INDIAN RIVER SYSTEM

• On the basis of origin, the drainage system of India is divided into Himalayan
Rivers and Peninsular Rivers.

• Himalayan Rivers are perennial in nature.

• Peninsular Rivers are ephemeral or seasonal in nature.

• Indus, Ganga, Satluj, Yamuna, Brahmaputra etc are the Himalayan Rivers.

• Godavari, Krishna, Cauvery, Mahanadi, Narmada are the Peninsular Rivers.

HIMALAYAN RIVER SYSTEM
• Indus - It is also known as Sindhu.
• It originates from Bokhar chu glacier in the northern slope of Kailash
Mountain.
• In Tibet it is known as Singi Khambab or Lion’s mouth.
• It flows through the Ladakh union territory of India only.
• It flows between the Ladakh Range in the north and Zanskar ranges in the
south.

Tributaries of Indus in Ladakh

• Right bank Tributaries - Shyok, Shigar and Gilgit.
• Left bank Tributaries - Zaskar, Panjnad, Nubra
• Total length of Indus in ladakh is 1114 km.
• It enters into Pakistan near Chillar in Dardistan region.
• It receives combined water of five rivers(left bank) namely Panjnad just above
Mithankot in Pakistan.

Left Bank Tributaries of Indus

Chenab –
• It is the largest tributary of the Indus.
• It originates into two head streams, the Chandra and Bhaga.
• Both these streams join at Tandi near Keylong in Himachal
Pradesh.
• In H.P it is known as Chandrabhaga.
• It is named Chenab when it enters J&K near paddar in Kishtwar.
• It enters the plain area near Akhnoor in J&K
• It is the mightiest river in J&K.
• It has two important tributaries
• Jhelum and Ravi
Jhelum
• It originates from Verinag spring in Anantnag district.
• It was called Vitasta by Ancient Hindus.
• The Greeks and Romans named in Hydaspes.
• It is known to the kashmiris as the Veth.
• It leaves Kashmir valley at Baramulla - Uri gorge.
• Srinagar city is located on the bank of river Jhelum
Tributaries of Jhelum in Kashmir
Right bank Tributaries
Nallah Lidder-
• It originates from Tarsar lake(Anantnag district).
• It is the largest tributary of Jhelum.
• Lidder river joins Jhelum just below Khanabal.
• Sind Nala joins Jhelum at Shadipur village.
• Pohru river joins Jhelum at Dudgam.
Left bank Tributaries
• Dudhganga, Rambiara and Ramshi are its important left bank tributaries.
• At Muzaffarabad it is joined by Kishanganga on its right bank.
• The Kishanganga River also known as Neelum River, originates in Ganderbal
district of Jammu and Kashmir in India & joins Jhelum in Muzzaffarabad in Pakistan
occupied Kashmir
• Jhelum joins Chenab at Trimmu in Jhang district of Pakistan.

Ravi
• It rises to the west of Rohtang pass in Kullu hills of Himachal Pradesh.
• It flows through the Chamba valley of Himachal Pradesh.
• It cuts a deep gorge in the Dhaula Dhar range
• It enters Punjab plains near Madhopur
• It joins Chenab near Sarai Sidhu in Pakistan.

Satluj –
• It originates in the Rakas lake near Mansarovar lake close to the Darma pass.
• It is known as langchen khambab in Tibet.
• It enters India at Shipkila pass in Himachal Pradesh.
• It enters the Punjab plains at Ropar or Rupnagar.
• It is joined by river Beas at Harika (Punjab)
Beas
• It originates from Beas kund near Rohtang pass close to the source of Ravi in
Himachal Pradesh.
• It lies entirely within the Indian territory.
• It joins Chenab at Harika in Punjab.

Ganga River System

• It is the longest as well as largest river in India.
• It is the holiest river in India.
• It is 2525 km of length.
Right bank tributaries of Ganga
Yamuna
• It is the longest and largest tributary of the Ganga
• It originates from Yamunotri glacier in Banderpunch range in Garhwal
district of Uttrakhand.
• It merges with Ganga at Prayagraj (Allahabad).

Tributaries of Yamuna
• Left bank Tributaries - Tons, Hindan, Rind
• Right bank Tributaries- Chambal, Sind, Betwa, Ken
• Delhi, Mathura and Agra are located on the bank of river Yamuna.

Chambal
• It rises near Mhow in Malwa plateau of Madhya Pradesh.
• The Chambal is famous for its badland topography called the chambal raviens
• Tributaries of Chambal Banas, kali Sindh, Parbati.

