DRAINAGE
NOTES
GRADE :9
1. What is a drainage?
Answer:
A system of flowing water from the higher level to the lower level.
2. What is the area drained by a single river system called?
Answer:
Drainage basin.
3. What is meant by watershed or a water divide?
Answer:
The upland or a mountain which separates two adjoining drainage basins is known as a watershed or
a water divide, e.g., Ambala
4. Which is the main water divide in southern India?
Answer:
Western Ghats
5. Name the three main Himalayan River systems.
Answer:
The Indus River System,
The Ganga River System,
The Brahmaputra River System
6. Name the two main groups into which the river systems of India are classified.
Answer:
The Himalayan rivers,
The Peninsular rivers.
7. Which is the largest Peninsular River? Where does it originate from?
Answer:
Godavari, it arises from the Nasik district of Maharashtra
8. Name any two Peninsular rivers which flow through the rift valley.
Answer:
The Narmada and the Tapti
9. What are perennial rivers?
Answer:
The rivers which have water throughout the year are called the perennial rivers
10. Why are most of the Peninsular rivers draining into the Bay of Bengal? Give reasons. Name
the two rivers draining into the Arabian Sea.
Answer:
(i)
(a) The main water divide in Peninsular India is formed by the Western Ghats, which runs from north
to south close to the western coast..
(b) The Deccan Plateau is higher in the west and slopes gently eastwards.
Thus, most of the peninsular rivers such as Mahanadi, the Godavari, the Krishna and the Kaveri flow
eastwards and drain into the Bay of Bengal.
(ii) The river Narmada and river Tapi drain into the Arabian Sea.
11. Which two peninsular rivers flow westward? Mention one similarity and one difference
between these two rivers.
Answer:
Narmada and Tapi.
Similarity:
These rivers flow through rift valley.
The tributaries of these rivers are small.
Difference:
Tapi is the second largest river of Peninsular India and Narmada is the fifth largest river
12. Why is the Godavari River also known as ‘Dakshin Ganga’?
Answer:
The Godavari is the largest peninsular river.
Its drainage basin is also the largest among the peninsular rivers. The basin covers parts of
Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Andhra Pradesh.
The Godavari is joined by several tributaries such as the Purna, the Wardha, the Pranhita, the
Manjra, the Wainganga, and the Penganga.
Because of its length and the area, it covers, it is also known as the ‘Dakshin Ganga
13. Rivers constitute the most useful natural resources.” Support the statement with five suitable
examples.
Answer:
Rivers are the most important natural resources because
Rivers provide water for survival and growth of all organisms.
Rivers provided ideal conditions for the early man to lead a settled life.
Rivers have built flood plains, deltas and provide fertile soil for agriculture.
Water from rivers is used for drinking, irrigation and for generating hydro- electricity.
Man can supplement his food supply with the fish in the rivers. Rivers also serve as natural
waterways.
World’s earliest civilization developed in the river valleys, e.g., Nile Valley civilization, Indus
Valley civilization etc. River Valleys are the world’s best agricultural lands, and are densely
populated regions
14. Mention the main features of the Ganga Action Plan.
Answer:
Main Features of the Ganga Action Plan:
Sewage flowing into the river is to be diverted to other locations for treatment and conversion
into energy source.
Steps have been taken to supply safe drinking water by constructing electric crematoriums and
separating bathing Ghats.
The diversion of several major drains carrying wastes into the river has been completed in
cities like Varanasi, Patna and Kanpur and pollution level has been decreased.
Infrastructure capable of diverting and treatment 835 million litres per day of domestic waste
or sewage has been created.
Ganga Action Plan has been merged with National River Conservation Plan. It now covers 152
towns located along 27 Inter-state rivers in over 16 states.
15. Distinguish between the Himalayan Rivers and Peninsular Rivers
Himalayan Rivers Peninsular Rivers
The Main source of water is glaciers from The Main source is the peninsular
the Himalayan range plateau and the central highland
Large river basin Comparatively smaller river basin.
Depend on rain and melted snow as well Depend majorly on rainfall.
for water
These rivers are perennial and have water These are seasonal rivers
throughout the year These rivers are regarded as old river
The rivers are mainly flowing in their
early stage Godavari., Mahanadi, Narmada, Tapi,
Ganga, Indus and Brahmaputra are three Krishna, Kaveri are the two main river
major rivers systems
The courses from the source to the sea are The courses from the source to the sea
long duration. are shorter and shallower.
16. What are the major factors responsible for river pollution? Explain.
Answer:
High Demand of Water: The growing domestic, municipal, industrial, and agricultural
demand for water from rivers naturally affects the quality of water. As a result, more and more
water is being drained out of the river reducing its volume.
Industrialisation: A heavy load of untreated sewage and industrial effluents are emptied into
the rivers. This affects not only the quality of water but also the self-cleansing capacity of the
river. For example, given the adequate streamflow, the Ganga water can dilute and assimilate
pollution loads within 20 km of large cities. But the increasing urbanisation, and
industrialisation do not allow it to happen, and the pollution level of many rivers has been
rising.
Agricultural Pollution: The extensive uses of chemicals in the form of fertilizers and
pesticides in agriculture have left the water bodies contaminated with heavy metals. Such
heavy metals enter human body through the food we eat, and many of them cause health
problems such as cancer
17. What are the causes of water pollution? How can it be controlled?
Answer:
The factories discharge their effluents in the nearby rivers, which cause water pollution.
The disposal of sewage of urban centres into the rivers is also responsible for water pollution.
The overuse of fertilisers and pesticides also pollute the water.
Water in the oceans gets polluted by the leakage of oil from oil tankers.
Methods to Control Water Pollution:
The waste product from the factories should not be allowed to fall into the rivers.
The waste materials should be treated before it is allowed to fall into the water of rivers.
Sewage of urban centres should not be allowed into rivers at any cost.
The fertilisers and pesticides should not be overused.
Oil spills from tankers should not be allowed to enter any water body
18. Why does Brahmaputra become a big river on entering India?
Answer:
In Tibet, the Brahmaputra River carries a smaller volume of water and less silt as it is a cold
and dry area.
It enters India from Arunachal Pradesh and is joined by many tributaries such as the Diang, the
Lohit etc.
It passes through a region of high rainfall. Here, the river carries a large volume of water and
considerable amount of silt.
Every year during the rainy season, the river overflows its banks.
Brahmaputra is marked by huge deposits of silt on its bed causing the riverbed to rise
19. Describe any three features of Ganga-Brahmaputra delta.
Or
Describe the features of the Ganga plain.
Answer:
The Sundarbans Delta gets its name from the Sundari tree, which grows well in the marshy areas of
the delta.
It is formed by the confluence of the rivers Ganga and Brahmaputra before they drain into the Bay of
Bengal.
It is the world’s largest and fastest-growing delta, known for its fertile alluvial soil and dense
mangrove forests.
It is also the home of the Royal Bengal Tiger and many other wildlife species.