• Indus + 5 tributaries• After partition: Indus
water Treaty 1960• Indus, Jhelum, Chenab
to Pak• Ravi, Beas and Sutlej to
India• Chej doab, ReChna doab,
Bari doab, Bist doab
Indus river
• Cities on Indus –LehTributaries:• Shyok from Siachin
glacier• Suru (Obsequent tri) –
originate from Deosai mt. , Burzil la pass, kargil on it, chutak dam
• Gilgit – last tri in India
Tributaries of IndusHunza rivGilgit
rivSuru riv Shy
ok riv
Indus rivZaskar riv
Siachin glacier
• Jhelum river:• Rises at Verinag• Shrinagar • Kishanganga joins on
right• Kishanganga river
dispute with Pakistan• Jhelum enters Pakistan
near Baramulla
Tributaries of Indus: Jhelum
Kishanganga river
Jhelum river
• Two headward tributaries: Chandra and Bhaga
• Chnadra originate near Zozi la and Bhaga at Baracha la
• Dhulhasti, Baglihar and Salal dams
Tributaries of Indus: Chenab
Chandra river
Bhaga river
• Source near Rohtang pass in Himachal Pradesh
• Drains between Pripanjal and Dhauladhar
• Chamba is located on Ravi
Tributaries of Indus: Ravi
• Source near Rohtang pass - at southern end of Pir Panjal (HP)
• Meets Satluj at Harike• Kulllu on Beas’s
tributary Parbati• It is entirely within
India
Tributaries of Indus: Beas
• Originate near Man sarovar
• Enters India through Shipki la pass
• Imp tributary: Spiti
• Neptha-jhakhari dam
Tributaries of Indus: Satluj
Prelims2009
Q. Which one of the following rivers does not originate in India?a) Beasb) Chenabc) Ravid) Sutlej
Ans. D)
UPSC
Question
Prelims2006
Q. From north to south, which one of the following is the correct sequence of given rivers in India?a) Shyok- Spiti-Zaskar-Sutlejb) Shyok-Zaskar-Spiti-Sutlejc) Zaskar- Shyok-Sutlej-Spitid) Zaskar-Sultej-Shyok-Spiti
Ans. b)
UPSC
Question
Northern rivers
Indus
Ganga
Brahmaputra
• Originate as Bhagirathi from Gangotri
• Alaknanda originates from Badrinath
• Dhauliganga meet Alaknanda at Vishnu prayag
• Pindar river (from Nanda devi) meet Alaknanda at Karn Prayag
Ganga system
• Mandakini (from Kedarnath) meet at Rudra prayag
• Alaknanda and Bhagirathi meet at Dev prayag
• After merger known as Ganga
Ganga system
Left Bank tributaries• Ramganga• Gomati• Ghaghar• Gandak• Kosi
• Yamuna• Son• Hugli
Right Bank tributaries
Ganga System
• Ramganga• Gomati• Ghaghra
(Saryu)• Gandak• Kosi
Ganga system: left bank tributaries
• Ramganga• Originate near
Garhwal• Gomati: north UP • Lucknow is on
Gomati• Both originate
within India
Ganga system: left bank tributaries
Ramganga
GomatiGanga
• Ghaghara – originate from Gurala mandhata peak (South of Man sarovar) in Tibet
• Two headward streams: kali (Sarda) and Karnali
• Ayodhya, Faizabad located on Ghaghara
Ganga system: left bank tributariesMan sarovar lake
Ghaghara river
Karnali river
Kali (Sarda) river
Gurla mandhata peak
Rapti river
• Gandak originated near Nepal-Tibet border
• Kali Gandaki and Trishuli imp tributaries
• Merge in Ganga near Patna
Ganga system: left bank tributaries
Kali Gandaki
• Kosi- ‘Saptkaushi’• 7 streams• Located in snow
covered areas – heavy rainfall – huge volume of water
• 7 streams -> 3 stream -> merged at Triveni (mahabharat range) to form Kosi
Ganga system: left bank tributaries
Kosi
1) Yamuna• Originates from
Yamnotri glacier – Bandarpunch peak –Garhwal
• Imp tributaries:• Right bank -Tons-
rises from Bandar punch glacier
Ganga system: right bank tributaries
• Delhi, Agra and Mathura on Yamuna
• Its imp right bank tributaries from Vindhyan range
• Chambal, Sindh, Betwa and Ken
• Banas tri of Chmabal originate from Aravalli
Ganga system: right bank tributaries
Chamb
al Sind
hBetw
a
Dhas
anKe
n
Parb
ati
Kali
sind
h
Banas
2) SonFrom Amarkantak plateauImp tributaries: Rihand – source Ramgarh hillsGovind vallabh pant sagar on RihandNorth Koel – source –Chhota Nagpur plateau
Ganga system: right bank tributaries
Son river
Rihand
Ramgarh hills
Amarkantak plt
BaghelKaimur hills
3) HugliDistributary of GangaTributary: AjayKolkata on river Hugli
Ganga system: right bank tributaries
Ajay river
Hugli riverKolkata
Prelims2010
Q. Rivers that pass through Himachal Pradesh are:a) Beas and Chenabb) Beas and Ravic) Chenab, Ravi and
Satlejd) Beas, Chenab, Ravi,
Satlej and Yamuna
