Rivers of India

Hooghly river

Hooghly -Distributary
of Ganga
• Kolkata on left bank
of Hooghly
• Tidal bores in Kolkata
port
 Importance of Tide
Tidal height important for Harbours with
shallow ‘bars’ at the entrance, which
prevent ships and boats from entering
into the harbour.
 Tides are also helpful in desilting the
sediments and in removing polluted
water from river estuaries.
Tidal energy to generate electrical
power
 Question
Q. Consider the following
statements:
UPSC
1) Tides are great help in navigation
and fishing
2) High tide enable big ships to
enter or leave the harbour safely
Prelims
3) Tide prevents siltation of harbor
2000
4) Kandla and diamond harbor are
tidal ports
a) 1 and 4 Question
b) 2,3 and 4
UPSC
c) 1,2 and 3
d) 1,2,3 and 4

Statement 1 is wrong.
Prelims
Tide not helpful in navigation
2000

Ans. B)
 Tidal ports
Kandla port Diamond harbour
 Ports
Tidal ports Non-tidal ports

Feed by sea water during Feed by rivers

high tide Relatively in-land
Located on coast Ex. Kolkata port
Ex. Kandla
 12 major ports of India
port facts

Kandla First port developed after independence

JNPT To decongest Mumbai port

Murmagao, KN Known for iron ore export

New Manglore port Export iron ore from Kudremukh mine in KN

Kochi At the entrance of a lagoon

Tuticorin port Also Handles cargo of Shri Lanka and Maldives

Chennai Oldest artificial port

vishakhapatnam Deepest landlocked port, export iron ore

Kolkata port Riverine port

Haldia To decongest Kolkata port

Paradip port, Odisha Initially to export iron ore

 Northern
rivers
Indian rivers
Peninsular
rivers
Northern Peninsular
rivers rivers

West
Indus
flowing

East
Ganga
flowing

Brahmaputra
Indus river
• 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
 Tributaries of Indus
Hunza • Cities on Indus –Leh
Gilgit riv
riv
Siachin
glacier
Tributaries:
• Shyok from Siachin
Shyok
riv
glacier
• Suru (Obsequent triFLOW
OPPSITE TO INDUS WEST TO EAST) –

Zaskar riv originate from Deosai

mt. , Burzil la pass,
kargil on it, chutak dam
• Gilgit – last tri in India
Tributaries of Indus: Jhelum
• Jhelum river:
• Rises at Verinag
• Shrinagar
• Kishanganga joins on
right
• Kishanganga river
dispute with Pakistan
• Jhelum enters Pakistan
near Baramulla
Tributaries of Indus: Chenab
• Two headward
tributaries: Chandra
and Bhaga
• Chnadra originate near
Zozi la and Bhaga at
Baracha la
• Dhulhasti, Baglihar and
Salal dams
Tributaries of Indus: Ravi
• Source near Rohtang
pass in Himachal
Pradesh
• Drains between
Pripanjal and
Dhauladhar
• Chamba is located on
Ravi
Tributaries of Indus: Beas
• 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: Satluj
• Originate near
Man sarovar
• Enters India
through Shipki
la pass
• Imp tributary:
Spiti
• Neptha-jhakhari
dam
 Question
Q. Which one of the following rivers
does not originate in India?
UPSC
a) Beas
b) Chenab
c) Ravi
d) Sutlej Prelims
2009
Ans. D)
 Question
Q. From north to south, which one of
the following is the correct sequence
of given rivers in India? UPSC
a) Shyok- Spiti-Zaskar-Sutlej
b) Shyok-Zaskar-Spiti-Sutlej
c) Zaskar- Shyok-Sutlej-Spiti Prelims
d) Zaskar-Sultej-Shyok-Spiti 2006

Ans. b)
Northern Peninsular
rivers rivers

West
Indus
flowing

East
Ganga
flowing

Brahmaputra
Ganga system
• 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 Right Bank tributaries

