Drainage Systems of India

Made by: Rinkal Rudrawad

Drainage : The river system of an area is also known as ‘drainage’. Drainage system :The network of river, it’s tributaries and it’s distributaries is called ‘drainage system’.Catchment area  : A river drains the water collected from a specific area,  is called its ‘catchment area’.Drainage Basin :  An area drained by a river and its tributaries is called a drainage basin.Water divide : . The boundary line separating one drainage basin from the other is known as the water divideRiver basins  and Water shed : . The catchments of large rivers are called river basins while those of small rivulets and rills are often referred to as watersheds. Watersheds are small in area while the basins cover larger areas.

INTRODUCTION

The drainage systems of India Drainage basin is a basic spatial geomorphic unit of a river system, distinguished from a neighboring basin by ridges and highlands that form divides. Thus, river basins are natural units of land. They are regarded as the fundamental geomorphic as well as hydrological units for a systematic study of the river basins, mainly due to the following three reasons:

(i) They can be placed in an orderly hierarchy,(ii) They are basic units whose geomorphological and hydroloical characteristics can be measured quantitatively, and(iii) They can be treated as working systems with energy inputs of climatological variables like temperature and rainfall and output of river discharge as runoff.The Committee on Runoff of the American Geophysical Union treats the micro-unit within a river basin as the watershed, while the sum of all the micro, meso and macro tributaries of a river is known as a river basin.

A geometric arrangement of streams in a region; determined by slope, differing rock resistance to weathering and erosion, climate, hydrologic variability, and structural controls of the landscape is known as a drainage pattern. In other words, drainage pattern refers to a design which a river and its tributaries form together, from its source to its mouth. The factors controlling the pattern of drainage in a region include the topography, slope, structural control, nature of rocks, tectonic activities, supply of water, and above all, the geological history of that region.

DRAINAGE PATTERNS

Drainage patterns

The drainage pattern marked by right-angled bends and right-angled junctions between tributaries and the main stream is known as rectangular drainage. It differs from the trellis pattern in so far as it is more irregular and its tributary streams are neither as long, nor parallel as in trellis drainage. A typical example of this drainage pattern is found is the Vindhyan Mountains of India .

It is a pattern characterized by out flowing rivers, away from a central point, analogous with the spokes of a wheel. It tends to develop on the flanks of a dome or a volcanic cone. A good example of a radial drainage pattern is provided by the rivers originating from the Amarkantak mountain. Rivers like Narmada, Son and Mahanadi originating from Amarkantak Hills flow in different directions and are good examples of radial pattern. Radial drainage patterns are also found/in the Girnar Hills (Kathiwar, Gujarat), and Mikir Hills of Assam

RECTAGULAR DRAINAGE

RADIAL DRAINAGE

Denderitic drainage term used for drainage which is branching, ramifying or dichotomising, thereby giving the appearance of a tree. Thus, a dendritic pattern develops in a terrain which has uniform lithology, and where faulting and jointing are insignificant; e.g., massive crystalline rocks or thick plains consisting of clays. Most of the rivers of the Indo-Gangetic Plains are of dendritic type. The term dendritic, coined by I.C. Russel (1898), is used to denote the most common type of drainage pattern and is a distinctive feature of the regions having horizontally bedded sedimentary rocks or massive igneous rocks

DENDRITIC DRAINAGE

Trellis is a rectangular pattern formed where two sets of structural controls occurs at right angles. In a trellis pattern, the river forms a net like system and the tributaries flow roughly parallel to each other. The old folded mountains of the Singhbhum (Chotanagpur Plateau) have a drainage of trellis pattern.

TRELLIS DRAINAGE

It is important to note that a combination of different patterns may develop in the same drainage basin.