UPSC
Question
• Chenab• Ravi• Beas• Satlej – Spiti• Yamuna on border
between HP and Uttarakhand
Rivers in Himachal Pradesh
ChenabRavi
Beas
Satlej
Spiti
Yamu
na
Prelims2010
Q. Rivers that pass through Himachal Pradesh are:a) Beas and Chenabb) Beas and Ravic) Chenab, Ravi and
Satlejd) Beas, Chenab, Ravi,
Satlej and Yamuna
Ans. D)
UPSC
Question
Northern rivers
Indus
Ganga
Brahmaputra
• Originate from Chemayungdung glacier in Kailash
• Passes in Indus-Tsangpo sature zone (between Great Himalayas and Kailash range)
• Enters into India as Dibang
Brahmaputra system
Dihang
Kailash range
• Enters into Assam Plains near Sadiya
• After Sadiya it is known as Brahmaputra
• Tributaries: Manas, Subansiri, Dhansiri, Dibang, Lohit and Kapilli
Brahmaputra systemManas Subansiri Dihang
Dhansiri
Lohit
Kapilli
Garo
Khasi
Jaintia
Barail range
Naga hills
• enters Bangladesh as Jamuna
• Merged with Ganga – unitedly known as Padma
• Meghana river joins• Now known as Meghna• Large delta formation
Brahmaputra systemBrahmaputra
Ganga
Padma
Meghna
Meghna
Delta
Prelims2014
Q. Consider the following rivers:1. Barak2. Lohit3. Subansiri
Which of the above flows/flow through Arunachal Pradesh?
UPSC
Question
Barak river
Barak river
Naga Hills
Prelims2014
a) 1 onlyb) 2 and 3c) 1 and 3d) 1,2 and 3
Ans. B)
UPSC
Question
Northern rivers
Indus
Ganga
Brahmaputra
1) West flowing rivers: Narmada – Tapi
2) East-flowing rivers: Damodar, Subarnarekha, Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri etc
Peninsular rivers
1) Narmada:Source: Amarkantak plateauFlow in rift valley btwn Vindhyan and SatpuraMP-MH and GJDuandhar fall in MPMerged near Bharuch in GJSardar Sarovar dam
West flowing Peninsular rivers
Prelims2013
Q. Narmada river flows to east to west, while most other large peninsular rivers flow west to east. Why?1. It occupies a linear
rift valley2. It flows between
vindhyan and Satpura
3. The land slope to west from central India
UPSC
Question
Prelims2013
a) 1 onlyb) 2 and 3c) 1 and 3d) None
Ans. A)
UPSC
Question
Prelims2009
Q. At which one of the following places do two important rivers of India originate; while one of them flows towards north and merge with another important rivers flowing towards Bay of Bengal, the other one flows towards Arabian sea?a) Amarkantak plateaub) Badrinath
UPSC
Question
Prelims2009
c) Mahabaleshward) Nasik
Ans. A) River Son- flows towards north merges with Ganga – towards Bay of BengalRiver Narmada – flows towards Arabian sea
UPSC
Question
2) TapiSource: Betul plateauFlow south of SatpuraImp tributary: Purna riverMerged into sea near SuratMP-MH-GJ
West flowing Peninsular rivers
Tapi river
Purna river
Betul plateau
Rajpipla range
Gawilgarh range
Others:Sabarmati from Aravalli rangeMahi from Vindhyans
West flowing Peninsular rivers
Aravalli
Vindhyan
Sabarmati
Mahi
• West flowing rivers from Western Ghats
• Mandovi and Zuari in GOA
West Flowing Peninsular rivers
Mandovi river
Zuari river
• Kalinadi, Sharavati in KN• Shravati- Jog fall
(highest)
West Flowing Peninsular rivers
Kalinadi
Sharavati
Netravati
Periyar and Pamba in KR
West Flowing Peninsular rivers
kochi
Vembnad lake
Periyar river
Annamalai hills
Cardamom hills
Pamba river
Northern rivers
Indus
Ganga
Brahmaputra
1) DamodarSource: chhota Nagpur plateauTributary: BarakarIron and steel industry
East Flowing Peninsular rivers
Barakar river
Damodar riverChhota Nagpur plt
2) Subarnarekha, Baitrani and BrahmaniSubarnrekha – from Ranchi plateauBaitrani- Garhjat hillsBrahmani – headward streams, South Koel and Sankh from Chhota Nagpur plateau
East Flowing Peninsular rivers
Subarnrekha
Baitrani
Brahmani
Garhjat hills
Ranchi plateau
3) MahanadiSource: DanadkarnyaLeft bank: Sheonath, Hasdo and MandRight bank: Tel, Jonk, OngHirakund dam
East Flowing Peninsular rivers
Mahana
di
Sheonath
Hasdo
Mand
Tel
Ong
4) RushikulyaSource: Nayagarh hillsMouth known for: hatching site of Olive ridley turtles
East Flowing Peninsular rivers
Rushikulya river
Chilka lake
• The smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles found in the world
• They live in warm waters of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans.
