Rivers of India

Luni River

✅The Luni or the Salt River (Lonari or Lavanavari in Sanskrit) is named so because its water is brackish below Balotra.

✅Luni is the only river basin of any significance in Western Rajasthan, which form the bulk of arid zone.

✅Luni originates from western slopes of the Aravalli ranges at an elevation of 772 m near Ajmer flowing in South West direction and traversing a course of 511 km in Rajasthan, it finally flow into the Rann of Kachchh (it gets lost in the marsh).

✅Most of its tributaries drain the steep north west of Aravalli hills and join it on left side. Its total catchment area falls in Rajasthan.

✅The peculiarity of this river is that it tends to increase its width rather than deepening the bed because the banks are of soils, which are easily erodible whereas beds are of sand. The floods develop and disappear so rapidly that they have no time to scour the bed.

Mahi River

✅The Mahi basin extends over states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat having total area of 34,842 Sq km.

✅It is bounded by Aravalli hills on the north and the north-west, by Malwa Plateau on the east, by the Vindhyas on the south and by the Gulf of Khambhat on the west.

✅Mahi is one of the major interstate west flowing rivers of India.

✅It originates from the northern slopes of Vindhyas at an altitude of 500 m in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh.

✅The total length of Mahi is 583 km.

✅It drains into the Arabian Sea through the Gulf of Khambhat.

✅The major part of basin is covered with agricultural land accounting to 63.63% of the total area

✅Hydro Power stations are located in Mahi Bajaj Sagar dam and at Kadana Dam.

✅Vadodara is the only important urban centre in the basin. There are not many industries in the basin.

✅Some of the industries are cotton textile, paper, newsprint, drugs and pharmaceuticals. Most of these industries are located at Tatlam.

Sabarmati River

✅The Sabarmati is the name given to the combined streams the Sabar and Hathmati.

✅The Sabarmati basin extends over states of Rajasthan and Gujarat having an area of 21,674 Sq km.

✅The basin is bounded by Aravalli hills on the north and north-east, by Rann of Kutch on the west and by Gulf of Khambhat on the south.

✅The basin is roughly triangular in shape with the Sabarmati River as the base and the source of the Vatrak River as the apex point.

✅Sabarmati originates from Aravalli hills at an elevation of 762 m near village Tepur, in Udaipur district of Rajasthan.

✅The total length of river from origin to outfall into the Arabian Sea is 371 km.

✅The major part of basin is covered with agriculture accounting to 74.68% of the total area.

✅Left bank tributaries: the Wakal, the Hathmati and the Vatrak.

✅Right bank tributaries: the Sei.

Tapti River

✅The Tapti (also known as the Tapi) is the second largest west flowing river of the Peninsular India and is known as ‘the twin’ or ‘the handmaid’ of the Narmada.

✅It originates near Multai reserve forest in Madhya Pradesh at an elevation of 752 m.

✅Flows for about 724 km before outfalling into the Arabian Sea through the Gulf of Cambay [Gulf of Khambhat].

✅The Tapti River along with its tributaries flows over the plains of Vidharbha, Khandesh and Gujarat and over large areas in the state of Maharashtra and a small area in Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.

✅The basin extends over states of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat having an area of ~ 65,000 Sq.km

✅Situated in the Deccan plateau, the basin is bounded by the Satpura range on the north, Mahadev hills on the east, Ajanta Range and the Satmala hills on the south and by the Arabian Sea on the west.

✅The hilly region of the basin is well forested while the plains are broad and fertile areas suitable for cultivation.

✅There are two well defined physical regions, in the basin, viz hilly region and plains; the hilly regions comprising Satpura, Satmalas, Mahadeo, Ajanta and Gawilgarh hills are well forested.

Shyok River

✅Rising from the Karakoram Range, it flows through the Northern Ladakh region in J&K

✅length of about 550km.

✅A tributary of the Indus River, it originates from the Rimo Glacier.

✅The river widens at the confluence with the Nubra River

✅Shyok River marks the south-eastern fringe of the Karakoram ranges by forming a V-shaped bend around it.

Nubra River

✅It is the main tributary of the Shyok River.

✅It originated from the Nubra Glacier, in a depression to the east of Saltoro Kangri Peak

✅Nubra River meanders towards the southeast to join the Shyok River downstream of Shyok Valley at the base of the Ladakh range

✅Nubra Valley, situated at an altitude of 3048m, is formed out of the Nubra River

✅The catchment area is devoid of vegetation and human habitation due to high elevation and lack of rainfall.

Shigar River

✅It is a small right-bank tributary of the Indus River in its course through the Ladakh region of J&K

✅It rises from the Hispar Glacier.