Son
• It is right bank tributary of Ganga .
• It originates from Amarkantak plateau.
• It joins Ganga near Danapur in Patna.
• Johila, Rihand and North Koel are tributaries of Son.
Damodar
• It is right bank tributary of Ganga.
• It rises in the hills of Chhotanagpur plateau.
• It flows through the middle of Chotanagpur plateau.
• It is also called 'Sorrow of Bengal'.
• India's first Multipurpose valley project which is based on Tennesse valley project
is built on river Damodar.
• Damodar valley is rich in coal deposits and is known as Ruhr( Germany) of India.
Left bank tributaries of Ganga
Ramganga
• It rises in Garhwal district of Uttrakhand.
• It joins Ganga at Kannauj.

Ghagra
• It originates near Gurla Mandhata peak in Tibet.
• It is also known as Karnaili in Nepal.
• It flows through Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh.
• It joins Ganga at Chapra in Bihar.

Kali
• It originates from Trans Himalayan range.
• It is known as Sarda or Chauka in India.
Gandak
• It is known as Narayani in Nepal.
• It joins Ganga at Sonpur near Patna.

Kosi
• It consists of seven headstreams and is popularly known as Saptakosi.
• It is also known as 'Sorrow of Bihar’.

National waterway 1
• It is the oldest and longest National waterway in India.
• It is on river Ganga.
• It stretches from Allahabad to Haldia (West Bengal)
• It is called Padma in Bangladesh.
Brahmaputra River System
• It originates in the Chemayungdung glacier of the Kailash range.
• In Tibet it is known as Tsangpo.
• In China it is known as Yarlung Zangbo Jiangin
• In Arunachal Pradesh k/as Siang or Dihang.
• In Assam it is called Brahmaputra.
• In Bangladesh it is called Jamuna.

Tributaries of Brahmaputra
Left bank tributaries –
• Dibang or Sikang, Lohit, Dhansari

Right bank tributaries-

• Subansiri, Kameng, Manas & Sankosh
• It is the most braided river of India.
• Majuli island in Assam is made up by the depositional work of Brahmaputra.
• It is an example of riverine island.
• Majuli is the first riverine island district of India.
• National waterway 2 is on river Brahmaputra. It connects Sadiya and Dhubri
Peninsular River System
It is divided into two river system.
a) East flowing rivers-drains into Bay of Bengal
b) West flowing rivers-drains into Arabian sea.

East flowing Rivers

Godavari
• It is the largest river of Peninsular India
• It is the largest east flowing river of Peninsular India.
• It is also known as Dakshin Ganga or Vridha Ganga.
• It rises from Trimbak plateau near Nashik in Maharashtra
• Left bank tributaries
• Indravati, Sabari Penganga, Wainganga
• Right bank Tributaries
• Manjira is the most important Right bank tributary.

Krishna
• It is the second largest east flowing river of Peninsular India.
• It rises from Mahabaleshwar plateau near Nashik in Maharashtra.
Left bank tributaries
Bhima, Musi, Doni
Right bank tributaries
Malprabha, Ghatprabha & Tungbhadra.
Cauvery/Kaveri
• It rises in Brahmagiri Hills of Kogadu distt in Karnataka.
• It is the only river of Peninsular India which in is perennial in nature.
• It is also known as "the Ganga of the South“.
• Sivasamudram waterfalls is on river Cauvery.

Tributaries of Cauvery
• Left bank tributary
• Lokpavani, Herangi, Hemavati
• Right bank tributary
• Bhawani, Amaravati, Kabari
Mahanadi
• It rises from Dandakaranya near Sihawa in Raipur district of Chattisgarh.
• Its upper course is in saucer-shaped which is also called "Chattisgarh Plains.

Left bank tributaries - Hasdo, Seonath, mand

Right bank tributaries- Jong, ung and Tel.
• Utkal plain is made up by the depositional work of Mahanadi river which is also
k/as Rice bowl of Odisha
West flowing Rivers
Narmada –
• It is the largest west flowing river of Peninsular India.
• It rises from Amarkantak plateau in Chattisgarh.
• It flows through the rift valley between Vindhya Range in the north of Satpura
Range in the south.
• It drains into Gulf of Khambat.
• Dhuandhar falls or Misty fall is on river Narmada.
• It makes an estuary.
• Aliabet is the largest island situated on the Mouth of Narmada. It is famous for
Petroleum Reserves.
Tapi
• It originates from Multai in Betul district of Madhya Pradesh.
• It is also known as Twin of Narmada or Handmaid of Narmada.
• It is the second largest west flowing river of Peninsular India.
• It drains into Gult of Khambat.

