Chapter - 3
Drainage System
️ Runoff :-
The drainage system of any area is influenced and controlled by the geological time period , the nature and structure of rocks, topographic slope, amount of flowing water and duration of flow.
The flow of water through certain vessels is called drainage.
️ Drainage system :-
Vahika means rivers, streams and other drainage systems through which rainwater flows into a big lake, pond or ocean.
The network of these vessels is called drainage system.
️ Types of Drainage Pattern :-
There are mainly four types of drainage patterns :-
Dendritic Pattern: - The drainage pattern which corresponds to the branches of the tree is called tree pattern. Like the rivers of the northern plains.
Radial pattem : - When rivers originate from a mountain and flow in all directions, it is called radial pattern. The rivers originating from the Amarkantak mountain range are good examples of this pattern.
Trellis Pattern: - When the main rivers flow parallel to each other and the tributaries meet them at right angles, then it is called lattice pattern.
Centripetal pattern: - When rivers flow from all directions and get immersed in a lake or trough, then such drainage pattern is called centripetal pattern.
️ Himalayan Drainage System :-
The Himalayan drainage system has evolved over a long period of time.
Major rivers: Ganga, Brahmaputra, Indus
The rivers here are perennial (12 months), as they are dependent on both melting snow and precipitation .
These rivers pass through deep gorges and also undergo erosion.
These rivers form V -shaped valleys in their mountainous course .
These rivers originate from the Himalayas and flow into the fertile plains of northern India and fall into the Bay of Bengal, the Himalayan drainage system is new.
Here the rivers form a waterfall and also change their course, these rivers receive water from the snow-covered areas of Himalayas and are always flowing.
These rivers are in their youth of development and do the work of erosion in their path and also form deltas.
The Ganga-Brahmaputra delta is the most famous and fastest growing delta in the world.
️ Rivers of Himalayan drainage system :-
Indus river system :-
It is one of the largest river basins in the world.
Area : 11 lakh, 65 thousand square kilometers .
Total length: 2880 kms and in India: 1114 kms .
It is the westernmost of the Himalayan rivers in India .
It originates from a glacier near Bokhar Chu in the Kailash mountain range in the Tibetan region .
In Tibet it is called Singi Khamban / Lion Face .
Flowing in a northwest direction between the Ladakh and Zaskar ranges, passes through Ladakh and Balistan.
Cutting across the Ladakh range, this river forms a scenic gorge near Gilgit in Jammu and Kashmir.
It enters the Dardistan region near Chillas in Pakistan.
Many tributaries of the Indus River originate from the Himalaya Mountains such as: Shyok, Gilgit, Zaskar, Hunza, Nubra, Shigar, Gasting and Dras.
The main tributaries of the Indus River:- Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, Sutlej.
️ Jhelum :-
It is an important tributary of the Indus.
Origin – It rises from the Verinag waterfall located in the Pir Panjal Giripad in the south-eastern part of the Kashmir Valley.
Before entering Pakistan, the river passes through a narrow and deep gorge flowing through Sringur and Wular lakes.
It meets Chenab near Jhang in Pakistan.
️ Chenab :-
It is the largest tributary of the Indus. Chandra and Bhaga are formed by the meeting of two rivers.
These rivers meet each other at Tadi near Kelangu in Himachal Pradesh. Hence it is also known as Chandrabhaga.
️ Ravi :-
It is another important tributary of the Indus.
Origin – Originates from the west of Rohtang Pass in the Kullu hills of Himachal.
It flows through the Chamba valley of the state.
After entering Pakistan and joining the Chenab river near Sarai Indus, this river flows through the state between the south-eastern part of the Pir Panjal and the Dhauladhar.
️ diameter :-
It is another important tributary of the Indus.
It originates from Beas Kund near Rohtang Pass at an altitude of 4000 meters above sea level.
This river passes through the Kullu valley and forms the Kati and Largi gorges in the Dhauladhar range.
It enters the Punjab plain where it joins the Sutlej river near Harike.
️ Sutlej :-
This river rises in Tibet at an altitude of 4,555 meters from Rakshasa Tal near Mansarovar, where it is known as Longchen Khanbab.
Before entering India, it flows parallel to the Indus River for about 400 KM and emerges from a gorge at Ropar.
It enters the plains of Punjab through Shipkila in the Himalayan mountain range.
It is a very important river as it feeds the canal system of Bhakra Nangal Project.
️ Ganga river system :-
The Ganges is an important river both from the point of view of its basin and of cultural importance.
It originates from Gangotri glacier near Gomukh in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand.
Here it is known as Bhagirathi, in Devprayag Bhagirathi meets Alaknanda and after that it is called Ganga.
The river Ganges enters the plain at Haridwar and flows from Haridwar to the south then from south to east and finally it turns south and splits into two streams Bhagirathi and Hooghly.
After entering Bangladesh, its name becomes Padma.
The length of the Ganges river is 2525 km and it is the largest drainage system in India. To its north, perennial rivers originating from the Himalayas come and meet.
The Yamuna is the westernmost and longest tributary of the Ganges.
Son is a major tributary found on its right bank.
Important tributaries found on LEFT bank: Ramganga, Gomti, Ghaghara, Gandak, Kosi, Mahananda.
️ Brahmaputra river system :-
It is one of the largest rivers of the world.
Origin – Chemayungdung Glacier near Lake Mansarovar in Mount Kailash
It covers a distance of about 1,200 KM in the dry and flat plains of southern Tibet.
