Drainage

Shiv Chhatrapati Shikshan Sanstha’s
SANT TUKARAM NATIONAL MODEL SCHOOL, LATUR

Class: IX Sub: Geography
Drainage
Content
1. Introduction
2. Main Concept and Sub concept
3. Gist of the lesson
4. Video
5. Map Activity
6. Mind Map
7. Bibliography
8. Question Bank
1. Introduction
The term drainage describes the river system of an area. Small streams flowing from different directions
come together to form the main river, which ultimately drains into a large water body such as a lake or a sea
or an ocean. The notes of the chapter Drainage will help you to understand the drainage system in India. At
the end of the chapter, you will also learn about lakes, their importance, role of rivers in the economy and
river pollution.
Main Concept and Sub concept
1. An introduction to drainage
2. India’s Drainage Systems
3. Drainage Pattern of India
4. The Himalayan Rivers
a. The Indus River system
b. The Ganga River system
c. The Brahmaputra River system
5. The Peninsular Rivers
a. The Narmada Basin
b. The Tapi Basin
c. The Godavari Basin
d. The Mahanadi Basin
e. The Krishna Basin
By: KALYAN B MASKE PGT Social (STNMS)
f. The Kaveri Basin
6. Lakes
a. Sweet Water Lake
b. Salt Water Lake
7. Role of Rivers in the Economy
8. Pollution of Rivers
Gist of the Lesson
An introduction to drainage
Drainage of a landmass refers to its river system. Small streams which flow from different directions usually
come together to form the main river body. This river drains into a larger water body like a lake, sea, or
ocean. The area which is drained by a single river system is termed a drainage basin. An elevated physical
structure like a mountain or an upland sometimes separates two drainage basins. This physical feature is
called the water divide.
Important Drainage Systems of India
1. The drainage systems in India are dominated by broad relief features.
2. The Indian rivers are categorized into two major groups:
a. The Himalayan Rivers:
• These rivers have water throughout the year and hence, they are perennial. They are snow-fed rivers
and also receive water from rainfall.
• The Ganga and the Brahmaputra are the two major rivers of this type, originating from the north.
• They form gorges and cause intensive erosional activities in their upper courses; in the middle course,
they meander and form oxbow lakes; the lower course is marked by the striking feature of deltas.
b. The Peninsular Rivers: The peninsular rivers are seasonal and depend on rainfall. They are
shallower in comparison to the Himalayan rivers.
3. It can be rightly said that these two groups of rivers are different in many ways.
The Himalayan River Systems
1. Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra are the three Himalayan rivers that form three major river systems of
India. An account of these three rivers is given below:
a. Indus River System:

• The river Indus rises near Mansarovar in Tibet and flows west to enter India in Ladakh. There are
tributaries like the Shyok, the Nubra, the Zaskar, and the Hunza, which join the Indus in Kashmir.
Indus emerges from the mountains in Attock after flowing through Baltistan and Gilgit.
• At Mithankot, Beas, Satluj, Ravi, Jhelum and Chenab join the Indus. The Indus River eventually
meets the Arabian Sea, east of Karachi. Indus is a very long river.
b. Ganga River System:
• Bhagirathi is the headwaters of river Ganga and it is fed by the Gangotri glacier. Alakananda joins it
at Devprayag in Uttarakhand.
• Ganga rises at the confluence of Alaknanda and Bhagirathi and emerges on the plains at Haridwar.
Ganga has a number of tributaries.
• The Yamuna is a right bank tributary of Ganga which originates from the Yamunotri glacier in the
Himalayas.
• The other tributaries like Ghagra, Kosi, Gandak rise in Nepal. These tributaries flood the northern
plains and severely damage life and property. These floods also help mankind by enriching the soil
for agriculture.
• Chambal, Betwa, and Son arising from the semi-arid regions of peninsular India joins the Yamuna
and hence are Ganga’s tributaries as well.
• Ganga is, thus, enlarged with its tributaries. It flows eastward till the northernmost part of the Ganga
delta, Farakka.
• At Farakka, Ganga bifurcates into Bhagirathi and Hooghly distributaries. These meet the Bay of
Bengal.
• The mainstream flows into Bangladesh to be joined by the Brahmaputra to form Meghna which flows
into the Bay of Bengal. These rivers form a delta known as the Sundarban.
c. Brahmaputra River System:
• The Brahmaputra rises near the Mansarovar lake in Tibet. Most of Brahmaputra's course lies out of
India and it is a bit longer than Indus.

