Chapter-3

Drainage
Study Notes

Meaning of Drainage

 Drainage refers to the river system of an area — all streams and rivers that flow into
a common water body (sea, lake, or ocean).

 The area drained by a single river system is called a drainage basin.

 Any elevated area (mountain/upland) separating two drainage basins is called a

water divide.
➤ Example: Ambala acts as a water divide between the Indus and the Ganga river
systems.

🇮🇳 Drainage Systems in India

India’s drainage is largely shaped by its physical features and is classified into two groups:

1. The Himalayan Rivers

o Originate from the Himalayas.

o Perennial — flow throughout the year (fed by rainfall and melting snow).

o Long courses, deep gorges, and well-developed deltas.

o Form depositional features like meanders, ox-bow lakes, and floodplains.

2. The Peninsular Rivers

o Originate from Plateau/Western Ghats.

o Seasonal — flow mainly during monsoon.

o Short, shallow courses with smaller drainage basins.

o Many flow eastwards into the Bay of Bengal, forming deltas, while some (like
Narmada, Tapi) flow westwards, forming estuaries.
The Himalayan River Systems

1. The Indus River System

 Origin: Near Lake Mansarowar (Tibet).

 Enters India in Ladakh, forming gorges.

 Tributaries: Zaskar, Nubra, Shyok, Hunza (in Kashmir region).

 Major Punjab tributaries: Satluj, Beas, Ravi, Chenab, Jhelum — join Indus near
Mithankot (Pakistan).

 Ends: Flows into Arabian Sea (east of Karachi).

 Total length: ~2900 km.

 Indus Water Treaty (1960) allows India to use only 20% of Indus waters (for irrigation
in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan).

2. The Ganga River System

 Headstreams:

o Bhagirathi (from Gangotri Glacier)

o Alaknanda (joins Bhagirathi at Devaprayag)

 Emerges at: Haridwar (plains begin)

 Major Himalayan tributaries: Yamuna, Ghaghara, Gandak, Kosi

➤ Yamuna – from Yamunotri Glacier, joins Ganga at Prayagraj (Allahabad)
➤ Ghaghara, Gandak, Kosi – from Nepal Himalayas, cause floods but enrich soil.

 Peninsular tributaries: Chambal, Betwa, Son (from semi-arid uplands)

 Distributary: Bhagirathi–Hooghly (flows through West Bengal)

 Delta: Sundarban Delta — world’s largest, formed by Ganga & Brahmaputra; named
after Sundari tree; home of Royal Bengal Tiger.

 Length: ~2500 km.

 Namami Gange Programme (2014): Flagship mission for pollution control and river
rejuvenation.

3. The Brahmaputra River System

 Origin: Near Mansarowar Lake (Tibet), close to Indus source.

  Tibetan name: Tsang Po; in India: Brahmaputra; in Bangladesh: Jamuna.

 Flows east parallel to Himalayas → turns south at Namcha Barwa → enters India
(Arunachal Pradesh) as Dihang.

 Joined by Dibang, Lohit, and other tributaries → forms Brahmaputra.

 In Assam, flows through a braided channel forming riverine islands (e.g., Majuli —
world’s largest).

 Causes floods during monsoon due to heavy rainfall and silt deposition.

 Distinct Feature: Shifting channels and large silt deposits.

The Peninsular River Systems

Main Divide: The Western Ghats — separates east-flowing and west-flowing rivers.

East-flowing Rivers (towards Bay of Bengal):

1. Godavari

o Origin: Nasik district, Maharashtra

o Length: ~1500 km → Largest Peninsular River

o Tributaries: Purna, Wardha, Pranhita, Manjra, Wainganga, Penganga

o Known as Dakshin Ganga (Southern Ganga)

o States: Maharashtra, MP, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh

2. Mahanadi

o Origin: Highlands of Chhattisgarh

o Length: ~860 km

o States: Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Odisha

o Drains into Bay of Bengal.

