Impt.
Types of Drainage Patterns
Dendritic Drainage Pattern
o It is the most common form and resembles the branching pattern
of tree roots.
o The dendritic pattern develops where the river channel follows the
slope of the terrain.
o The pattern develops in areas where the rock beneath the stream
has no particular structure and can be eroded equally easily in all
directions.
o Tributaries join larger streams at acute angles (less than
90°).
o The rivers of the northern plains; Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra
Parallel drainage pattern
o It develops in regions of parallel, elongated landforms where
there is a pronounced slope to the surface.
o Tributary streams tend to stretch out in a parallel-like
fashion following the slope of the surface.
o The rivers originating in the Western Ghats-Godavari,
Kaveri, Krishna, and Tungabhadra.
Trellis Drainage Pattern
o Trellis drainage develops in folded topography where hard
and soft rocks exist parallel to each other.
o Down-turned folds called synclines form valleys in which
reside the main channel of the stream.
o Such a pattern is formed when the primary tributaries of
main rivers flow parallel to each other and secondary
tributaries join them at right angles.
o The rivers in the upper part of the Himalayan region--Indus,
Ganga and Brahmaputra.
Rectangular Drainage Pattern
▪ The rectangular drainage pattern is found in regions that have
undergone faulting.
o It develops on a strongly joined rocky terrain.
o Streams follow the path of least resistance and thus are
concentrated in places where exposed rock is the weakest.
• The tributary streams make sharp bends and
enter the main stream at high angles.
o Streams found in the Vindhya mountain range---
Chambal, Betwa and Ken.
Radial Drainage Pattern
o The radial drainage pattern develops around a central
elevated point and is common to conically shaped
features such as volcanoes.
o When the rivers originate from a hill and flow in all
directions, the drainage pattern is known as ‘radial’.
o The rivers originating from the Amarkantak range--
Narmada and Son .
Centripetal Drainage Pattern
o It is just the opposite of the radial as streams flow toward a
central depression.
o During wetter portions of the year, these streams feed
ephemeral lakes, which evaporate away during dry periods.
• Sometimes, salt flats are also created in these
dry lake beds as salt dissolved in the lake water
precipitates out of solution and is left behind
when the water evaporates away.
o Loktak lake in Manipur.
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