• The Brahmaputra flows parallel to the Himalayan range and is called Tsang Po. At a region called
Namcha Barwa, it turns to enter Arunachal Pradesh. Streams named Dibang, Dihang, Lohit join it to
be called the Brahmaputra. It forms many riverine islands here.
• The Brahmaputra overflows to flood the banks of Assam.
The Peninsular River Systems
1. The Western Ghats serves as a water divide in the peninsular region.
2. Some of the rivers of this river system are east-flowing while some are west-flowing. Godavari,
Krishna, Mahanadi, and Kaveri flow east to drain into the Bay of Bengal. There are many deltas
formed by these rivers. Narmada and Tapi flow towards the west to drain into the Arabian Sea and
form estuaries.
3. An account of these rivers are as follows:
a. Narmada Basin:
• The Amarkantak hills in Madhya Pradesh give rise to the Narmada River. Narmada flows west
through a rift valley.
• Many wonderful places are associated with Narmada like the 'Marble rocks' near Jabalpur, the
Dhauladhar Falls, etc.
• The basin formed by the Narmada River covers parts of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. The tributaries
of the river are short and join it at right angles.
b. Tapi Basin: Satpura gives rise to the Tapi river. It rises in Betul, Madhya Pradesh, and flows parallel
to Narmada but is shorter. It flows through Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra.
c. The Sabarmati, Bharathpuzha, Mahi, and Periyar are the other main west-flowing rivers here.
d. Godavari Basin: The Godavari is also known as the 'Dakshin Ganga' as it is the largest Peninsular
river. It rises in Nasik, Maharashtra at the Western Ghats and drains into the Bay of Bengal. The Godavari
Basin is the largest river basin in South India. Maharashtra, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, and Andhra Pradesh
are drained by the Godavari. Purna, Manjra, Pranhita, Wainganga, and Penganga are its tributaries
e. Mahanadi Basin: The highlands of Chhattisgarh give rise to Mahanadi which flows through Odisha
to meet the Bay of Bengal. The Mahanadi basin drains Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, and Odisha.

f. Krishna Basin: Krishna river rises from a spring near Mahabaleshwar. Its tributaries like the
Koyana, Ghatprabha, Musi, Tungabhadra, and Bhima join it on its course. The Krishna Basin drains the
states of Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Andhra Pradesh.
g. Kaveri Basin: The Brahmagiri range of Western Ghats gives rise to the Kaveri river and it flows into
the Bay of Bengal in the south of Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu. Amravati, Hemavati, Kabini, and Bhavani are
tributaries that join Kaveri. The basin drains Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka. Kaveri gives rise to India's
second-biggest waterfall Shivasamudram.
Lakes in India
1. India has numerous lakes and they can be classified into the following types based on size and other
features:
a. Permanent Lakes: Many of the lakes in India are permanent and have water all year round.
b. Non-Permanent Lakes: There are also non-permanent lakes usually draining the semi-arid regions.
c. Glacial Lakes: These lakes form from glaciers and ice sheets.
d. Ox-Bow Lakes: These are formed from meandering rivers.
e. Lagoons: Lakes called lagoons are formed by spits and bars. Lake Chilka, Kolleru Lake, Pulicat
Lake are few such lagoons.
f. Saltwater Lakes: Some lakes have saline water and are called saltwater lakes. The Sambhar Lake in
Rajasthan is a saltwater lake that drains a dry area. It is used for salt production.
g. Freshwater Lakes: Lakes with freshwater are called freshwater lakes which are mostly glacial in
origin and are found in the Himalayan belt. They are snow-fed. However, the largest freshwater lake of India,
the Wuller lake located in Jammu and Kashmir is formed due to tectonic activity. Dal Lake, Nainital, Loktak,
Bhimtal and Barappani are some other freshwater lakes.
h. Man-Made Lakes: These are lakes artificially created by man. There have been a few man-made
lakes in India like the Guru Govind Sagar.
2. Lakes have numerous uses some of which are as follows:
a. Lakes are indispensable to humans as they help in the regulation of the river flow.
b. They are also used for the generation of hydroelectric power.