Ramganga Yamuna
Gomati Son
Ghaghar Hugli
Gandak
Kosi
Ganga system: left bank tributaries
• 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
Gurla
mandhata
• Ghaghara –
Man sarovar lake
peak originate from Gurala
mandhata peak
Karnali river
(South of Man
Kali (Sarda) sarovar) in Tibet
river
Rapti river
• Two headward
streams: kali (Sarda)
Ghaghara
river
and Karnali
• Ayodhya, Faizabad
located on Ghaghara
Ganga system: left bank tributaries
• Gandak originated near
Nepal-Tibet border
Kali Gandaki • Kali Gandaki and
Trishuli imp tributaries
• Merge in Ganga near
Patna
Ganga system: left bank tributaries
• Kosi- ‘Saptkaushi’
• 7 streams
Kosi • 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: right bank tributaries
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
2) Son
From Amarkantak
plateau
Imp tributaries: Rihand
– source Ramgarh hills
Son river Govind vallabh pant
sagar on Rihand
Baghel
Kaimur hills
North Koel – source –
Amarkantak Ramgarh hills
plt Chhota Nagpur plateau
Ganga system: right bank tributaries
3) Hugli
Distributary of Ganga
Tributary: Ajay
Kolkata on river Hugli

Hugli
river
Kolkata
 Question
Q. Rivers that pass through Himachal
Pradesh are:
UPSC
a) Beas and Chenab
b) Beas and Ravi
c) Chenab, Ravi and Satlej
d) Beas, Chenab, Ravi, Satlej and Prelims
Yamuna 2010
Rivers in Himachal Pradesh
• Chenab
• Ravi
• Beas
• Satlej – Spiti
• Yamuna on border
between HP and
Uttarakhand
 Question
Q. Rivers that pass through Himachal
Pradesh are:
UPSC
a) Beas and Chenab
b) Beas and Ravi
c) Chenab, Ravi and Satlej
d) Beas, Chenab, Ravi, Satlej and Prelims
Yamuna 2010

Ans. D)
Northern Peninsular
rivers rivers

West
Indus
flowing

East
Ganga
flowing

Brahmaputra
 Jan 2018
Darkning (muddy,turbid h2o)of h2o of
brahmaputra river (gov waiting report of CWC
centeal water commission ) constituted by
art262 of constitution
CHINA >because of earthquake in
Tibet(china built dam at Yarlung divert h2o of
Brahmaputra +1000km tunel south tibet to
jingjiyang world longest tunel)
Brahmaputra system
• Originate from
Chemayungdung
glacier in Kailash
• Passes in Indus-
Dihang(si Tsangpo sature zone
ang) in
AP (between Great
Himalayas and Kailash
range)
• Enters into India as
Dibang/siang
 Brahmaputra system
• Enters into Assam
Manas
Subansiri
Plains near Sadiya
• After Sadiya it is
Naga
known as
Garo Khasi
Jaintia Barail
hills Brahmaputra
range • Tributaries: Manas,
Subansiri,
Dhansiri, Dibang,
Lohit and Kapilli
 Brahmaputra system
• enters Bangladesh as
Brahmaputra Jamuna
• Merged with Ganga –
unitedly known as
Meghna
Padma
• Meghana river joins
• Now known as Meghna
• Large delta formation
 Question
Q. Consider the following rivers:
1. Barak UPSC
2. Lohit
3. Subansiri

Which of the above flows/flow Prelims

through Arunachal Pradesh? 2014
Barak river

Naga Hills

Barak
river
 Question
a) 1 only
b) 2 and 3 UPSC
c) 1 and 3
d) 1,2 and 3

Ans. B) Prelims
2014
Northern Peninsular
rivers rivers

West
Indus
flowing

East
Ganga
flowing

Brahmaputra
Peninsular rivers
1) West flowing rivers:
Narmada – Tapi
2) East-flowing rivers:
Damodar,
Subarnarekha,
Mahanadi, Godavari,
Krishna, Kaveri etc
West flowing Peninsular rivers
1) Narmada:
Source: Amarkantak
plateau
Flow in rift valley btwn
Vindhyan and Satpura
MP-MH and GJ
Duandhar fall in MP
Merged near Bharuch in
GJ
Sardar Sarovar dam
 Question
Q. Narmada river flows to east to
west, while most other large
peninsular rivers flow west to east. UPSC
Why?
1. It occupies a linear rift valley
2. It flows between vindhyan and
Satpura Prelims
2013
3. The land slope to west from
central India
 Question
a) 1 only
b) 2 and 3 UPSC
c) 1 and 3
d) None

Prelims
Ans. A) 2013
 Question
Q. At which one of the following
places do two important rivers of
India originate; while one of them UPSC
flows towards north and merge with
another important rivers flowing
towards Bay of Bengal, the other one
flows towards Arabian sea? Prelims
a) Amarkantak plateau 2009
b) Badrinath
 Question
c) Mahabaleshwar
d) Nasik UPSC