HIMALAYAN RIVERSThe Himalayas are drained by 19 major rivers, of which the Indus and the Brahmaputra are the largest, each having catchment basins in the mountains of about 100,000 square miles (260,000 square km) in extent. Of the other rivers, five belong to the Indus system—the Jhelum, the Chenab, the Ravi, the Beas, and the Sutlej—with a total catchment area of about 51,000 square miles (132,000 square km); nine belong to the Ganges system—the Ganges, Yamuna, Ramganga, Kali (Kali Gandak), Karnali, Rapti, Gandak, Baghmati, and Kosi rivers—draining another 84,000 square miles (218,000 square km) in the mountains; and three belong to the Brahmaputra system—the Tista, the Raidak, and the Manas—draining another 71,000 square miles (184,000 square km) in the Himalayas.The major Himalayan rivers rise north of the mountain ranges and flow through deep gorges that generally reflect some geologic structural control, such as a fault line. The rivers of the Indus system as a rule follow northwesterly courses, whereas those of the Ganges-Brahmaputra systems generally take easterly courses while flowing through the mountain region.

The river Indus originates in Tibet; near Lake Mansarowar. It enters India in the Ladakh district of Jammu & Kashmir. Zaskar, Nubra, Shyok and Hunza are the main tributaries which join the Indus in Kashmir region. After flowing through Baltistan and Gilgit, the Indus emerges from the mountains at Attock. Sutlej, Beas, Ravi, Chenab and Jhelum join together and enter the Indus near Mithankot in Pakistan. After that, the Indus flows southwards and finally reaches the Arabian Sea, east of Karachi.

THE INDUS RIVER SYSTEM:

Indus is 2900 km long. The Indus plain has a very gentle slope. A little over one-third of the Indus basin is located in India; in the states of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab. The rest of the portion is in Pakistan.

The headwaters of Ganga are called Bhagirathi. It is fed by the Gnagotri Glacier. It is joined by Alaknanda at Devprayag in Uttarakhand. Ganga emerges from the mountains on to the plains at Haridwar. Yamuna, Ghaghra, Gandak and Kosi are the major tributaries of Ganga. Yamuna originates from the Yamunotri Glacier in the Himalayas. It meets Ganga at Allahabad. Ghaghara, Gandak and Kosi rise in the Nepal Himalaya. Chambal, Betwa and Son are the major tributaries which come from the peninsular uplands. After taking waters from various tributaries, Ganga flows towards east till Farakka (West Bengal). The river bifurcates at Farakka. The Bhagirathi-Hooghly (a distributary) flows towards south to the Bay of Bengal.

THE GANGA RIVER SYSTEM

The mainstream flows southwards into Bangladesh; where it is joined by the Brahmaputra. It is known as Meghna; further downstream. Finally, the Ganga and the Brahmaputra flow into the Bay of Bengal forming the Sunderban Delta. The total length of Ganga is 2500 km.

The Brahmaputra rises in Tibet; east of Mansarowar lake. It is a little longer than the Indus. Most of the course of the Brahmaputra lies outside India. It flows eastwards parallel to the Himalayas. After reaching Namcha Barwa, it enters India in Arunachal Pradesh through a gorge. It is known as Dihang in this region. It is joined by Dibang, Lohit, Kenula and many other tributaries and finally forms the Brahmaputra in Assam. Unlike other north Indian rivers the Brahmaputra gets huge deposits of silt on its bed. This results in rising of the river bed. It also shifts its channel frequently.

THE BRAHMAPUTRA RIVER SYSTEM:

Numerous rivers traversing the Indian Peninsula are older than the Himalayan Rivers and embody the following major characteristics:The sources of the Peninsular Rivers lie in the plateaus and low hills devoid of snow; therefore, most of the rivers are seasonal.Most of these rivers can be said to have reached a mature state of development, presenting a senile topography.These rivers flow through open and graded shallow valleys with low gradients and little erosion.The Peninsular Rivers are either superimposed or at places rejuvenated (represented by small waterfalls), giving birth to radial, trellis or rectangular drainage patterns. These rivers mostly have smaller courses and small basins.These are devoid of meanders because of hard rock and non-alluvial character of the plateau.

PENINSULAR RIVERS

The Mahanadi rises near Sihawa in Raipur district of Chhattisgarh and runs through Orissa to discharge its water into the Bay of Bengal. It is 851 km long and its catchment area spreads over 1.42 lakh sq. km. Fifty three per cent of the drainage basin of this river lies in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, while 47 per cent lies in Orissa.