c. A typical aquatic ecosystem is created surrounding the lake that helps to provide recreational
opportunities, increase natural beauty, and opens the doors to the tourism development of the region.
Rivers and Their Role in the Economy
1. Rivers play a significant role in the country's economy. They are indispensable. Their significance is
as follows:
a. Rivers attract human settlements in their banks as their water is a necessity for human survival.
b. They are used in navigation.
c. The water of rivers also aids in irrigation. This is, in fact, the most important function of rivers as in
India agriculture is the prime economic activity for livelihood.
d. Rivers help in hydroelectric power generation.
Pollution and River
1. River water has been increasingly used for agricultural, municipal, and domestic purposes for ages
which resulted in the reduction of their volume.
2. Also, untreated pollutants like sewage and untreated pollutants are discharged into the rivers, thus
polluting them and even decreasing their capacity of self-cleansing.
3. Industrialization and urbanization further increase the levels of river pollution.
4. Video
Click on the links to see the videos related to the chapter.
https://youtu.be/999ngrj_BHM
https://youtu.be/kjSW6nvTWM8
5. Activity
1. On the outline map of India, the important Himalayan Rivers.

6. Mind Map

7. Bibliography
1. Super fresher – MBD
2. Together With – RachnaSagar
3. Xamidea – V K Global
4. All In One – Arihant
5. Golden Social Science – New Age International LTD
6. Social Science – S Chand
8. Question Bank
1. MCQ
Q1. What is the meaning of drainage?
A. The river system of a particular area
B. The topography of a particular area
C. Both A and B
D. None of these
Q2. What is the area drained by a single river system called?
A. Drainage
B. Drainage basin
C. Water divide
D. None of these
Q3. Which river has the world’s largest drainage basin?
A. Ganga
B. Indus
C. Thomas
D. Amazon
Q4. Which of the following is not a group of Indian rivers?
A. Himalayan rivers
B. Peninsular rivers

C. Both A and B
D. None of these
Q5. Which of the following is not a Himalayan river?
A. Indus
B. Brahmaputra
C. Godavari
D. Ganga
Q6. How many Peninsular rivers are there?
A. 4
B. 5
C. 6
D. 3
Q7. What is the Brahmaputra river called in Arunachal Pradesh?
A. Dibang
B. Dihang
C. Tsangpo
D. Jamuna
Q8. What is the world’s largest and fastest growing delta called?
A. Sunderban River Delta
B. Kaveri River Delta
C. Godavari River Delta
D. Krishna River Delta
Q9. Which river system is known as Dakshin Ganga?
A. The Narmada Basin
B. The Mahanadi Basin
C. The Godavari Basin
D. The Kaveri Basin
Q10. Which one of the following is a perennial river?
A. Kaveri
B. Godavari
C. Tapi
D. Indus
Q11. Which one of the following river basins covers Madhya Pradesh?

A. Narmada basin
B. Mahanadi basin
C. Both A and B
D. Krishna basin
Q12. What is the type of the Sambhar lake?
A. Seasonal
B. Perennial
C. Freshwater
D. None of these
Q13. Which lake is the largest lake in India?
A. Dal lake
B. Wular lake
C. Chilika lake
D. Pulicat lake
Q14. Which lake is the result of tectonic activity?
A. Dal lake
B. Sambhar lake
C. Wular lake
D. Nainital lake
Q15. Which of the following is not a natural lake?
A. Bhimtal lake
B. Loktak lake
C. Barapani lake
D. Guru Gobind Sagar
Q16. Which of the following is not an advantage of lakes?
A. They help to regulate the flow of a river.
B. They help in the development of the tourism industry.
C. They enhance natural beauty and provide recreation.
D. None of these
Q17. Which of the following is not a usage of rivers in the economy?
A. They are used for irrigation.
B. They are used for navigation.
C. They are used in sewing and weaving.
D. None of these
Q18. What affects the quality of the river water?
A. Increasing urbanisation
B. Growing industrial and agricultural demands
C. Dumping of untreated sewage and industrial effluents
D. All of these
Q19. Which river water is able to dilute and assimilate pollution loads within 20km of large cities?
A. Ganga river
B. Kaveri river
C. Godavari river
D. Brahmaputra river
Q20. Most of the freshwater lakes are in which region?
A. The Himalayan region
B. The Plain region
C. The Central region
D. None of these
Q21. Which of the following lakes is a lagoon in the coastal areas?
A. Sambhar lake
B. Dal lake
C. Chilika lake
D. All of these
Q22. Which waterfall is the second biggest waterfall in India?
A. Shivasamudram Falls
B. Jog Falls
C. Abbey Falls
D. None of these
Q23. What is the total length of the Kaveri river?
A. 860 km
B. 760 km
C. 1400 km
D. 920 km
Q24. What is the name of the tree from which The Sundarban Delta has derived its name?
A. Sundari tree
B. Sundar tree

