3.
DRAINAGE
2. Answer the following questions briefly.
(i) What is meant by a water divide? Give an example.
Answer:Any elevated area, such as a mountain or an upland, which separates two drainage basins is called an
upland. Such an upland is also known as a water divide. For example, the water divide between the Indus and the
Ganga River Systems.
(ii) Which is the largest river basin in India?
Answer:The Ganga River Basin is the largest river basin in India.
(iii) Where do the rivers Indus and Ganga have their origin?
Answer:Indus River origin – Near Manasarovar Lake, Tibet
Ganga River origin – Gangotri glacier in Uttaranchal
(iv) Name the two headstreams of the Ganga. Where do they meet to form the Ganga?
Answer:The two headstreams of the Ganga are Alaknanda and Bhagirathi. They both meet to form Ganga at
Devprayag.
(v) Why does the Brahmaputra in its Tibetan part have less silt, despite a longer course?
Answer:In Tibet, the river carries a smaller volume of water and less silt, as it is a cold and dry area. In India, it passes
through a region of high rainfall. Hence, the river carries a large volume of water and a considerable amount of silt.
(vi) Which two Peninsular rivers flow through a trough?
Answer:Narmada and Tapi are the two Peninsular rivers that flow through a trough.
(vii) State some economic benefits of rivers and lakes.
Answer: Rivers have been of fundamental importance throughout human history. Water from rivers is a basic natural
resource, essential for various human activities. Therefore, riverbanks have attracted settlers from ancient times.
Using rivers for irrigation, navigation and hydropower generation is of special significance — particularly to a country
like India, where agriculture is the major source of livelihood for the majority of its population.
3. 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
Answer:
Natural Lakes
1. Wular 2. Dal [Link] [Link] [Link] [Link] [Link] [Link] 8. Barapani
Human-made Lakes
1. Gobind Sagar [Link] Pratap Sagar [Link] Sagar [Link] Sagar [Link]
6. Why are rivers important for the country’s economy?
Answer:
Rivers have been of fundamental importance throughout human history. Water from rivers is a basic natural
resource, essential for various human activities. Therefore, riverbanks have attracted settlers from ancient times.
These settlements have now become big cities. Using rivers for irrigation, navigation, and hydropower generation are
of special significance — particularly to a country like India, where agriculture is the major source of livelihood for the
majority of its population.
4. Discuss the significant difference between the Himalayan and the Peninsular rivers.
Answer:
Himalayan River Peninsular Rivers
1 Himalayan rivers are perennial and flow the A large number of peninsular rivers are seasonal and
throughout the year.
flow during a certain period in a year.
2 They receive water from rainfall and melting They receive water from rainfall only.
snow of the mountains and glaciers.
3 The Himalayan rivers have long courses. The peninsular river have short and shallow courses.
4 They carry a lot silt and sand. They carry very less or no silt and sand.
5 These rivers originate from the North of the They mainly originate in the Western Ghats.
Himalayan mountain ranges.
6 Their drainage basins are large. Their drainage basins are small.
7 These rivers form big deltas. They form small deltas.
8 They are useful for irrigation, cultivation and They are seasonal and flow over rocky areas and are
navigation.
not useful for cultivation and navigation
Q. Why are the rivers considered as the lifeline of human civilization?
Answer: The Rivers are considered as the lifeline of human civilization because of the following reasons.
Abundant Supply of Drinking Water : The rivers and lakes fulfill the basic need of all living being including,
human beings.
Water for Irrigation : Rivers are the main source of irrigation. :
Navigation : Rivers are the cost-free means of water transportation of goods and people from one place to
another.
Biologically Productive Areas : Most of the estuaries formed at the meeting point of freshwater and saline
water of the sea. These are found in the most suitable places for fish breeding.
Source of Generation of Hydro-Power : Rivers are an abundant source of generating electricity. Large dams
have been built for this purpose.
Q. In what different ways do rivers get polluted?
Answer:
Rivers get polluted in the following ways :
The growing domestic, municipal, industrial and agricultural demand for water from rivers naturally affects
the quality of water.
The volume of river is also reduced because more and more water is being drained out of the rivers.
A heavy load of untreated sewage and industrial effluents are emptied into the rivers. This affects not only
the quality of water but also the self-cleansing capacity of the river.
The increasing urbanisation and industrialisation also contribute to the river pollution.
Dumping of garbage into the streams is another cause of river pollution. They are changing the life-giving
rivers into toxic streams.