MAHANADI

The Godavari is the largest Peninsular river system. Because of it’s length and the area it covers it is also called the Dakshin Ganga. It’s drainage basin is largest among the peninsular rivers.It rises in the Nasik district of Maharashtra and discharges its water into the Bay of Bengal. Its tributaries run through the states of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Orissa and Andhra Pradesh. It is 1,500 km long with a catchment area spreading over 3.13 lakh sq. km. 49 per cent of this, lies in Maharashtra, 20 per cent in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, and the rest in Andhra Pradesh.The Penganga, the Indravati, the Pranhita, and the Manjra are its principal tributaries.

GODAVARI

The impermeable hard rock limits the groundwater recharge in the aquifers of peninsular rivers.These rivers are although suitable for power generation in their upper reaches but have limited use in irrigation and navigation.

The Krishna is the second largest east flowing Peninsular river which rises near Mahabaleshwar in Sahyadri. Its total length is 1,400 km. The Koyna, the Tungabhadra and the Bhima are its major tributaries.Of the total catchment area of the Krishna, 27 per cent lies in Maharashtra, 44 per cent in Karnataka and 29 per cent in Andhra Pradesh.

KRISHNA

The Kaveri rises in Brahmagiri hills (1,341m) of Kogadu district in Karnataka. Its length is 800 km and it drains an area of 81,155 sq. km. About 3 per cent of the Kaveri basin falls in Kerala, 41 per cent in Karnataka and 56 per cent in Tamil Nadu. Its important tributaries are the Kabini, the Bhavani and the Amravati.The river Kaveri makes the second biggest waterfall in India. It is known as Sivasamudram. The fall supplies hydroelectric power to Mysore, Bangalore and the Kolar Gold Field.

KAVERI

The Narmada originates on the western flank of the Amarkantak plateau at a height of about 1,057 m. Flowing in a rift valley between the Satpura in the south and the Vindhyan range in the north, it forms a picturesque gorge in marble rocks and Dhuandhar waterfall near Jabalpur. After flowing a distance of about 1,312 km, it meets the Arabian sea south of Bharuch, forming a broad 27 km long estuary. All the tributaries of Narmada are very short and most of these join the mainstream at right angles.The Narmada basin covers partsIts catchment area is about 98,796 sq. km. The Sardar Sarovar Project has been constructed on this river.

NARMADA

The Tapi is the other important westward flowing river. It originates from Multai in the Betul district of Madhya Pradesh. It is 724 km long and drains an area of 65,145 sq. km. Nearly 79 per cent of its basin lies in Maharashtra, 15 per cent in Madhya Pradesh and the remaining 6 per cent in Gujarat.

TAPI

Luni is the largest river system of Rajasthan, west of Aravali. It originates near Pushkar in two branches, i.e. the Saraswati and the Sabarmati, which join with each other at Govindgarh. From here, the river comes out of Aravali and is known as Luni. It flows towards the west till Telwara and then takes a southwest direction to join the Rann of Kuchchh. The entire river system is ephemeral.

LUNI

Why have the rivers of the peninsular India well-defined rigid channels in sharp contrast to the Himalayan Rivers?

Indian rivers can be categorized into two broad categories i.e. Himalayan and Peninsular Rivers.

Himalayan rivers have their origin in high Himalayan mountain and gradually coming down on plains and debouching themselves into Bay of Bengal.

This is not the case with the Peninsular Rivers. These rivers have their origin in Western Ghats which about 2000 meters above sea level thus not too high to their Himalayan counterpart. Secondly the Peninsular Plateau over which peninsular rivers flows are hard, rigid and not sandy, alluvial in nature as in the North India. Thus, here two features do not give too much scope, to change their river course. Surface in this region are made of the rocks like Gneiss, metamorphic features. Thus, the Peninsular rivers like Godavari River, Krishna, Vaigai etc. have their well defined rigid channels in sharp contrast to Himalayan Rivers.

Peninsular Rivers flowing through Western Ghats, does not find enough scope to carry enough alluvial soil or sediments to let it spread over at the surface of the Plateau. This factor also reduces the chances of non-well defined rigid channels.