C. Banyan tree
D. None of these
Q25. Which river joins Dihang in Assam?
A. Dibang
B. Lohit
C. Both A and B
D. None of these
Q26. The damming of rivers has led to the formation of which lake?
A. Wular lake
B. Guru Gobind Sagar
C. Dal lake
D. Loktak lake
Q27. The water of which seasonal is used for producing salt?
A. Guru Gobind Sagar
B. Dal lake
C. Sambhar lake
D. None of these
Q28. Which of the following rivers is not in Jammu and Kashmir?
A. Wular lake
B. Dal lake
C. Both A and B
D. None of these
Q29. When a meandering river flows across a floodplain, it forms something which later develops into
ox-bow lakes. What is the ‘something’?
A. Streams
B. Lakes
C. Waterfalls
D. Cut-offs
Q30. What are the lakes of large extent called?
A. Seas
B. Oceans
C. Rivers
D. None of these

Answer Key
Question Answer Question Answer Question Answer
1 A 11 C 21 C
2 B 12 A 22 A
3 D 13 A 23 B
4 D 14 C 24 A
5 C 15 D 25 C
6 C 16 D 26 B
7 B 17 C 27 C
8 A 18 D 28 D
9 C 19 A 29 D
10 D 20 A 30 A
Fill in the blanks.

1. The area drained by a single river system is called a _______ .
Answer:
Drainage
2. The world’s largest drainage basin is of the river _______ .
Answer:
Amazon
3. The largest delta in the world is _______ .
Answer:
Sunderban delta
4. An area through which a river and its tributaries flow is called _______ .
Answer:
Basin
5. What is the total length of the Indus river?
Answer:
The total length of the Indus river is 2900 km.
6. Which is the largest tributary of the Ganga?
Answer:
Yamuna
7. Most of the Himalayan rivers are _______ .
Answer:
Perennial
8. A river along with its tributaries may be called
Answer:
River system
9. The Brahmaputra rises in _______ .
Answer:
Tibet
10. Name any one freshwater lake of India.
Answer:
Wular lake.
11. When the streams flow in different directions from a central peak or dome like structure, a _______
pattern is developed.
Answer:
Radial drainage.
12. What does NRCP stands for?
Answer:
National River Conservation Plan
13. What controls the drainage systems of India?
Answer:
The board relief features of the subcontinent control the drainage system of India.
14. The Ganga Action Plan (GAP) Phase – I started in the year _______ .

Answer:
1985
Very Short Answer Questions
1. What is the common characteristic of the Sambhar, Pulicat and Chilika lakes?
Answer: They are all salt water lakes.
2. Which is the largest natural inland lake in India?
Answer: The Wular lake in Jammu and Kashmir, with a maximum area of 260 sq km, is the largest natural
inland lake in India.
3. The Satluj is a tributary of which river?
Answer: The river Satluj is a tributary of the Indus and joins it in Pakistan.
4. What are other names given to the Brahmaputra river?
Answer: Tsangpo is the name of the Brahmaputra in Tibet (China) and Dihang is its name in Arunachal
Pradesh.
5. What is the Sunderban famous for?
Answer: Sunderban is famous for being the home of the Royal Bengal tiger.
6. Through which states in India does the river Satluj flow?
Answer: The river Satluj flows through the states of the Himachal Pradesh and the Punjab in India.
7. Which of the three rivers, the Chenab, the Ravi and the Beas, flows in India only through the state
of Jammu and Kashmir?
Answer: The Chenab flows only through the state of Jammu and Kashmir in India. The Ravi and the Beas
rivers flow through the Punjab and the Himachal Pradesh in India.
8. Is it true that the water in a delta is salty, as it is close to the sea?
Answer: Since, the sea is at a lower level than the river in a delta, normally the delta will not be salty.
9. Which of the rivers Beas, Ghaghara, Indus and Yamuna rises from a glacier in Uttarakhand?
Answer: The Yamuna rises from the Yamunotri glacier in Uttarakhand. The Beas rises in Himachal Pradesh,
the Indus in China (Tibet) and the Ghaghara in Nepal.
10. Which is the highest waterfall in India?
Answer: The Kunchikal falls on the river Varahi in Karnataka have a drop of 455 m.
11. Why has industrial development flourished along rivers?
Answer: The reason for industries being near rivers is because of the free availability of fresh water required
for industrial processes.
12. Out of the tributaries Ghaghara, Son, Kosi and Yamuna, which ones join the Ganga from the
South and which from the North?
Answer: The Yamuna and Son rivers join the river Ganga from the South, while the Ghaghara and Kosi Join
it from the North.
13. What is the meaning of the word ‘doab’?
Answer: In the Persian language, ‘do’ means ‘two’ and ‘ab’ mean ‘water’. So ‘doab’ means a tract of land
lying between two confluent rivers
14. The Kaveri basin covers parts of which Indian states?
Answer: The Kaveri basin covers parts of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
15. Which is the longest river of peninsular India?