Mahi
• It rises in the vindhya Range and drains into Gulf of Khambat.
• It cuts the Tropic of cancer twice.
• It drains into Gulf of Khambat.
Luni
• It is also known as Salt river.
• It rises to the west of Ajmer in the Pushkar valley in Aravalis Range.
• It is known as the Sagarmati.
• It is an example of Inland drainage to because it lost in the Rann of Kutch.

Sabarmati
• It originates into two head streams. The Sabar & the Hathmati.
• It rises from Mewar hills in the Aravali Range.
• It drains into Gulf of Khambat.
Chilika Lake
• It is located in Odisha state and is the largest saline water lake in India.
• It is largest Lake in India

Vembanad Lake
• It is located in Kerala & is the longest lake in India.
• It is also the largest lake in Kerala.
• The Nehru Trophy Boat Race is conducted in a portion of the Lake.

Cholamu Lake
• It is situated in Sikkim.
• It is the highest lake in India.
Lonar Lake
• It is located in Maharashtra.
• It is located at Lonar in Buldhana district,
• It is the largest crater lake in the world.

Loktak Lake
• It is located in Manipur
• It is the largest fresh water lake of North eastern India.
• Keibul Lamjao is the only floating national park in the world over it.

Sambhar Lake
• It is situated in Rajasthan.
• It is India’s largest inland salt lake’
Kolleru Lake
• It is situated in Andhra Pradesh
• It is the second largest fresh water lake in India.

Pulicat Lake
• It is situated in Andhra Pradesh
• It is the second largest Brackish water or Lagoon in India.
• The island is home to the Satish Dhawan Space Center, the launch site of
India’s successful first lunar space mission, the Chandrayaan-1.

Sasthamkotta Lake
• It is situated in Kerala
• It is the largest fresh water lake in Kerala.
Nalsarover Lake
• It is situated in Gujarat.
• The Nalsarovar Lake in Gujarat is probably the largest water bird sanctuary in the
country, Tsomgo Lake - Sikkim
Bhimtal Lake - Uttarakhand
• Bhimtal Lake is a lake in the town of Bhimtal, in the Indian state of
Uttarakhand. with a masonry dam built in 1883 creating the storage
facility
• It is the largest lake in Kumaon region, known as the "lake district of
India".
• "C" shaped lake.
Nainital Lake - Uttarakhand.
• Nainital Lake, a natural freshwater body, situated amidst the township of
Nainital in Uttarakhand State of India.
• It is Kidney shaped or crescent shaped. Periyar Lake -Kerala
• The notable elephant reserve and a tiger reserve, Periyar Wildlife
Sanctuary is located on the banks of Periyar lake.
Hussain Sagar Lake - Telengana
• The lake is in Hyderabad, built by Hazrat Hussain Shah Wali in 1562,
during the rule of Ibrahim Quli Qutub Shah. It connects the twin cities of
Hyderabad and Secunderabad
Salim Ali Lake - Maharashtra
• It has been renamed after the great ornithologist, naturalist Salim Ali and
also known as birdman of India.
• Salim Ali Sarovar (lake) popularly known as Salim Ali Talab is located near
Delhi Gate, opposite Himayat Bagh, Aurangabad
Nakki Lake - Rajasthan
• Nakki Lake is situated in the Indian hill station of Mount Abu in Aravalli
range
• Mahatma Gandhi's ashes were immersed in this Holy Lake on 12 February
1948 and Gandhi Ghat was constructed.
Bhojtal Lake –
• Madhya Pradesh Also known as Upper Lake lies on the western side of the
capital city of Madhya Pradesh, Bhopal.
• Largest artificial lake in Asia.
• Surajkund – Haryana
• Ulsoor lake - Bangalore, Karnataka
• Sambhar lake – Rajasthan
• Pichola Lake - Udaipur, Rajasthan
• Pangong lake - Ladakh, J&K
• Kanwar Lake- Bihar
Wular lake - J&K
• In kashmiri language Wular means “cave”.
• It is situated in Bandipora district of Kashmir.
• It was designated Ramsar site in 1990.
• It is the largest fresh water lake in India and it was formed as a result of
tectonic activity. It is an example of Ox-Bow lake.
• River Jhelum, Bohnar, Madhumati & Erin rivers discharge their water into
the lake.
• Small island called “the zaina lank” was constructed on this lake by king
Zain-ulAbi-Din
• Tulbul project was a navigation lock cum control structure project which
was planned to be built on Wular lake but it’s construction was stopped
when Pakistan alleged that this project is violating the norms of Indus
Water Treaty.

• This lake is famous for the cultivation of trapa which is known as Gaer in
kashmiri (Singhara).
Hokersar lake or Hokera lake:
• It is situated in Baramula district.
• It was designated as a Ramsar site in 2005.
• It was also designated as a Bird sanctuary.