Geography IX S.S.

Drainage
Key Concepts
I. Drainage Basin: It is a catchment
area where all the precipitation gets
collected or converged and drains
off into a common outlet forming a
drainage basin.
II. Water Divide: Any elevated area,
such as a mountain or any upland,
separates two drainage basins.
Such an upland is known as a Water
Divide. Ex, Ambala Water Divide
between Indus and Ganga River Systems.
Facts: *Amazon has the largest Drainage basin.
*Indus is the longest River system of India.
*River System consists of a river alongwith its
tributaries.
*Dibang and Lohit are the two prominent tributaries of
Brahmaputra.
 Drainage Systems Of India
# Himalayan Rivers (Major Rivers: Indus, Ganga &
Brahmaputra)
• These Rivers originate from the lofty ranges of the Himalayas.
• They have large basin and catchment
area.
• They form deep I-shaped valleys i.e., it
cuts through the mountains called Gorge.
• They are Perennial and water flows
throughout the year because of the melting of glaciers from
the Himalayas and other forms of precipitation gives it a
source for the whole year.
• They are considered to be in a youthful age.
• These rivers forms Meanders and oxbow
lakes(in middle and lower courses) and
often shift their courses.
• They also forms big deltas at their mouth(lower course).
• They perform intensive erosional activity and carries a huge
amount of Silt and Sand.

Facts: * Estuaries are formed when a river doesn’t splits into the
 outlet.
*Deltas are formed when a river splits into channels at its
lower course and gets drained in an outlet.
*Ganga is known as Padma in Bangladesh.
*Brahmaputra is known as Jamuna in Bangladesh.
*Together Padma and Jamuna known as Meghna.
*Brahmaputra in Tibet is known as Tsangpo and in
Arunachal Pradesh as Dihang. It is Known as Brahmaputra
When Dibang and Lohit and other tributaries joins it in
Assam.

The Indus River System

I. It rises near lake

mansarowar in Tibet
and enters India in
Ladakh.
II. Several tributaries, the
Zaskar, the Nubra, the
Shyok & the Hunza, join
it in the Kashmir
region.
III. Indus is joined by the
Rivers Beas, Satluj,
Ravi, Chenab & Jhelum
near Mithankot(in Pakistan).
IV. Its total length is 2,900 Km, which makes it one of the
 longest Rivers of the World.
V. It flows through Baltistan and Gilgit and emerges from
the mountains at Attock.
VI. Indus Water Treaty(1960): India can use only 20% of
the total water carried by Indus. This water is used for
in Punjab, Haryana and the Southern and western
parts of Rajasthan.
The Ganga River System
I. The headwaters of the Ganga are known as Bhagirathi
fed by Gangotri Glacier and joined by the Alaknanda at
Devaprayag.
II. Tributaries of Himalayas- Ghagra, Gandak & Kosi meet
Ganga.
III. Ganga joins Yamuna at Allahabad, Yamuna arises from
the Yamunotri Glacier in the Himalayas.
IV. Other tributaries- Chambal, Betwa & Son – come from
peninsular uplands to join Ganga.
V. Brahmaputra joins Ganga and flows into the Bay of
Bengal.
VI. Sunderban Delta is the largest Delta in the World
formed by the Ganges and Brahmaputra into Bay of
Bengal.
VII. It flows eastwards till Farakka(northernmost point of
Ganga Delta) in West Bengal.
VIII. Its length is over 2500 Km. The plain stretches nearly
1800 Km from Ambala to Sunderban.
 The Brahmaputra River System
I. It rises in Tibet east of Mansarowar Lake very close to
the sources of Indus and Satluj.
II. It flows eastwards parallel to the Himalayas. On
reaching the Namcha Barwa(7757 m), it takes ‘U’ turn
and enters India in Arunachal Pradesh through a
Gorge.
III. It has a Braided Channel in its entire length in Assam
and forms many Riverine Islands like Majuli
Island(largest riverine island).
IV. It is marked by huge deposits of silt on its bed causing
the river bed to rise.
# The Peninsular Rivers
• These rivers originates in the peninsular plateau, they
consists of a small basin and a catchment area.
• They mainly flows in shallow valleys.
• These rivers mostly flow in the Rainy season as they are Rain-
fed.
• Some of them originates in The Central Highlands and flows
towards the west. They are bidirectional (flows in both west &
east).
• They do not form Meanders and flows more or less straightly.
Facts: *The two large Rivers, Narmada and Tapi flows
Westwards while other Peninsular Rivers flows
 Eastwards.