Answer: The river Godavari, with a length of 1465 km, is the longest river of peninsular India.
16. Which type of drainage pattern develops where the river channel flows the slope of the terrain?
Answer: The dendritic pattern develops where the river channel flow the slope of the terrain.
17. What is the name of the drainage pattern which resembles the branches of a tree?
Answer: Dendritic drainage pattern resembles the branches of a tree.
18. What do you understand by the term “Drainage Basin”?
Answer: The area drained by a single river system is called “Drainage Basin”.
19. Name the place where the Ganga emerges from the mountains on to the plains.
Answer: At Haridwar, the Ganga emerges from the mountains on to the plains.
20. Name the Indian state where river Brahmaputra enters in India.
Answer: At the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh river Brahmaputra enters in India.
21. Which is the longest river of the peninsular plateau?
Answer: River Godavari is the longest river of peninsular plateau.
22. Which river is known as “Dakshin Ganga”?
Answer: The Godavari, because of its length and area it cover is known as ‘Dakshin Ganga’.
23. Which is the largest freshwater lake of India?
Answer: The Wular lake is the largest freshwater lake of India.
24. Name the saline water lake located in Rajasthan,

Answer: The saline water lake located in Rajasthan is the Sambhar lake.
25. Name the Indian states through which Kaveri river passes.
Answer: Kaveri river passes through Indian states of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
26. At which place do the Satluj, the Beas, the Ravi, the Chenab and the Jhelum rivers join together to
enter the river Indus?
Answer: The Satluj, the Beas, the Ravi, the Chenab and the Jhelum rivers join together to enter river Indus at
Mithankot in Pakistan.
27. What is the origin of the River Krishna?
Answer: River Krishna rises from a spring near Mahabaleshwar (Maharashtra).
28. Which drainage pattern does the river Ganga forms?
Answer: River Ganga forms dendritic drainage pattern.
29. Where does river Narmada has its source?
Answer: The Narmada rises in the Amarkantak hills in Madhya Pradesh.
30. Which is the largest brackish water lake in India? Where it is located?
Answer: The Chilika lake is the largest brackish water lake in India. It lies in the state of Odisha to the South
of Mahanadi delta.
31. What is an ox-bow lake?
Answer: A crescent shaped lake formed when a meander of a river or stream is cut-off from the main
channel due to siltation.
32. Name five tributaries of the river Ganga.

Answer: Any five of the following Yamuna, Son, Ghaghara, Gandak, Kosi, Mahananda, Mahakali and
Gomti.
33. What is a water divide?
Answer: Any elevated area, like a mountain or an upland, which divides two drainage basins.
34. Name the river known as the ‘Sorrow of West Bengal’. Why is it given this name?
Answer: Damodar river is known as the ‘Sorrow of West Bengal’. It is given this name because it is prone to
floods every year, causing death and destruction due to overflowing of its banks.
35. What is a braided stream?
Answer: A stream consisting of multiple small, shallow channels that divide and recombine numerous times,
forming a pattern resembling the strands of a braid.
36. Name five rivers rising in the Western Ghats.
Answer: Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri, Tungabhadra, Ghatprabha and many others.
37. Name three major rivers of the subcontinent which originate beyond the Himalayas.
Answer: The three major rivers are the Indus, Saduj and the Brahmaputra.
38. Which river has the largest basin in India?
Answer: The largest basin in India is of the Ganga river with a drainage area of 862769 sq km.
39. Find out the name of the highest waterfall in India.
Answer: The highest waterfall in India is on the Varahi river in Shimoga district of Karnataka. The name of
the waterfall is Kunchikal falls and its height is 455 metres (1493 ft).
40. What is meant by a water divide? Give an example.