Water

Rivers carry water and nutrients to areas all around the earth. They play a very important part in the water cycle, acting as drainage channels for surface water. Rivers drain nearly 75% of the earth's land surface.

Habitats

Rivers provide excellent habitat and food for many of the earth's organisms.

Many rare plants and trees grow by rivers. Ducks, voles, otters and beavers make their homes on the river banks. Reeds and other plants like bulrushes grow along the river banks.

 

IMPORTANCE OF RIVERS

Other animals use the river for food and drink. Birds such as kingfishers eat small fish from the river. In Africa, animals such as antelopes, lions and elephants go to rivers for water to drink. Other animals such as bears catch fish from rivers.

River deltas have many different species of wildlife. Insects, mammals and birds use the delta for their homes and for food.

Transport

Rivers provide travel routes for exploration, commerce and recreation.

Farming

River valleys and plains provide fertile soils. Farmers in dry regions irrigate their cropland using water carried by irrigation ditches from nearby rivers.

Energy

Rivers are an important energy source. During the early industrial era, mills, shops, and factories were built near fast-flowing rivers where water could be used to power machines. Today steep rivers are still used to power hydroelectric plants and their water turbines.

Name Origin From Fall into Length (km)Ganges Combined Sources Bay of Bengal 2525

Satluj Mansarovar Rakas

Lakes Chenab 1050

Indus Near Mansarovar

LakeArabian Sea 2880

Ravi Kullu Hills near Rohtang Pass

Chenab 720

Beas Near Rohtang Pass Satluj 470 Jhelum Verinag in Kashmir Chenab 725 Yamuna Yamunotri Ganga 1375 Chambal M.P. Yamuna 1050 Ghagra Matsatung Glacier Ganga 1080

Kosi Near Gosain Dham

ParkGanga 730

Betwa Vindhyanchal Yamuna 480

Following are the important rivers of India

Son Amarkantak Ganga 780

Brahmaputra Near Mansarovar

LakeBay of Bengal 2900

Narmada Amarkantak Gulf of Khambat 1057Tapti Betul Distt. Of MP Gulf of Khambat 724

Mahanadi Raipur Distt. In

ChattisgarhBay of Bengal 858

Luni Aravallis Rann of kuchchh 450 Ghaggar Himalayas Near Fatehabad 494

Sabarmati Aravallis Gulf of Khambat 416Krishna Western ghats Bay of Bengal 1327

Godavari Nasik distt. In Maharashtra

Bay of Bengal 1465

Cauvery Brahmagir Range of Western Ghats

Bay of Bengal 805

Tungabhadra Western Ghats Krishna River 640

A large water body which is surrounded by land is called a lake. Most of the lakes are permanent, while some contain water only during the rainy season. Lakes are formed by the action of glaciers and ice sheets, by wind, river action and by human activities.

Ox-bow Lake: A lake formed when a meandering river is cut off from the mainstream. The shape of this lake resembles an ox-bow.

Lagoon: When the lake is formed by spits and bars in coastal areas, it is called a lagoon. Chilika lake, Pulicat lake, Kolleru lake, etc. are examples of lagoon.

Glacial Lake: A lake formed by melting of glacier is called a glacial lake. Most of the lakes in the Himalayan region are glacial lakes. Wular lake (Jammu & Kashmir) is the largest freshwater lake in India. It was formed by tectonic activity.

LAKES

The Importance of Lakes

Healthy lakes and their shores not only provide us with a number of environmental benefits but they influence our quality of life and they strengthen our economy.Proper lake function can ease the impact of floods and droughts by storing large amounts of water and releasing it during shortages.  Lakes also work to replenish groundwater, positively influence water quality of downstream watercourses, and preserve the biodiversity and habitat of the area. 

Lakes can provide us with prime opportunities for recreation, tourism, and cottage or residential living.  They are also respected by many people for their historical and traditional values and may be a source of raw drinking water for a municipality.  Lakes can also be used as a water supply for industry and an irrigation source for agriculture. 

So you see lakes are more than just a simple body of water used by many people to enjoy recreational activities.  They are important ecosystems that, when respected and cared for, can sustain a healthy balance of aquatic life, provide us with much enjoyment, and help support our socio-economic needs.  It is our responsibility to continue to practice stewardship in our lakes by keeping them healthy for all, especially those who depend on them. 