✅It joins Indus at Skardu.

✅The Shigar River descends down a very steep gradient

✅Its entire catchment has been influenced by the action of glaciers.

Gilgit River

✅It is an important right-bank tributary of the Indus River in its course through the Ladakh region of J&K

✅It originates from a glacier near the extreme northwestern boundary of the Himalayas

✅The entire catchment area of the Gilgit River is bleak and desolate

✅Bunji is the main human settlement along the river

✅Ghizar and Hunza are the major right and left bank tributaries respectively.

Sutlej River

✅The Sutlej is sometimes known as the Red River.

✅It rises from beyond the Indian borders in the southern slopes of the Kailash Mountain near Mansarover Lake from Rakas Lake.

✅It enters HP at Shipki La and flows in the South-westerly direction through Kinnaur, Shimla, Kullu, Solan, Mandi, and Bilaspur districts.

✅It leaves HP to enter the plains of Punjab at Bhakra, where the world’s highest gravity dam- Bhakra Nangal Dam, has been constructed on this river.

✅The waters of the Sutlej are allocated to India under the Indus Water Treaty b/w India and Pakistan and is mainly used for power generation and irrigation of many large canals draw water from it

✅Across the river, there are many hydroelectric and irrigation projects such as the Kol Dam, Nathpa Jhakri project

Jhelum River

✅The Jhelum has its source in a spring at Verinag in the south-eastern part of the Kashmir Valley.

✅It flows northwards into Wular Lake (north-western part of Kashmir Valley). From Wular Lake, it changes its course southwards. At Baramulla the river enters a gorge in the hills.

✅The river forms steep-sided narrow gorge through Pir Panjal Range below Baramula.

✅At Muzaffarabad, the river takes a sharp hairpin bend southward.

✅Thereafter, it forms the India-Pakistan boundary for 170 km and emerges at the Potwar Plateau near Mirpur.

✅After flowing through the spurs of the Salt Range it debouches (emerge from a confined space into a wide, open area) on the plains near the city of Jhelum.

✅It joins the Chenab at Trimmu.

✅The river is navigable for about 160 km out of a total length of 724 km.

Chenab River

✅The Chenab originates from near the Bara Lacha Pass in the Lahul-Spiti part of the Zaskar Range.

✅Two small streams on opposite sides of the pass, namely Chandra and Bhaga, form its headwaters at an altitude of 4,900 m.

✅The united stream Chandrabhaga flows in the north-west direction through the Pangi valley, parallel to the Pir Panjal range.

✅Near Kistwar, it cuts a deep gorge.

✅It enters the plain area near Akhnur in Jammu and Kashmir.

✅From here it through the plains of Pakistani Punjab to reach Panchnad where it joins the Satluj after receiving the waters of Jhelum and Ravi rivers.

Yamuna river

-- is another sacred river of India that origins from Yamunotri Glacier at height 6,387 metres, on the south western slopes of Banderpooch peak, in the Lower Himalayas in Uttarakhand. 

✅From there it travels a total length of 1,376 kilometers and has a drainage system of 366,223 km², 40.2% of the entire Ganga Basin, before merging with the Ganga at Triveni Sangam or Prayag at Allahabad.

✅From Uttarakhand, Yamuna river flows for some 200 kilometers in Lower Himalayas and Shivalik Ranges.

✅Its largest tributary Tons River flows through Garhwal region in Uttarakhand, and meets Yamuna near Dehradun.

✅The other rivers such as Giri, Rishi Ganga, Kunta, Hanuman Ganga and Bata tributaries meet Yamuna, before it descends on to the plains of Doon Valley, at Dak Pathar near Dehradun.

✅Further down, Yamuna is met by the Assan River, lies the Assan barrage, which hosts a Bird Sanctuary as well.

Ravi river

✅The Ravi originates near the Rotang pass in the Kangra Himalayas and follows a north-westerly course. 

✅It turns to the south-west, near Dalhousie, and then cuts a gorge in the Dhaola Dhar range entering the Punjab plain near Madhopur. 

✅It flows as a part of the Indo-Pakistan border for some distance before entering Pakistan and joining the Chenab river. 

✅The total length of the river is about 720 km.

Beas River

✅The Beas originates near the Rohtang Pass, at a height of 4,062 m above sea level, on the southern end of the Pir Panjal Range, close to the source of the Ravi.

✅It crosses the Dhaola Dhar range and it takes a south-westerly direction and meets the Satluj river at Harike in Punjab.

✅It is a comparatively small river which is only 460 km long but lies entirely within the Indian territory.

Chambal river

✅The Chambal River, called Charmanvati in ancient times.