Answer: Any elevated area such as a mountain or an upland that separates two drainage basins is called a
water divide. An example are the Western Ghats.
41. Which is the largest river basin in India?
Answer: The Ganga Basin is the largest river basin in India.
42. Where do the rivers Indus and Ganga have their origin?
Answer: The river Indus rises in Tibet, near lake Mansarowar and the Ganga originates at the Gangotri
glacier. Both of them have their origin in the Himalayas.
43. Name the two headstreams of the Ganga. Where do they meet to form the Ganga?
Answer: The two headstreams of the Ganga are the Bhagirathi and Alaknanda. They meet at Devaprayag in
Uttarakhand to form the Ganga.
44. Which two peninsular rivers flow through a trough?
Answer: Narmada and Tapi are two Peninsular rivers which flow through a trough.
45. What does the term ‘Drainage’ mean?
Answer: The term ‘drainage’ describes the river system of an area.
46. What is a ‘drainage basin’?
Answer: The area drained by a single river system is called a drainage basin.
47. Which part of the land is called ‘water divide’?
Answer: Any elevated area, such as a mountain or an upland separates two drainage basins. Such an upland
is known as a ‘water divide’.
48. Into which two major groups are Indian rivers divided?

Answer: The Indian rivers are divided into two major groups
(i) The Himalayan Rivers,
(ii) The Peninsular Rivers.
49. Which rivers are called perennial?
Answer: Perennial rivers are the ones which have water throughout the year. These rivers receive water from
rain as well as from melted snow from the lofty mountains.
50. What do Himalayan rivers do in their upper course?
Answer: The Himalayan rivers perform intensive erosional activity in their upper courses and carry huge
loads of silt and sand.
51. What do Himalayan rivers do in the middle and lower course?
Answer: In the middle & lower courses these rivers form meanders, ox-bow lakes and many other
depositional features in their flood plains. They also have well developed deltas.
52. Which river has the largest basin in India?
Answer: River Ganga
53. How dendritic pattern is formed by the river?
Answer: The dendritic pattern develops where the river channel follows the slope of the terrain. The stream
with its tributaries resembles the branches of a tree, thus, the name dendritic is given.
54. How is Trellis Pattern developed by a river?
Answer: A river joined by its tributaries, at approximately right angles, develops a trellis pattern. A trellis
drainage pattern develops where hard and soft rocks exist parallel to each other.
55. How is rectangular drainage pattern formed?

Answer: A rectangular drainage pattern develops on a strongly jointed rocky terrain.
56. When does a Radial pattern of drainage develop?
Answer: The radial pattern develops when streams flow in different directions from a central peak or dome
like structure.
57. Why are Peninsular rivers called seasonal?
Answer: A large number of peninsular rivers are seasonal as their flow is dependent on rainfall and even the
large rivers have reduced flow of water in the dry season.
58. Name the rivers which originate in Central Highlands & flow towards the west.
Answer: Rivers Narmada and Tapi.
59. What is a river system?
Answer: A river alongwith its tributaries may be called a river system.
60. From where does river Indus originate?
Answer: River Indus originate in Tibet, near Lake Mansarowar.
61. Name the tributaries which join Indus in Kashmir.
Answer: The Zaskar, the Nubra, the Shyok and the Hunza are the tributaries which join river Indus in the
Kashmir region.
62. Which are the main tributaries of river Indus?
Answer: The Satluj, the Beas, the Ravi, the Chenab and the Jhelum are the main tributaries of river Indus.
63 What is the total length of river Indus?

