Himalayan Drainage System

The three main Himalayan rivers are the Indus, the Ganga and the Brahmaputra. These rivers are long and are joined by many tributaries. A river along with its tributaries form a river system.

Evolution of Himalayan Drainage system:

  • There was a mighty river called Shiwalik or Indo-Brahma traversed the entire longitudinal extent of the Himalaya from Assam to Punjab and onwards to Sind, and finally discharged into the Gulf of Sind near lower Punjab during the Miocene period some million years ago.
  • The remarkable continuity of the Shiwalik and its lacustrine origin and alluvial deposits consisting of sands, silt, clay, boulders and conglomerates support this viewpoint.  Himalayan rivers later got dismembered into three major systems.
  • This dismembered was probably due to the Pleistocene upheaval in the western Himalayas, including the uplift of the Potwar Plateau (Delhi Ridge), which acted as the water divide between the Indus and Ganga drainage systems.
  • Likewise, the down-thrusting of the Malda gap (Garo- Rajmahal Gap) area between the Rajmahal hills and the Meghalaya plateau during the mid-Pleistocene period, diverted the Ganga and the Brahmaputra systems to flow towards the Bay of Bengal.

The Indus River System

  • It rises near lake ManSarovar in Tibet from the glaciers of Kailas ranges. It enters India and continues to flow NW between Ladakh and Zanskar ranges.
  • Indus receives from PANJNAD (Panchnad) accumulated waters of five eastern tributaries

The right-bank tributaries of Indus:

    • Shyok
    • Gilgit
    • Hunza
    • Nubra
    • Kabul
    • Khurram
    • Tochi
    • Gomal
    • Sangar
    • Kunar

The left-bank tributaries of Indus:

    • Zaskar
    • ‘Panjnad’ joins Indus a little above Mithankot.
    • The Panjnad is the name given to the five rivers of Punjab, namely:
      • Satluj
      • Beas
      • Ravi
      • Chenab
      • Jhelum

Drainage System

JHELUM

  • The Jhelum, an important tributary of the Indus, rises from a spring at Verinag situated at the foot of the Pir Panjal.
  • The Jhelum flows through Srinagar and the Wular Lake before entering into Pakistan.
  • Jhelum joins the Chenab near Jhang in Pakistan.

CHENAB

  • Formed by two streams i.e. the Chandra and the Bhaga, the Chenab is the largest tributary of the Indus.
  • Chenab is also known as Chandrabhaga.
  • The Chenab flows about 1,180 km before entering into Pakistan.

   RAVI

  • Originating from the Rohtang pass in the Kullu hills of Himachal Pradesh and flowing through the Chamba valley of the state, Ravi is one of the important tributaries of the Indus.

SATLUJ

  • Originating from the Beas Kund near the Rohtang Pass at an elevation of 4,000 m above the mean sea level, Beas is also an important tributary of the Indus.
  • Beas enters into the Punjab plains and meets with the Satluj near Harike.
  • Also popular as Langchen Khambab (in Tibet), the Satluj originates from the Rakas lake near Mansarovar at an altitude of 4,555 m in Tibet.
  • The Satluj passes through the Shipki La on the Himalayan ranges and enters into the Punjab plains.
  • The Satluj is the river that feeds the canal system of the Bhakra Nangal project.

Drainage System

The Ganga

  • The Ganga originates from the Gangotri glacier near Gaumukh in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand.
  • However, the river, when it originates from the Gangotri glacier, is known as the Bhagirathi.
  • At Devprayag, the Bhagirathi merges with another river, i.e., the Alaknanda; and from here, it is known as the Ganga.
  • The Alaknanda originates from the Satopanth glacier above Badrinath.

The concept of Panch Prayag

    • Vishnuprayag: where the river Alaknanda meets river Dhauli Ganga
    • Nandprayag: where river Alaknanda meets river Mandakini
    • Karnaprayag: where river Alaknanda meets river Pinder
    • Rudraprayag: where river Alaknanda meets river Mandakini
    • Devprayag: where river Alaknanda meets river Bhagirathi -GANGA
  • The total length of the Ganga in India is 2,525 km, which is shared by Uttarakhand (110 km); Uttar Pradesh (1,450 km); Bihar (445 km); and West Bengal (520 km).
  • The Ganga river system is the largest river system in India.
  • The Son is a major right bank tributary of the Ganga; however, major left bank tributaries are the Ramganga, the Gomati, the Ghaghara, the Gandak, the Kosi, and the Mahananda.
  • Originating from the Yamunotri glacier on the western slopes of Bandarpunch range (6,316 km), the Yamuna is the longest tributary of the Ganga.
  • The Yamuna joins the Ganga at Allahabad (Prayag), Uttar Pradesh.
  • The Chambal, the Sind, the Betwa, and the Kenon are the right bank tributaries of the Yamuna and the Hindan, the Rind, the Sengar, the Varuna, etc. are the left bank tributaries.
  • The Chambal rises near Mhow in the Malwa plateau of Madhya Pradesh.
  • The Chambal is famous for its badland topography, known as the Chambal ravines (as shown in the image given below).