Where it is known as 'Sangpo'. which means 'purifier'
In the Giripad of the Himalayas, it originates from the name Sisang or Dishang.
Flowing in the south-west direction, its main tributaries Dibang or Sikang and Lohit meet on its left bank. After this it is known as Brahmaputra.
In Bangladesh, Teesta River joins on its right bank and after that it is called Jamuna.
In the end, this river joins with the Padma and falls into the Bay of Bengal.
This river is known for floods, diversion and coastal erosion. Because most of its tributaries are big.
️ Peninsular Drainage System :-
These rivers originate from the Western Ghats and the Peninsular Plateau and flow from west to east.
This drainage system is old. Peninsular rivers flow in a fixed course and do not form estuaries.
These rivers depend on rain, so they dry up in summer.
These rivers are in their maturity stage of development and their river valleys are wide and shallow.
Most of the peninsular rivers flow from west to east except Narmada and Tapi.
Major rivers of peninsular drainage system :- Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna Kaveri,
Longest river – Godavari – 1,465 kms
️ Mahanadi :-
Origin – Chhattisgarh, Raipur (district), flowing from Odisha near Sihawa, discharges its water into the Bay of Bengal.
Length – 851 kms. It also had navigation in its lower course.
53% of its drainage basin is spread in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh and 47% in Odisha.
Godavari: -
It is also known as Dakshin Ganga.
Origin – Maharashtra, Nasik (District) falls in the Bay of Bengal.
Its tributaries pass through Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.
Length – 1,465 kms
🔹 Main tributaries - Penganga, Indravati, Pranhita, Manjra
Navigation is possible in part of its delta.
️ Krishna :-
🔹 Origin - Sahyadri, near Mahabaleshwar.
Length – 1,401 kms
🔹 Major tributaries - Koyna, Tungabhadra, Bhima
27% of the catchment area (Maharashtra), 44% (Karnataka), 29% (Andhra Pradesh and Telangana)
️ Kaveri :-
Origin – Karnataka, Kogadu (District), Brahmagiri Hills.
Length – 800 kms.
Major tributaries – Kabini, Bhavani, Amaravati 3% (Kerala), 41% (Karnataka), 56% (Tamil Nadu). This river flows almost all year round.
️ Narmada River :-
Origin – It rises from the west side of the Amarkantak plateau at a height of about 1,057 meters.
The Sardar Sarovar project has been built on this river.
This rift between the Satpura ranges in the south and the Vindhyachal ranges in the north forms beautiful gorges in marble rocks and a smoky waterfall near Jabalpur.
It joins the Arabian Sea in the south of Bharuch.
Into how many parts are the Indian drainage basins divided on the basis of watershed area?
On the basis of watershed area, Indian drainage basins are divided into three parts.
Major river basin:- Their drainage area is more than 20,000 square kilometer. It includes 14 river basins like Ganga, Brahmaputra, Krishna, Tapi, Narmada etc.
Medium river basin :- whose drainage area is 2,000 to 20,000 square kilometer. It has 44 river basins like Kalindi, Periyar, Meghna etc.
Small river basin:- Those having drainage area less than 2,000 square kilometer. It includes many rivers flowing in areas of low rainfall.
️ River flow trend :-
There is considerable variation in the pattern of water flow throughout the year in the drainage area of a river. This is called the River Regime. Rivers of North India that originate from the Himalayas. Are evergreen or perennial. Because it gets its water from melting snow and rain.
The rivers of South India do not get water from glaciers. Due to which fluctuations in their flow trend can be seen. Their flow increases significantly during the monsoon season. Thus the flow of the rivers of South India is controlled by rainfall, which varies from one place to another in the peninsular plateau.
️ Utility of rivers :-
Irrigation :- Most of the water of Indian rivers is used for irrigation. Indian rivers carry 167,753 million cubic meters of water every year, out of which 55,517 million cubic meters i.e. 33% of the annual flow can be used for irrigation.
Water power:- The Himalayas in the north, Vindhyachal, Satpura and Aravalli in the west, Maikal and Chota Nagpur in the east, Meghalaya plateau in the north-east and the Western and Eastern Ghats of the Purvanchal and Deccan plateau require the development of water power on a large scale. chances are . About 41 million kilowatts of hydropower can be generated from these rivers in the country on the basis of 60 percent efficiency.
Waterways:- Ganga and Brahmaputra in the north and northeast of the country, Mahanadi in Orissa, Godavari and Krishna in Andhra Pradesh, Narmada and Tapi in Gujarat and lakes and tidal channels in the coastal states are the main and useful waterways of the country. About 10,600 kms in the country. There are long navigable waterways. Of these, 2480 kms. Steamers and large boats in long navigable, 3920 km. Long navigable rivers have medium sized country boats and 4200 kms. There are long navigable canals. Krishna, Narmada and Tapi are navigable only near the estuaries.
Main problems related to river water use :-
Following are the main problems related to river water use:
- Inadequate water availability.
- River water pollution.
- Presence of large amount of silt and soil in river water.
- Seasonal variability in water flow.
- River water dispute between states.
- Shrinkage of river vessels due to human settlement.
Why are the rivers of India polluted?
Industrial waste – Garbage and waste from domestic activities are brought into the rivers of India by flushing them through dirty drains.
Many cremation grounds are on the banks of the river and sometimes dead bodies or their remains are thrown into the rivers.
On some festivals flowers and idols are immersed in rivers. Large scale bathing and washing of clothes etc. would have polluted the river.
