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Drainage system
Basic terms
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This flow of water through channels is called drainage,
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the network of these channels forms a drainage system. The drainage pattern of an area depends on factors like geological time, rock structure, topography, slope, water volume, and flow periodicity.
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A river collects water from its catchment area, and the area drained by a river and its tributaries is called a drainage basin. There are different drainage patterns:
- Dendritic: Resembles tree branches, common in northern plains.
- Radial: Rivers flow in all directions from a central point, seen in the Amarkantak range.
- Trellis: Primary tributaries flow parallel, secondary tributaries join at right angles.
- Centripetal: Rivers discharge water into a central lake or depression
- The boundary line separating one drainage basin from other is called as watershed Small catchments are called watersheds, while large ones are river basins.
- It can be divided into the following
- By Discharge: Divided into Arabian Sea drainage and Bay of Bengal drainage.
- By Size:
- Major river basins (>20,000 sq. km) include 14 basins like the Ganga and Brahmaputra.
- Medium river basins (2,000-20,000 sq. km) include 44 basins like the Kalindi and Periyar.
- Minor river basins (<2,000 sq. km) include many small rivers.
- Classification: Based on origin and characteristics, divided into Himalayan and Peninsular drainage systems.
Himalayan drainage system
- Himalayan Drainage: Includes perennial rivers like the Ganga, Indus, and Brahmaputra, forming gorges, valleys, and waterfalls.
- Depositional Features and River Behavior :As rivers enter the plains, they create various depositional features such as flat valleys, ox-bow lakes, flood plains, braided channels, and deltas near their mouths.
- In the Himalayan regions, rivers have a highly tortuous course, but they tend to meander and frequently shift their courses in the plains.
- The Kosi River, known as the ‘sorrow of Bihar’, is notorious for frequently changing its course due to the large quantities of sediment it brings from its upper reaches. This sediment deposition often blocks the river’s course, causing it to change direction.
- Geologists believe that a mighty river called Shiwalik or Indo-Brahma once traversed the entire length of the Himalayas from Assam to Punjab, discharging into the Gulf of Sind during the Miocene period (5-24 million years ago).
- Over time, this river was dismembered into three main drainage systems due to geological upheavals:
- Indus System: Located in the western part.
- Ganga System: Found in the central part.
- Brahmaputra System: Situated in the eastern part.
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The dismemberment was likely caused by the Pleistocene upheaval in the
western Himalayas, including the uplift of the Potwar Plateau, which
acted as a water divide between the Indus and Ganga systems. Similarly,
the down-thrusting of the Malda gap area diverted the Ganga and
Brahmaputra systems towards the Bay of Bengal.
Indus river system
- The Indus system is one of the largest river basins in the world, originating from a glacier in the Tibetan region and flowing through India and Pakistan. It receives numerous tributaries from the Himalayas and the Sulaiman ranges.
- The Indus River System is one of the longest and most significant river systems in the world, spanning approximately 2,900 kilometers.
- Originating near Lake Mansarovar in Tibet, where it is known as singi khamban. the Indus River flows through the Ladakh region of India, forming a picturesque gorge before entering Pakistan, where it eventually empties into the Arabian Sea
- The system comprises five major rivers: the Indus, Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej.
- These rivers collectively drain a vast area, providing water resources crucial for agriculture, industry, and daily life in both India and Pakistan.