Ans. A)
River Son- flows towards north
merges with Ganga – towards Bay of Prelims
Bengal 2009
River Narmada – flows towards
Arabian sea
 West flowing Peninsular rivers
2) Tapi
Source: Betul
plateau
Flow south of
Rajpipla Satpura
range Tapi river
Betul
plateau Imp tributary: Purna
Gawilgarh river
Purna river range
Merged into sea
near Surat
MP-MH-GJ
 West flowing Peninsular rivers
Others:
Sabarmati from Aravalli
range
Mahi
Mahi from Vindhyans
Sabarmati
Vindhyan
West Flowing Peninsular rivers
• West flowing rivers
from Western Ghats
Mandovi • Mandovi and Zuari in
river
GOA

Zuari river
 West Flowing Peninsular rivers
• Kalinadi, Sharavati in
KN
• Shravati- Jog fall
(highest)
Kalinadi

Sharavati

Netravati
 West Flowing Peninsular rivers
Periyar and Pamba in
KR

Periyar
river
kochi
Annamalai
hills
Vembnad lake Pamba Cardamom
river hills
Northern Peninsular
rivers rivers

West
Indus
flowing

East
Ganga
flowing

Brahmaputra
 East Flowing Peninsular rivers
1) Damodar
Source: chhota Nagpur
plateau
Tributary: Barakar
Iron and steel industry

Chhota Nagpur
plt
 East Flowing Peninsular rivers
2) Subarnarekha,
Baitrani and Brahmani
Subarnrekha – from
Ranchi plateau
Ranchi Baitrani- Garhjat hills
plateau
Brahmani – headward
Garhjat hills streams, South Koel and
Sankh from Chhota
Baitrani Nagpur plateau
 East Flowing Peninsular rivers
3) Mahanadi
Source: Danadkarnya
Left bank: Sheonath,
Hasdo and Mand
Hasdo Right bank: Tel, Jonk,
Sheonath
Ong
Hirakund dam
Ong
East Flowing Peninsular rivers
4) Rushikulya
Source:
Nayagarh hills
Mouth known
for: hatching
Chilka lake site of Olive
ridley turtles
Rushikulya
river
Oilve Ridley turtles
• 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”
Olive Ridley turtles on Odisha coast
• 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.
East Flowing Peninsular rivers
5) Godavari:
Source: Trimbak plt
Left bank tri:
Indravati
Sabari Penganga, Wardha,
Wainganga
(combined =
Pranhita), Indravati
(fall), Sabari and
sileru
Right bank tri:
Manjara
 East Flowing Peninsular rivers
6) Krishna:
• Source:
Musi
Mahabaleshwar
Ghatprabha • Left bank tri:
• Musi, Sina,Bhima,
Tungbhadra Ghat prabha,
Malprabha,
Tungbhadra, Hagari
East Flowing Peninsular rivers
7) Penneru/Penner:
Source: Nandi durg
peak in KN
Tri: 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
9) Vaigai:
• Source: Varushand
Hills
• Madurai located on
Vaigai river
• Dry channel
Varushand
Hills
• Disappear then
again re-appear
 Question
Q. The correct sequence of eastward
flowing rivers of Peninsular India
from north to south is: UPSC
a) Subarnarekha- Mahanadi-
Godavari- Krishna-Pennar-
Cauveri- Vaigai
b) Subarnarekha – Mahanadi- Prelims
Krishna –Cauveri- Pennar- vaigai 2002
 Question
c) Mahadnadi- Subarnarekha-
Godavari- Krishna- Cauveri- Pennar-
Vaigai UPSC
d) Mahanadi- Subarnarekha- Krishna-
Godavari- Cauveri- Vaigai-Pennar

Prelims
Ans. A)
2002
 Question
(A) west-flowing rivers of Peninsular
India have no deltas
UPSC
(R) These rivers do not carry any
alluvial sediments

a) Both correct and R is correct Prelims

explanation of A
2004
b) Both correct but R is not correct
explanation of A
 Question
c) A is true R is false
d) A is false R is true UPSC

Ans. A)
West flowing river- short distance – Prelims
no alluvial – no delta 2004
 River linking project
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 drought
2) Expansion of irrigation network
3) 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
floods
3) 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
canals
5) Submergence of forests and villages
6) Blocking of rivers – damage to riverine
ecosystem
7) International water disputes and inter-state
water disputes