Drainage System

  • Originating from the Nepal Himalayas between the Dhaulagiri and Mount Everest, the Gandak consists of two streams, namely Kaligandak and Trishulganga.
  • The Gandak joins the Ganga at Sonpur near Patna, Bihar.
  • The Ghagra originates from the Mapchachungo glaciers and joins the Ganga at Chhapra, Bihar.
  • The Kosi originates from the north of Mount Everest in Tibet where it is known as the Arun.
  • The Damodar drains the eastern margins of the Chota Nagpur plateau, where it flows through a rift valley and finally joins the Hugli.
  • The Barakar is the main tributary of the Damodar.
  • The Sarda or Saryu River rises from the Milam glacier in the Nepal Himalayas where it is known as the Goriganga. However, along the Indo-Nepal border, it is called Kali or Chauk, where it joins the Ghaghara.
  • Originating from the Darjeeling hills, the Mahananda joins the Ganga as its last left bank tributary in West Bengal.
  • Originating from the Amarkantak plateau, the Son is a large south bank tributary of the Ganga; it joins the Ganga at Arrah, Bihar.

Yamuna River System

  • The Yamuna River is the largest tributary of the Ganga River.
  • It originates from the Yamunotri glacier, at the Bandarpoonch peak in Uttarakhand.
  • The main tributaries joining the river include the Sin, Hindon, Betwa Ken, and Chambal.
  • The Tons is the largest tributary of the Yamuna.
  • The catchment of the river extends to the states of Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh.

    The Brahmaputra

  • The Brahmaputra originates from the Chemayungdung glacier of the Kailash range near the Mansarovar
  • In Tibet, the Brahmaputra is known as the Tsangpo (means ‘the purifier’).
  • The Rango Tsangpo is the major right bank tributary of the Brahmaputra in Tibet.
  • The Brahmaputra enters into India near the west of Sadiya town in Arunachal Pradesh.
  • Major left bank tributaries of the Brahmaputra are Lohit, Dibang or Sikang, Burhi Dihing, and Dhansari.
  • Major right bank tributaries of the Brahmaputra are the Subansiri, Kameng, Manas, and Sankosh.
  • The Tista joins the Brahmaputra on its right bank in Bangladesh and from here, the river is known as the Yamuna.

Drainage System

Peninsular Drainage System


Evolution Of Peninsular Drainage




Geologists believe that the Sahyadri-Aravali axis was the main water divide in the past.


According to one hypothesis, the existing peninsula is the remaining half of a bigger landmass.


The Western Ghats were located in the middle of this landmass.


So one drainage was towards east flowing into Bay of Bengal and the other towards west draining into Arabian Sea.


The western part of the Peninsula cracked and submerged in the Arabian Sea during the early Tertiary period (coinciding with the formation of Himalayas).


During the collision of the Indian plate, the Peninsular block was subjected to subsidence in few regions creating a series of rifts (trough, faults).


The now west flowing rivers of the Peninsula, namely the Narmada and the Tapi flow through these rifts.




Straight coastline, steep western slope of the Western Ghats, and the absence of delta formations on the western coast makes this theory a possibility.


It is believed that the west flowing peninsular rivers do not flow in the valleys formed by the rivers themselves.


Rather they have occupied two fault rifts in rocks running parallel to the Vindhyas.


These faults are supposed to be caused by the bend of the northern part of the Peninsula at the time of upheaval of the Himalayas.


The Peninsula block, south of the cracks, tilted slightly eastwards during the event thus giving the orientation to the entire drainage towards the Bay of Bengal.


Peninsular rivers are much older than the Himalayan rivers {Discordant}.

The peninsular drainage is mainly Concordant except for few rivers in the upper peninsular region.

They are non-perennial rivers with a maximum discharge in the rainy season.

The peninsular rivers have reached mature stage {Fluvial Landforms} and have almost reached their base level. [Vertical down cutting is negligible] which are characterized by broad and shallow valleys.

The river banks have gentle slopes except for a limited tract where faulting forms steep sides.

The main water divide in peninsular rivers is formed by the Western Ghats, which run from north to south close to the western coast.