• Olive ridley turtles IUCN status- “endangered”
Oilve Ridley turtles
• known for their unique mass nesting called “Arribada”= thousands of females come together on the same beach to lay eggs.
• Orissa coast is the largest mass hatching site of Olive ridley turtle in the world.
Olive Ridley turtles on Odisha coast
5) Godavari:Source: Trimbak pltLeft bank tri: Penganga, Wardha, Wainganga (combined = Pranhita), Indravati (fall), Sabari and sileru Right bank tri:Manjara
East Flowing Peninsular rivers
Sileru
Sabari
Indravati
Wenga
ngaWardha
Penganga
Manjara
Pranhita
Balaghat
6) Krishna:• Source:
Mahabaleshwar• Left bank tri:• Musi, Sina,Bhima,
Ghat prabha, Malprabha, Tungbhadra, Hagari
East Flowing Peninsular rivers
Musi Bhima
Sina
Malprabha
Ghatprabha
Tungbhadra
Hagari
7) Penneru/Penner:Source: Nandi durg peak in KNTri: Kunder, Charavati, Papagni, Punchu
East Flowing Peninsular rivers
8) Kaveri:• Source: Tal
kaveri at Brahmagiri hills
• Left bank tri:• Shimsa,
Hemvati, Kabani, Bhavani, Noyil, Amaravati
East Flowing Peninsular rivers Shimsa
Bhavani
NoyilAmravati
hemvati
Kabani
9) Vaigai:• Source: Varushand
Hills• Madurai located
on Vaigai river• Dry channel• Disappear then
again re-appear
East Flowing Peninsular rivers
Varushand Hills
Prelims2002
Q. The correct sequence of eastward flowing rivers of Peninsular India from north to south is:a) Subarnarekha- Mahanadi-
Godavari- Krishna-Pennar- Cauveri- Vaigai
b) Subarnarekha – Mahanadi- Krishna –Cauveri- Pennar- vaigai
UPSC
Question
Prelims2002
c) Mahadnadi- Subarnarekha- Godavari- Krishna- Cauveri- Pennar- Vaigaid) Mahanadi- Subarnarekha- Krishna- Godavari- Cauveri- Vaigai-Pennar
Ans. A)
UPSC
Question
Prelims2004
(A)west-flowing rivers of Peninsular India have no deltas
(R) These rivers do not carry any alluvial sediments
a) Both correct and R is correct explanation of A
b) Both correct but R is not correct explanation of A
UPSC
Question
Prelims2004
c) A is true R is falsed) A is false R is true
Ans. A)West flowing river- short distance – no alluvial – no delta
UPSC
Question
• First time recommended by Sir Arthur Cotton in 19th cent
• Aims to transfer surplus water of some rivers to water deficit river basins
• K.L. Rao, MoWR: Ganga-Kaveri link• Dishaw Dastur, pilot: transferring of water
using garland canal
River linking project
1) Transfer of water of Ganga and Brahmaputra towards west and east in south using 14 canals
2) In peninsula plateau: linking of rivers using 16 canals
River linking project
• Largest inter-basin transfer of water in the world if executed
• Project will take 50-100 years to complete• May produce 35GW of power
River linking project
• Favour:1) Management of flood and drought2) Expansion of irrigation network3) Drinking water supply
River linking project
• Challenges:1) Indian monsoon climate: rainy months and dry
months occur at the same in the entire country
2) Dams and canals- not proper solution to floods3) Plateau higher (upland) than northern plains –
difficult to pumping of water from plains to peninsula
River linking project
4) That require large amount of energy and canals5) Submergence of forests and villages6) Blocking of rivers – damage to riverine ecosystem 7) International water disputes and inter-state water disputes
River linking project