3. Krishna

o Origin: Near Mahabaleshwar (Western Ghats)

o Length: ~1400 km

o Tributaries: Tungabhadra, Koyana, Bhima, Ghatprabha, Musi

o States: Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh

4. Kaveri
 o Origin: Brahmagiri Range (Western Ghats)

o Length: ~760 km

o Tributaries: Amravati, Bhavani, Hemavati, Kabini

o States: Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu

o Waterfall: Shivasamudram Falls — 2nd largest in India; supplies hydel power

to Bengaluru and Mysuru.

5. Smaller East-Flowing Rivers: Damodar, Brahmani, Baitarni, Subarnarekha.

West-flowing Rivers (towards Arabian Sea):

1. Narmada

o Origin: Amarkantak Hills, Madhya Pradesh

o Flows through rift valley (faulting).

o Features: Marble Rocks (Jabalpur), Dhuadhar Falls.

o Tributaries: Short, join at right angles.

o Conservation Programme: Namami Devi Narmade Mission (MP Govt).

o States: MP, Gujarat.

2. Tapi (Tapti)

o Origin: Satpura ranges (Betul district, MP)

o Also flows in a rift valley (parallel to Narmada).

o States: MP, Gujarat, Maharashtra.

3. Other short west-flowing rivers: Sabarmati, Mahi, Bharathpuzha, Periyar.

Lakes in India

Types of Lakes:

1. Natural Lakes:

o Glacial origin: Dal, Nainital, Bhimtal, Loktak, Barapani.

o Tectonic origin: Wular (largest freshwater lake in India, J&K).

o Saltwater / Inland drainage: Sambhar Lake (Rajasthan).

 o Lagoons: Chilika (Odisha), Pulicat (Tamil Nadu), Kolleru (Andhra Pradesh).

2. Man-made Lakes:

o Formed by damming of rivers — e.g., Guru Gobind Sagar (Bhakra Nangal

Project), Hirakud, Nagarjuna Sagar.

Importance of Lakes:

 Regulate river flow (prevent floods & store water).

 Source of hydel power.

 Maintain climate balance and aquatic ecosystem.

 Promote tourism (e.g., Dal Lake houseboats).

 Aid in irrigation, fisheries, and recreation.

Role of Rivers in the Economy

 Vital natural resource for human civilization.

 Support agriculture (irrigation), power generation (hydel), navigation, and industry.

 Riverbanks developed into major cities.

 Help sustain livelihoods and tourism.

River Pollution and Conservation

 Causes: Urban sewage, industrial waste, agricultural runoff reduce river water
quality.

 Effects: Decline in self-cleansing capacity and biodiversity.

 Examples: Ganga pollution due to industrial and urban effluents.

Major Initiatives:

1. Ganga Action Plan (1985) – first river-cleaning initiative.

2. National River Conservation Plan (NRCP, 1995) – expanded to other rivers.

o Objective: Improve water quality through pollution control measures.

3. Namami Gange (2014) – modern integrated conservation mission for cleaning and
rejuvenating River Ganga.
 Key Terms Glossary

Term Meaning
Drainage The river system of an area.
Drainage Basin The area drained by a single river and its
tributaries.
Watershed / Water Divide High ground separating two drainage
basins.
River System A main river and all its tributaries together.
Tributary A smaller river joining a larger one.
Distributary A branch of a river flowing away from the
main stream.
Delta A triangular landform formed where a river
meets the sea and deposits silt.
Estuary A funnel-shaped mouth of a river where it
meets the sea; no delta formation.
Perennial River Flows throughout the year (fed by snow
and rain).
Seasonal River Flows only during rainy seasons.
Floodplain Flat area along the river prone to flooding.
Meander Curved bends in the river course.
Ox-bow Lake U-shaped lake formed when a river
meander is cut off.
Lagoons Shallow coastal lakes separated from the
sea by sandbars/spits.
Rift Valley A lowland between highlands formed due
to faulting (e.g., Narmada, Tapi).