The Narmada Basin

I. It originates in the Amarkantak Hills, and flows and
creates a gorge in marble rocks of Madhya Pradesh(in
Jabalpur).
II. It mainly flows westwards in a rift valley(between
Vindhyan and Satpura valley) formed due to faulting.
III. On its way to the sea, it creates many Picturesque
locations(Marble Rocks, Dhuadhar Falls).
IV. It covers parts of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.
The Tapi Basin
I. Tapi rises in the Satpura Ranges, in the Betul District
of Madhya Pradesh, flows through a basin that covers
Gujarat, Maharashtra & Madhya Pradesh.
II. The coastal plains between Western Ghats and the
Arabian Sea are very Narrow. Thus, the coastal Rivers
are short.
III. The main west flowing rivers- Sabarmati, Mahi,
Bharathapuzha and Periyar.

The Godavari Basin

I. It originates from the Nasik district of Maharashtra and
 the largest peninsular river.
II. Godavari is joined by many tributaries- Purua, Wardha,
Pranhita, Manjra, Wanganga & Penganga.
III. It is also known ‘Dakshin Ganga’(because of its length
and the area it covers) it drains into the Bay Of Bengal.
Its length is about 1500 Km.
IV. It covers the parts of Maharashtra, Odisha, Madhya
Pradesh & Andhra Pradesh.
The Mahanadi Basin
I. It is 860 Km long, which rises in Chattisgarh and flows
through Odisha and drains into the Bay Of Bengal.
II. Its river basins are Maharashtra, Odisha, Jharkhand &
Chattisgarh.
The Krishna Basin
I. Rising from a spring near Mahabaleshwar, the Krishna
flows for about 1400 Km and reaches the Bay of Bengal.
II. Tributaries- Bhima, Musi, Ghatprabha, Koyna &
Tungabhadra.
III. It is shared by Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka & Maharashtra.
The Kaveri Basin
I. It originates in the Brahmagiri range of the Western
Ghats, and drains into the Bay of Bengal sharing its
basin with Karnataka, south of Cuddalore in Tamil
 Nadu, Kerala.
II. Tributaries- Amravati, Bhavani, Hemavati and Kabini.
III. Besides there are smaller rivers flowing towards
east- The Damodar, the Brahmani, the Baitarni & the
Subarnarekha.
IV. Total length is about 760 Km.

Lakes
The Dal Lake, in Kashmir, the house boats and the
shikharas, attracts thousands of tourists.

# Significance
• Tourist centres and enhances natural Beauty.
• Habitat for Aquatic life.
• Helps to regulate the flow of a River.
• Prevents flooding and supplies water during Dry Season.
• Used for developing Hydel Power.
• Moderate the Climate of the Surrounding.

• There are various different Lakes-

Some are permanent, some contains water during Rainy

Season, Some are Salt water lakes & Some are Freshwater
Lakes.
# Types of Lakes depending on its Formation-
I. Glacier Lakes - Gurudongmar Lake in Sikkim, Chandra
 Taal in Himachal Pradesh, and Satopanth Tal in
Uttarakhand .
II. Oxbow Lakes- A meandering river across a floodplain
forms cut-offs that develops into an Oxbow Lake.
Spits and bars form Lagoons in the coastal areas, e.g,
the Chilika Lake, the Pulicat Lake & the Kolleru Lake.
III. Seasonal Lakes- e.g, The Sambhar Lake(Saltwater
Lake) in Rajasthan.
IV. Inland Drainage Lakes- e.g, Sambhar Lake.
V. Other Freshwater Lakes- The Wular Lake(largest
freshwater lake of India) in Jammu & Kashmir in
contrast, is the result of tectonic activity; The Dal
Lake, Bhimtal, Nainital, Loktak & Barapani.

Role Of Rivers in the Economy

• Rivers have been of Fundamental importance throughout the
Human History.
• The River Banks have attracted settlers from ancient times.
These settlements have now become big Cities.
• Using rivers for irrigation, navigation, hydro-power
generation is of special significance.

River Pollution
• The growing Urbanisation, Industrialisation & Population
increases the Pollution levels.
• A heavy load of Untreated sewage
and industrial effluents discharge in
Rivers.
• The growing domestic, municipal,
industrial and agricultural demand
for water from Rivers naturally effects the quality of water.
• Example: The Ganga water is able to dilute and assimilate
pollution loads within 20 Km of large Cities.

National River Corporation Plan (NRCP)

• The River cleaning Programme in the country was initiated
with the launching of the Ganga Action Plan (GAP) in 1985.
• GAP was expanded to cover other Rivers under NRCP in 1995.
• The main Aim of NRCP is to improve the water quality of
Rivers.