Typically, a river valley can be divided into three sections; the upper course, the middle course and the lower course. We shall examine each section of the river along with their various features in some detail. 

RIVER FEATURES

River Features found in the Upper CourseThis is the part of the river closest to the source. The gradient is steep. The river is small and flows quickly. Some features expected in this section of the river are V- shaped valleys, interlocking spurs, a river bed with large rocks and stones, gorges, fast flowing rapids and waterfalls.Some features are V-shaped valleys, Interlocking spurs,

Waterfalls, Georges and Rapids

River Features found in the Lower CourseThis is the part of the river nearest the sea. Here, the gradient is even gentler. The river flows even slowly and the volume of water is greater. Deposition is much more important than erosion in this part of the river. Some features usually found in this section are:1. Flood plains2. Ox-bow lakes3. Levees4. Braiding5. Deltas

River Features found in the Middle CourseIn this part of the river, the gradient is not as steep as it was in the upper course. Lateral erosion (erosion of the banks) is now more effective than vertical erosion. The river develops a wider, more open appearance. Some deposition now takes place. Meanders (bends in the river) are more common. Typical features found in the middle course are:1. River cliffs and slip-off slopes

Most of the fresh water lakes are in the Himalayan region. They are of glacial origin, in other words they formed when glaciers dug out a basin, which was later filled with snowmelt. The wular lake in Jammu and Kashmir, in contrast, is the result of the tectonic activity. The Dal lake, Bhimtal, Nainital, Loktak and barapani are some other important freshwater lakes.A part from natural lakes, the damming of the rivers for the generation of hydel power has also led to the formation of lakes such as Guru Gobind Sager (Bhakra Nangal Project).

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 rivers reducing their volume.

On the other hand, a heavy load of untreated sewage and industrial effluents are being emptied into rivers.

This affects not only the quality of water but also the self cleansing capacity of the river.

For e.g., given the adequate stream flow, the ganga water is able to dilute and assimilate pollution loads within 20 km of large cities. But the increasing urbanization and industrialization do not let it to happen and the pollution level of many rivers is rising.

Concern over rising pollution in our rivers led to the lunching of various action plans to clean the rivers.

RIVER POLLUTION

Investigating river pollutionMost fresh water pollution is caused by the addition of organic material which is mainly sewage but can be food waste or farm effluent. Bacteria and other micro-organisms feed on organic matter and large populations quickly develop using up much of the oxygen dissolved in the water. Normally oxygen is present in high quantities but even a small drop in the level can have a harmful effect on the river animals. Animals can be listed according to their ability to tolerate low levels of oxygen. In the following list animals which indicate a high level of dissolved oxygen are at the beginning while animals indicating a low level of oxygen are at the end: stone-fly nymphs, mayfly nymphs, freshwater shrimps, freshwater hog lice, blood worms, tubifex worms and rat-tailed maggots.

Tectonic lakes: The movements of the Earth's crust formed the largest lake, the Caspian Sea, and the deepest, Lake Baikal. Caspian Sea is located in a depression between the Caucasus Mountains and Central Asia and its surface is still varying, millions of years after its emergence. Before the formation of the Caucasus chain, it was connected to the Black Sea. Lake Baikal (in Siberia) emerged after the collapse of a tectonic block that formed a depression, subsequently filled by water. The Great Rift Valley in Africa harbors, from north to south, a chain of lakes like Albert, Edward, Tanganyika and Malawi. The rift penetrates to southwestern Asia, comprising the lake located at the lowest altitude: the Dead Sea, 399 m (1,330 ft) under the sea level.

TYPES OF LAKES

2.Volcanic lakes. The most common form is the one filling the caldera of a shut-off volcano. One of the largest lakes of this kind is the Crater Lake, from the crater of Mazama Mountain, Oregon, US. It formed 6,600 years ago, having 10 km (6.2 mi) in diameter, and a depth of 589 m (1.963 ft).