- Jhelum River: Originating from pir panjal in the Indian-administered region of Jammu and Kashmir, the Jhelum flows through the Kashmir Valley before entering Pakistan. It is known for its scenic beauty and historical significance
- Chenab River: Formed by the confluence of the Chandra and Bhaga rivers in the Himachal Pradesh region of India, the Chenab flows through Jammu and Kashmir into Pakistan. It is largest tributaries of the Indus and plays a crucial role in the irrigation systems of both countries
- Ravi River: Rising in the Himalayas in Himachal Pradesh, the Ravi flows through the Indian state of Punjab before entering Pakistan. It joins chenab near Sarai sidhu It is one of the five rivers that give Punjab its name (Punjab means “land of five rivers”)
- Beas River: Originating from the Beas Kund near the Rohtang Pass in Himachal Pradesh, the Beas flows through the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab before merging with the Sutlej River. It is known for its historical and mythological significance
- Sutlej River: The longest of the five rivers of Punjab, the Sutlej originates from Lake Rakshastal in Tibet. It flows through Himachal Pradesh and Punjab in India before entering Pakistan, where it eventually joins the Indus River. The Sutlej is vital for irrigation and hydroelectric power generation Bhakra nangal project is on this river
Ganga river system
- Significance for basin and cultural significance
- It originates near gangotri glacier in gomukh near Uttarakhand
- It is known as Bhagirathi here when it meets Alaknanda devprayag it is known as Ganga
- Course: The Ganga flows southeast through the Gangetic Plain of North India, passing through the states of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal. It finally empties into the Bay of Bengal through the Sundarbans delta
- It has various tributaries and two distributaries Bhagirathi and Hoogly
- Tributaries include the following
Yamuna
- Rises in Yamunotri glacier and meet Ganga at Allahabad at Prayag
- It is joined by Chambal, sind, betwa and Ken on its right Bank while the hindal ,the rind, the sengar join it as left Bank tributary
- Most of its water is used for irrigation purpose
- It is the longest tributary of Ganga
Chambal
- It rises and mhow in the Malwa plateau of Madhya Pradesh
- It flows through North ward forming a George in Kota of Rajasthan
- Chambal is known for its badland topography known as Chambal ravines
Gandak
- It comprises of two streams known as kaligandak and trishul Ganga
- It prices in Nepal Himalayas between the dhaulagiri and Mount Everest and drains the central part of Nepal
- It enters India in Champaran district of Bihar and joints the Ganga near Patna
Ghaghra
- It originates from glacier Mapchachungo
- After collecting water from its tributaries it comes out of mountain forming a deep George in shishapani
- The river Kali Ganga joints at before it meets Ganga at chharpa
Kosi
- It is an antecedent river with its source of origin in the north of Mount Everest in Tibet
- After crossing Himalayas in Nepal it is joined by son Kosi in west and tamur Kosi in East
- IT form saptkosi after Uniting with the river Arun
Ramganga
- Is comparatively a small river rises in Garhwal hills it changes at course in the Southwest direction after crossing shivaliks enters the plains of Uttar Pradesh and meet Ganga near Kannauj
Damodar
- It occupies the eastern margin of chota Nagpur plateau
- It was once known as sorrow of Bengal
- Damodar valley corporation a multipurpose project is built on this river
Sarda
- Rises in Nepal Himalayas where it is known as Goriganga
- Along indo china border it is known as Kali where it is joined by Ghaghra
Mahanadi
- Rises in Darjiling hills
- Join ganga as last bank tributary
Son
- Originates in Amarkantak pleateau
- Major right Bank tributary
Bhramaputra river system
- It has its origin in Kailash mountains near Mansarovar lake
- It travels East for longitudely in Tibetan region where it is known as Tsangpo means the purifier
- Forms a deep George in Central Himalayas
- It enters India in Arunachal Pradesh there after it is known as Brahmaputra
- It's major tributaries are the dibang and lohit
- The Brahmaputra enters Bangladesh near Dhubri and flows South
- It joins thishta river as its right Bank tributary and known as Jamuna
- It is well known for floods channel shifting and erosion
Peninsular drainage system
- slop from west to east
- Subsidence of the Western flank of the Peninsula leading to its submergence below the sea during the early tertiary period
- A field of the Himalayan when the northern flank of the peninsular block was subjected to subsidence and the consequent through Faulting the Narmada and the tapi flow in through falls and fill the original tracks with their depress material hence there is a lack of alluvial and deltanic deposits in this river
- Slight tilting of the Peninsula block from Northwest to the south east and direction gave orientation to the entire drainage system through bay of Bengal during the period
River system in peninsular India
Mahanadi
- Rises in Raipur district of Chhattisgarh
- Discharge its water in bay of Bengal
- . It's drainage basin lies in Madhya Pradesh ,Chhattisgarh and Odisha
Godavari
- Largest Peninsula river system
- . Known as dakshin Ganga
- . rises in Nashik district of Maharashtra
- . Runs through Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh ,Chhattisgarh ,Orissa and Andhra Pradesh
- It is subjected to heavy floods it forms a George in Andhra Pradesh
Krishna
- Second largest east flowing peninsular river
- Rises in Mahabaleshwar
- Koniya, tungabhadra, Bhima are its major tributaries
- It’s catchment area lies in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana
Kaveri
- rises in brahmagiri hills of Karnataka
- The river carriers water throughout the year with less fluctuation
- The river basin falls in Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu
- Major tributaries are kabini ,Bhawani ,Amravati
Luni
- Largest river in Rajasthan west of Aravali
- Originates in Pushkar in two branches Sabarmati and Saraswati
- It flows West then takes a turn in Southwest direction to join runn of Kutch it is ephemeral river
Narmada
- Rises in western flank of Amarkantak plateau
- Close in a rift valley between Satpura and Vidya hills
- Forms a George and dhuandhar falls near Jabalpur
- Meets Arabian branch sardar sarovar project has been constructed on this river
Tapi
- Originates in Madhya Pradesh
- It’s been lies in Maharashtra Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat
- It flows in Arabian sea
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