of the Himalayan rivers are perennial. It means that they have water
throughout the year.
6. The Godavari is the largest Peninsular river.
7. The Wular lake in Jammu and Kashmir is the result of tectonic activity. It is the
largest freshwater lake in India.
8. The Narmada rises in the Amarkantak hills in Madhya Pradesh. It flows towards the
west.
9. The Sambhar lake in Rajasthan is a salt water lake. Its water is used for producing
salt.
[Link] Tapi rises in the Satpura ranges, in the Betul district of Madhya Pradesh. It flows
in a rift valley parallel to the Narmada.
[Link] is known as Dakshin Ganga.
(B) Answer the following questions –
1. What is meant by a water divide? Give an example.
Ans. Any upland or a mountain separating two adjoining drainage basins is known as water divide.
Example – Ambala is located on the water divide between the Indus and the Ganga river systems.
2. Which is the largest river basin in India?
Ans. The Ganga basin is the largest basin in India.
3. Where do the rivers Indus and Ganga have their origin?
Ans. The Indus river has its origin in Tibet near the Mansarovar Lake while the Ganga River has its
origin in Gangotri Glacier in Uttaranchal.
4. Name the two headstreams of the Ganga. Where do they meet to form the Ganga?
Ans. Alakananda and Bhagirathi are the two headstreams of the Ganga. They meet at Devaprayag.
5. Why does the Brahmaputra in its Tibetan part have less silt, despite a longer course?
Ans. The Brahmaputra river receives a very little volume of water in Tibet so it has less silt there. On
the other hand, this very river when enters India it passes through such a region which receives
heavy rainfall. As such in India, it carries a large volume of water and a larger amount of silt.
6. Which two Peninsular rivers flow through trough?
Ans. Narmada and Tapi are the two Peninsular rivers, which flow through the trough.
7. State some economic benefits of rivers and lakes.
Ans. Economic benefits of rivers and lakes are –
(a) Rivers and Lakes can be used for generating hydroelectricity.
(b) A lake can be a good tourist attraction.
(c) Rivers have been the centre of human civilization since ancient times.
(d) Even today, many big cities are situated on the bank of a river.
(e) River water is used for irrigation, navigation, hydroelectricity, fisheries, etc.
8. Below are given names of a few lakes of India. Group them under two categories – natural and
created by human beings. (a) Wular (b) Dal (c) Nainital (d) Bhimtal (e) Gobind Sagar (f) Loktak (g)
Barapani (h) Chilika (i) Sambhar (j) Rana Pratap Sagar (k) Nizam Sagar (l) Pulicat (m) Nagarjuna
Sagar (n) Hirakund
Ans.
Natural Lake Wular
Dal
Nainital
Bhimtal
Loktak
Barapani
Chilika
Sambhar
Pulicat
Lakes Created by Human Beings Govind Sagar
Rana Pratap Sagar
Nizam Sagar
Nagarjuna Sagar
Hirakund
9. Discuss the significant difference between the Himalayan and the Peninsular rivers.
Ans. Differences between the Himalayan and the Peninsular rivers or Deccan Rivers are –
(a) The Himalayan rivers rise in the snow-covered mountains as such they flow throughout the
year. The mountains in which the Deccan rivers rise are not snow-covered. Hence they dry up
in summer.
(b) The Himalayan rivers flow are quite useful for navigation and irrigation in the Northern Plain.
The Peninsular rivers flow on the uneven rocky surface. Therefore they are neither navigable
nor useful for irrigation.
(c) The Himalayan rivers bring with them fertile alluvium which they deposit in the Indo-Gangetic
Plains. The Peninsular rivers do not bring with them enough alluvium. As the current is swift so
the deposition activity is negligible.
(d) Canals have been dug to use the water of Himalayan rivers for irrigation. As the terrain is rocky
and the banks of Peninsular rivers are high, canals cannot be dug.
(e) The porous soil absorbs a lot of water, which is later on used as groundwater by
digging wells and tube wells for domestic and irrigation purposes. The rocky soil does
not absorb any water. Hence no wells can be dug.
10. Compare the east flowing and the west flowing rivers of the Peninsular plateau.
Ans.
East Flowing Rivers West Flowing Rivers
The Mahanadi, the Godavari, the Krishna, the The Narmada and the Tapi are the main west
Cauvery are the main east flowing rivers of flowing rivers of Peninsular India
Peninsular India.
These rivers drain in the Bay of Bengal. These rivers drain in the Arabian sea.
These rivers make deltas at their mouth. These rivers enter the sea through estuaries.
These rivers have a developed, large tributary These rivers have quite small tributaries.
system.
These river flow not through very deep canals. These rivers flow in troughs.
11. Why are rivers important for the country’s economy?
Ans. Rivers are highly important for the country’s economy.
(a) The rivers contain natural fresh water which is required for the survival of most of the animals
including man.
(b) They provide water for irrigation.
(c) They make soil rich which can be easily brought under cultivation.
(d) Used for navigation and transport thus, important for commercial activities.
(e) The rivers are being harnessed for generating hydro-electric power.
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