- The flow of water through well-defined channels is known as drainage and the network of such channels is known as drainage system.
- About 77% of the drainage area consisting of the Ganga, the Brahmaputra, the Mahanadi, the Krishna, etc. is oriented towards the Bay of Bengal.
- The rest of the 23% comprising the Indus, the Narmada, the Tapi, the Mahi, and the Periyar systems discharge their waters in the Arabian Sea.
- Major drainage patterns:
Dendritic
Radial
Centripetal
Trellis
The Himalayan Rivers
The Himalayan river system is divided into thee major
river system
(i) Indus River System
• The Indus, also known as Sindhu, is the Western most of Himalayan rivers in India. It is one of the largest river basins of the world covering an area of 1165000 sq km (in India it is 321289 sq km) and a total length of 2880 km (in India 1114 km).
• It originates from a glacier near Bokhar Chu in the Tibetan region near Mansarovar lake. In Tibet, it is known as Singi Khamban or Lion's mouth. In Jammu and Kashmir, its Fiimalayan tributaries are Zanskar, Dras, Gartang, Shyok, Shigar, Nubra, Gilgit etc. Its most important tributaries, which join Indus at various places are Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas and Sutlej.
(ii) The Ganga River System
• The Ganga system is the second major drainage system of India. It rises in the Gangotri glacier near Gaumukh (3900 m) in the Uttarakhand. Here, it is known as the Bhagirathi. At Devprayag, the Bhagirathi, meets the Alaknanda, hereafter, it is known as the Ganga.
The Alaknanda has its source in the Satopantb glacier above Badrinath. The Alaknanda consists of the Dhauli and the Vishnu Ganga, which meet at Joshimath or Vishnu Prayag.
• The other tributaries of Alaknanda such as the Pindar joins it at Kama Prayag, while Mandakini or Kali Ganga meets it at Rudra Prayag. It is 2525 km long of which 1450 km is in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, 445 km in Bihar and 520 km in West Bengal.
• The left bank tributaries of Ganga are Ramganga, Gomti, Kali or Sharda, Gandak, Kosi, Mahanadi. The right bank tributaries of Ganga are Yamuna and Son. Yamuna joins the Ganga at Allahabad.
• Kosi is called as 'Sorrow of Bihar' while Damodar is called as 'Sorrow of Bengal' as these cause floods in these regions. Hooghly is a distributary of Ganga flowing through Kolkata.
(iii) The Brahmaputra River System
• It is one of the largest river of the world. It is known as Tsangpo in Tibet, Dihang or Siang in Arunachal Pradesh, Brahmaputra in Assam and Jamuna in Bangladesh. Brahmaputra forms largest number of riverine islands. Majuli is the largest riverine island in the world.
• The combined stream of Ganga and Brahmaputra forms the biggest delta in the world, the Sunderbans, covering an area of 58752 sq km. Its major part is in Bangladesh. Brahmaputra is volume wise largest river of India, whereas lengthwise Ganga is the longest in India.
Tributaries of river are Manas, Subanshri, Dibang, Lohit.
- The flow of water through well-defined channels is known as drainage and the network of such channels is known as drainage system.
- About 77% of the drainage area consisting of the Ganga, the Brahmaputra, the Mahanadi, the Krishna, etc. is oriented towards the Bay of Bengal.
- The rest of the 23% comprising the Indus, the Narmada, the Tapi, the Mahi, and the Periyar systems discharge their waters in the Arabian Sea.
- Major drainage patterns:
Dendritic
Radial
Centripetal
Trellis
The Himalayan Rivers
The Himalayan river system is divided into thee major
river system
(i) Indus River System
• The Indus, also known as Sindhu, is the Western most of Himalayan rivers in India. It is one of the largest river basins of the world covering an area of 1165000 sq km (in India it is 321289 sq km) and a total length of 2880 km (in India 1114 km).
• It originates from a glacier near Bokhar Chu in the Tibetan region near Mansarovar lake. In Tibet, it is known as Singi Khamban or Lion's mouth. In Jammu and Kashmir, its Fiimalayan tributaries are Zanskar, Dras, Gartang, Shyok, Shigar, Nubra, Gilgit etc. Its most important tributaries, which join Indus at various places are Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas and Sutlej.
(ii) The Ganga River System
• The Ganga system is the second major drainage system of India. It rises in the Gangotri glacier near Gaumukh (3900 m) in the Uttarakhand. Here, it is known as the Bhagirathi. At Devprayag, the Bhagirathi, meets the Alaknanda, hereafter, it is known as the Ganga.
The Alaknanda has its source in the Satopantb glacier above Badrinath. The Alaknanda consists of the Dhauli and the Vishnu Ganga, which meet at Joshimath or Vishnu Prayag.
• The other tributaries of Alaknanda such as the Pindar joins it at Kama Prayag, while Mandakini or Kali Ganga meets it at Rudra Prayag. It is 2525 km long of which 1450 km is in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, 445 km in Bihar and 520 km in West Bengal.
• The left bank tributaries of Ganga are Ramganga, Gomti, Kali or Sharda, Gandak, Kosi, Mahanadi. The right bank tributaries of Ganga are Yamuna and Son. Yamuna joins the Ganga at Allahabad.
• Kosi is called as 'Sorrow of Bihar' while Damodar is called as 'Sorrow of Bengal' as these cause floods in these regions. Hooghly is a distributary of Ganga flowing through Kolkata.
(iii) The Brahmaputra River System
• It is one of the largest river of the world. It is known as Tsangpo in Tibet, Dihang or Siang in Arunachal Pradesh, Brahmaputra in Assam and Jamuna in Bangladesh. Brahmaputra forms largest number of riverine islands. Majuli is the largest riverine island in the world.
• The combined stream of Ganga and Brahmaputra forms the biggest delta in the world, the Sunderbans, covering an area of 58752 sq km. Its major part is in Bangladesh. Brahmaputra is volume wise largest river of India, whereas lengthwise Ganga is the longest in India.
Tributaries of river are Manas, Subanshri, Dibang, Lohit.