✅It is the largest of the rivers flowing through Rajasthan state.

✅ It lies in the states of Madhya Pradesh , Uttar Pradesh and Rajat .

✅River Chambal, the biggest tributary of Yamuna rises in Vindhyan range near Mhow in Indore District of Madhya Pradesh .

Three major dams and one barrage have been constructed on this river .

Gundhi Sagar Dam located on the boundary of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan .

✅Rana Pratap Sagar is located in  Rawat Bhata near  Gandhi Sagar Dam  in the state of Rajasthan

✅Jawahar Sagar Dam near to  Rana Pratap Sagar Dam.

✅Kota Barrage near Kota city which is 48 km downstream of Rana Pratap Sagar Dam.

Damodar river

✅The Damodar river rises in the hills of the Chotanagpur plateau and flows through a rift valley.

✅Rich in mineral resources, the valley is home to large-scale mining and industrial activity.

✅It has a number of tributaries and subtributaries, such as Barakar, Konar, Bokaro, Haharo, etc.

✅The Barakar is the most important tributary of the Damodar.

✅Several dams have been constructed in the valley, for the generation of hydroelectric power. The valley is called “the Ruhr of India”.

✅The first dam was built across the Barakar River, a tributary of the Damodar river.

✅It used to cause devastating floods as a result of which it earned the name ‘Sorrow of Bengal’. Now the river is tamed by constructing numerous dams.

✅It joins the Hugli River 48 km below Kolkata.

✅The total length of the river is 541 km

Cauvery River

✅The Kaveri (Cauvery) is designated as the ‘Dakshina Ganga’ or ‘the Ganga of the South’.

✅The Cauvery River rises at an elevation of 1,341 m at Talakaveri on the Brahmagiri range near Cherangala village of Kodagu (Coorg) district of Karnataka.

✅The total length of the river from origin to outfall is 800 km.

✅The Cauvery basin extends over states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Union Territory of Puducherry draining an area of 81 thousand Sq.km.

✅It is bounded by the Western Ghats on the west, by the Eastern Ghats on the east and the south and by the ridges separating it from Krishna basin and Pennar basin on the north.

✅The Nilgiris, an offshore of Western ghats, extend Eastwards to the Eastern ghats and divide the basin into two natural and political regions i.e., Karnataka plateau in the North and the Tamil Nadu plateau in the South.

✅Physiographically, the basin can be divided into three parts – the Westen Ghats, the Plateau of Mysore and the Delta.

✅The delta area is the most fertile tract in the basin. The principal soil types found in the basin are black soils, red soils, laterites, alluvial soils, forest soils and mixed soils. Red soils occupy large areas in the basin. Alluvial soils are found in the delta areas.

✅The basin in Karnataka receives rainfall mainly from the S-W Monsoon and partially from N-E Monsoon. The basin in Tamil Nadu receives good flows from the North-East Monsoon.

The Son river

 

✅is major right bank tributary of Ganga River. 

✅It is a large south bank tributary of the Ganga, originating in the Amarkantak plateau. 

✅After forming a series of waterfalls at the edge of the plateau, it reaches Arrah, west of Patna, to join the Ganga.

Mahanadi River

✅The Mahanadi basin extends over states of Chhattisgarh and Odisha and comparatively smaller portions of Jharkhand, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, draining an area of 1.4 lakh Sq.km.

✅It is bounded by the Central India hills on the north, by the Eastern Ghats on the south and east and by the Maikala range on the west.

✅The Mahanadi (“Great River”) follows a total course of 560 miles (900 km).

✅It has its source in the northern foothills of Dandakaranya in Raipur District of Chhattisgarh at an elevation of 442 m.

✅The Mahanadi is one of the major rivers of the peninsular rivers, in water potential and flood producing capacity, it ranks second to the Godavari.

✅Other small streams between the Mahanadi and the Rushikulya draining directly into the Chilka Lake also forms the part of the basin.

✅The major part of basin is covered with agricultural land accounting to 54.27% of the total area.

✅It is one of the most-active silt-depositing streams in the Indian subcontinent.

✅After receiving the Seonath River, it turns east and enters Odisha state.

✅At Sambalpur the Hirakud Dam (one of the largest dams in India) on the river has formed a man-made lake 35 miles (55 km) long.

✅It enters the Odisha plains near Cuttack and enters the Bay of Bengal at False Point by several channels.

✅Puri, at one of its mouths, is a famous pilgrimage site.

Godavari River

✅The Godavari is the largest river system of the Peninsular India and is revered as Dakshina Ganga.

✅The Godavari basin extends over states of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Odisha in addition to smaller parts in Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Union territory of Puducherry (Yanam) having a total area of ~ 3 lakh Sq.km.