The velocity of water in the rivers and the load carrying capacity of the streams is low due to low gradient.

Most of the major rivers of the peninsula such as the Mahanadi, the Godavari, the Krishna and the Cauvery flow eastwards and drain into the Bay of Bengal.

These rivers make deltas at their mouths. But the west flowing rivers of Narmada and Tapi as well as those originating from the Western Ghats and falling in the Arabian Sea form estuaries in place of deltas.

There are few places where rivers form superimposed and rejuvenated drainage which are represented by Examples: The Jog on the Sharvati (289 m), Yenna of Mahabaleshwar (183 m), Sivasamundram on the Cauvery (101 m), Gokak on the Gokak (55 m), Kapildhara (23 m) and Dhuandar (15 m) on the Narmada are the major waterfalls in the Peninsular India.

Rivers that drain into Bay of Bengal: The Mahanadi, the Godavari, the Krishna, the Cauvery and several smaller rivers drains south-east into the Bay of Bengal.

Rivers that drain into Arabian Sea: The Narmada, the Tapi, the Mahi flowing west as well as several small streams originating from the Western Ghats flow westwards into the Arabian Sea.

Drainage System

The Narmada River System

  • The Narmada is a river located in central India.
  • It rises to the summit of the Amarkantak Hill in Madhya Pradesh state.
  • It outlines the traditional frontier between North India and South India.
  • It is one of the major rivers of peninsular India. Only the Narmada, the Tapti, and the Mahi rivers run from east to west.
  • The river flows through the states of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra.
  • It drains into the Arabian Sea in the Bharuch district of Gujarat.

The Tapi River System

It is a central Indian river. It is one of the most important rivers of peninsular India with the run from east to west.
It originates in the Eastern Satpura Range of southern Madhya Pradesh state.
It flows in a westward direction, draining some important historic places like Madhya Pradesh’s Nimar region, East Vidarbha region and Maharashtra’s Khandesh in the northwest corner of the Deccan Plateau and South Gujarat before draining into the Gulf of Cambay of the Arabian Sea.
The River Basin of Tapi River lies mostly in eastern and northern districts of Maharashtra state.
The river also covers some districts of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat as well.
The principal tributaries of Tapi River are Waghur River, Aner River, Girna River, Purna River, Panzara River and Bori River.

The Godavari River System

  • The Godavari River is the second-longest course in India with brownish water.
  • The river is often referred to as the Dakshin (South) Ganga or Vriddhi (Old) Ganga.
  • It is a seasonal river, dried during the summers, and widens during the monsoons.
  • This river originates from Trimbakeshwar, near Nasik in Maharashtra.
  • It flows southeast across south-central India through the states of Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Orissa, and drains into the Bay of Bengal.
  • The river forms a fertile delta at Rajahmundry.
  • The banks of this river have many pilgrimage sites, Nasik(MH), Bhadrachalam(TS), and Trimbak. Some of its tributaries include Pranahita (Combination of Penuganga and Warda), Indravati River, Bindusara, Sabari, and Manjira.
  • Asia’s largest rail-cum-road bridge which links Kovvur and Rajahmundry is located on the river Godavari.

The Krishna River System

  • Krishna is one of the longest rivers of India, which originates from Mahabaleshwar in Maharashtra.
  • It flows through Sangli and drains the sea in the Bay of Bengal.
  • The river flows through the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
  • Tungabhadra River is the main tributary which itself is formed by the Tunga and Bhadra rivers that originate in the Western Ghats.
  • Dudhganga Rivers, Koyna, Bhima, Mallaprabha, Dindi, Ghataprabha, Warna, Yerla, and Music are some of the other tributaries.

The Cauvery River System

  • The Cauvery is also known as Ganga of South India “Dakshin Bharat ki Ganga”.
  • It originates from Talakaveri located in the Western Ghats.
  • It is a famous pilgrimage and tourist place in the Kodagu district of Karnataka.
  • The headwaters of the river are in the Western Ghats range of Karnataka state, and from Karnataka through Tamil Nadu.
  • The river drains into the Bay of Bengal. The river supports irrigation for agriculture and is considered as a means of support of the ancient kingdoms and modern cities of South India.
  • The river has many tributaries called Arkavathy, Shimsha, Hemavati, Kapila, Shimsha, Honnuhole, Amaravati, Lakshmana Kabini, Lokapavani, Bhavani, Noyyal, and Tirtha.

The Mahanadi River System

The Mahanadi originates from the Satpura Range of central India and it is a river in eastern India.

It flows east to the Bay of Bengal. The river drains the state of Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Orissa.

The largest dam, the Hirakud Dam, is built on the river.