Some volcanic lakes form when the lava seeps on the slopes, solidifying due to the cold waters. This way the Lake Kivu from the Great Rift Valley formed, located between Rwanda and Zaire. Its valley had had a northward flow to the Nile, which was blocked by the eruption of a local volcano. Now, the waters of the Lake Kivu are drained by the Ruzizi River into Lake Tanganyika.

3.Glacial lakes appear following the melting of the glaciers. They are more common in the Northern Hemisphere, due to the Quaternary glaciations. Most lakes in the UK, Finland (about 60,000 !) or Alps formed this way. The glaciers dug deep pools on the rocks on which they formed, which filled with water after their melting. The debris deposed by the glaciers caused the interception of some valleys and, finally, the forming of lakes.

4.Karstic lakes form in calcareous regions and can be subterranean as well. Water dissolves the limestone creating huge caves harboring rivers and lakes. Lakes in regions with subterranean salt deposits appear in a similar way.

5.Salt lakes. Most lakes contain freshwater and are continuously supplied with water from the exterior. If the supply of freshwater is limited, minerals from the bottom of the lakes can enter into the water's composition and concentrate, turning the lake salty. The Great Salt Lake from Utah formed this way. The Caspian Sea and the Aral Sea are salty too. The Aral Sea was once the fourth lake in the world, but the exploitation of the water of the rivers supplying it caused its surface to drop from 77,541 square km to 40,000 square km, placing it on the sixth position in the world nowadays.

The saltiest lake in the world is the Dead Sea, located between Israel and Jordan; its salinity is 9 times higher than the ocean's. Because of this, the human body floats at the surface of its waters, without the need to swim. In many places, like Africa, the Andes or Galapagos, the salty lakes are used for salt extraction during the dry season.

6.Artificial lakes. The most common are reservoirs, like Lake Nasser, formed through the interception of the Nile, and Lake Mead (US), formed through the interception of the Colorado River. They generate hydroelectric power. Many artificial lakes serve as water reservoirs, supplying water for industries and home usage

India has many lakes. These differ from each other in the size, and other characteristics.

Most lakes are permanent; some contain water only during the rainy season, like the lakes in the basins of inland drainage of semi-arid regions.

There are some of the lakes which are a result of the action of glaciers and ice sheets, while the others have been formed by wind, river actions and human activities.

A meandering river across a flood plain forms cut-offs that later develop into ox-bow lakes.

Spits and bars form lagoons in the coastal areas, e.g. the chilika lake, the Pulicat lake, the Kolleru lake.

Lakes in the region of inland drainage are sometimes seasonal; for example, the Sambhar lake in Rajasthan, which is a salt water lake. It’s water is used for producing salt.

TYPES OF LAKES

LIFE OF HUMAN BEINGS WITHOUT FRESH WATERFresh wateris naturally occurring water on the Earth 's surface in ice sheets, ice caps, glaciers, ponds, lakes, rivers and streams, and underground as groundwater and underground streams. Fresh water is generally characterized by having low concentrations of dissolved salts and other total dissolved solids. The term specifically excludes seawater and brackish water. A human body can survive 8-14 days without water depending on the person. First of all our very existence will be in danger in the absence of fresh drinking water.

Besides we will not get the much needed source of irrigation for our fields and as a result there could be lot of scarcity of food. So we will face a situation of food crisis. Water running in rivers is tapped and big dams are constructed and hydropower is produced. Moreover river transport system is not possible in case water stop flowing in rivers. Although plenty of water is available in oceans but that is not fit to be consumed by human beings as it is salty.

At last in situation of extinction of fresh water resources, human beings will have to desalinate the sea water which is very costly affair. Lot of poor people will die as they will not be able to afford this type of water obtained through desalination plants. Moreover many types of diseases may occur due to consumption of sea water. In nutshell human beings will face a very difficult time in case they have to line without fresh water. Water is a finite resource which means that the total amount of water in the planet is only limited. Its supply remains the same and yet human population recently grows resulting to a decrease of available amount of freshwater per person. The relatively small amount of available freshwater elaborates on how critical it is for everyone to help preserve and maintain clean, healthy lakes and streams, our sources of water. Water is mostly now being wasted because it is under-priced. We do not realize the danger now but in future it will be the biggest problem.

Thank you