✅The basin is bounded by Satmala hills, the Ajanta range and the Mahadeo hills on the north, by the Eastern Ghats on the south and the east and by the Western Ghats on the west.

✅The Godavari River rises from Trimbakeshwar in the Nashik district of Maharashtra about 80 km from the Arabian Sea at an elevation of 1,067 m.

✅The total length of Godavari from its origin to outfall into the Bay of Bengal is 1,465 km.

Krishna River

✅The Krishna is the second largest east flowing river of the Peninsula.

✅The Krishna Basin extends over Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka having a total area of ~2.6 lakh Sq.km.

✅It is bounded by Balaghat range on the north, by the Eastern Ghats on the south and the east and by the Western Ghats on the west.

✅The Krishna River rises from the Western Ghats near Jor village of Satara district of Maharashtra at an altitude of 1,337 m just north of Mahabaleshwar.

✅The total length of river from origin to its outfall into the Bay of Bengal is 1,400 km.

✅The major part of basin is covered with agricultural land accounting to 75.86% of the total area.

✅The Krishna forms a large delta with a shoreline of about 120 km. The Krishna delta appears to merge with that formed by the Godavari and extends about 35 km into the sea.

Vaigai River

✅South of the Cauvery delta, there are several streams, of which the Vaigai is the longest.

✅The Vaigai basin is an important basin among the 12 basins lying between the Cauvery and Kanyakumari.

✅This basin is bounded by the Varushanadu hills, the Andipatti hills, the Cardaman hills and the Palani hills on the West and by the Palk strait and Palk Bay on the East.

✅The Vaigai drains an area of 7,741 Sq.Km, which entirely lies in the state of Tamil Nadu.

Pennar River

✅The Pennar (also known as Uttara Pinakini) is one of the major rivers of the peninsula.

✅The Pennar rises in the Chenna Kasava hill of the Nandidurg range, in Chikkaballapura district of Karnataka and flows towards east eventually draining into the Bay of Bengal.

✅The total length of the river from origin to its outfall in the Bay of Bengal is 597 km.

✅Located in peninsular India, the Pennar basin extends over states of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka having an area of ~55 thousand Sq.km

✅The fan shaped basin is bounded by the Erramala range on the north, by the Nallamala and Velikonda ranges of the Eastern Ghats on the east, by the Nandidurg hills on the south and by the narrow ridge separating it from the Vedavati valley of the Krishna Basin on the west.

✅The other hill ranges in the basin to the south of the river are the Seshachalam [famous for Red Sanders] and Paliconda ranges.

The major part of basin is covered with agriculture accounting to 58.64% of the total area.

Brahamani River

✅The Brahmani river comes into existence by the confluence of the Koel and the Sankh rivers near Rourkela. It has a total length of 800 km.

✅The basin is bounded in the North by Chhotanagpur plateau, in the West and South by the Mahanadi basin and in the East by the Bay of Bengal.

✅The basin flows through Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Orissa States and drains into Bay of Bengal.

Ponnaiyar River

✅The Ponnaiyar is a small stream which is confined to the coastal area only.

✅It covers a small area in the state of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

✅The Basin is bounded on the North -West and South by various ranges of the Eastern Ghats like the Velikonda Range, the Nagari hills, the Javadu hills, the Shevaroy hills, the Chitteri hills and the Kalrayan hills and in the East by the Bay of Bengal.

Narmada River

✅Narmada is the largest west flowing river of the peninsular India.

✅Narmada flows westwards through a rift valley between the Vindhyan Range on the north and the Satpura Range on the south.

✅It rises from Maikala range near Amarkantak in Madhya Pradesh, at an elevation of about 1057 m.

✅Narmada basin extends over states of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh having an area ~1 Lakh Sq.km.

✅It is bounded by the Vindhyas on the north, Maikala range on the east, Satpuras on the south and by the Arabian Sea on the west.

✅Its total length from its source in Amarkantak to its estuary in the Gulf of Khambhat is 1,310 km.

✅The hilly regions are in the upper part of the basin, and lower middle reaches are broad and fertile areas well suited for cultivation.

✅Jabalpur is the only important urban centre in the basin.

✅The river slopes down near Jabalpur where it cascades (a small waterfall, especially one in a series) 15 m into a gorge to form the Dhuan Dhar (Cloud of Mist) Falls.

Subarnarekha

✅The Subarnarekha originates from the Ranchi Plateau in Jharkhand forming the boundary between West Bengal and Odisha in its lower course.

✅It joins Bay of Bengal forming an estuary between the Ganga and Mahanadi deltas. Its total length is 395 km.