Answer: It is about 2,900 kms.
64. In which states of India, Indus Basin is located?
Answer: In India in the states of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab, the Indus basin is
located.
65. What are the regulations of Indus Water Treaty of I960?
Answer: According to the regulations of the Indus Water Treaty(1960), India can use only 20 percent of the
total water carried by Indus river system.
67. From which place does river Ganga originate?
Answer: The head waters of the Ganga, called the ‘Bhagirathi’ is fed by the Gangotri Glacier & joined by
the Alaknanda at Devaparyag in Uttarakhand.
68. Name the main tributaries of the river Ganga.
Answer: The Yamuna, the Ghaghara, the Gandak and the Kosi are the main tributaries of river Ganga.
69. Which rivers rise from Nepal Himalaya?
Answer: The Ghaghara, the Gandak and the Kosi rise in the Nepal Himalaya.
70. Which tributaries join Ganga from peninsulas uplands?
Answer: The Chambal, the betwa and the son are the tributaries.
71. How is Sunderban Delta formed?
Answer: The waters of two mighty rivers: the Ganga and the Brahmaputra flows into the Bay of Bengal and
the delta formed by these rivers is known as Sunderban Delta. It is world’s largest delta.
72. How is Sunderban Delta named?

Answer: The Sunderban delta has derived its name from Sundari trees which grow well in marshland.
73. What is the total length of the river Ganga?
Answer: The total length of the river Ganga is 2,500 km.
74. Which place is located on water divide of river Ganga and the Indus?
Answer: Plains of Ambala.
75. From where does river Brahmaputra originate?
Answer: The Brahmaputra rises in Tibet, east of Mansarovar lake very close to the sources of the Indus and
the Satluj.
76. From where does river Brahmaputra enter India?
Answer: On reaching the Namcha Barwa, Brahmaputra takes a ‘U’ turn and enters India in Arunachal
Pradesh through a deep gorge.
77. Which tributaries join Brahmaputra in Assam?
Answer: It is joined by the Dibang, Lohit, Kenula to become Brahmaputra.
78. By what name is Brahmaputra known in Tibet and Bangladesh?
Answer: In Tibet it is known as Tsang-Po and in Bangladesh it is called Jamuna.
79. Why does river Brahmaputra carry less water in Tibet?
Answer: In Tibet, the river carries a smaller volume of water & less silt as it is a cold and a dry area.
80. How does Brahmaputra river cause damage in Assam during rainy season?

Answer: Every year during the rainy season, the river overflows its banks, causing widespread devastation
due to floods in Assam.
81. Name the major Peninsular rivers.
Answer: The Mahanadi, the Godavari, the Krishna and the Kaveri.
82. Which two peninsular rivers form-estuaries?
Answer: Narmada and Tapi.
83. Which Peninsular rivers form delta?
Answer: The Mahanadi, the Godavari, the Krishna & the kaveri.
84. At what place Narmada river rises?
Answer: The Narmada rises in Amarkantak hills in Madhya Pradesh.
85 How does river Narmada create picturesque locations?
Answer:The ‘Marble Rocks’ near Jabalpur where Narmada flows through a deep gorge and the ‘Dhuadhar
falls’ where the river plunges over steep rocks are some of the example.
86. From which states Narmada river Hows?
Answer: River Narmada flows in Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.
87. From where does River Tapi originate?
Answer: The Tapi rises in the Satpura range in Betui district of Madhya Pradesh.
88. Which are the main west flowing rivers of Western Ghats?
Answer: Sabarmati, Mahi, Bharathpuzha and Periyar.

89. Which river is the largest Peninsular river?
Answer: The Godavari, it’s length is about 1500 km.
90. The Godavari rises from which place?
Answer: The Godavari rises from the slopes of Western Ghats in the Nasik district of Maharashtra.
91. In which states Godavari’s basin lies?
Answer: Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.
92. Name the tributaries of river Godavari.
Answer: The Purna, the Wardha, the Pranhita, the Manjra, the Wainganga and the Penganga.
93. Which river is called ‘Dakshin Ganga’?
Answer: Godavari is called ‘Dakshin Ganga’ because of its length and the area it covers.
94. From where the Mahanadi river rises?
Answer: The Mahanadi rises in the highlands of Chhattisgarh.
95. What is length of river Mahanadi?
Answer: It is about 860 km.
96. From which states river Mahanadi passes?
Answer: River Mahanadi passes from Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Odisha.
97. From which region River Krishna rises?
Answer: River Krishna rises from a spring near Mahabaleshwar.

98. What is the length of river Krishna?
Answer: The Total length of river Krishna is about 1400 km.
99. Name the major tributaries of River Krishna.
Answer: The Tungabhadra, the Koyana, the Ghatprabha, the Must and the Bhima.
100. In which states the basin of river Krishna lies?
Answer: The basin of river Krishna is shared by Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
101. From which place river Kaveri originates and at which place it merges?
Answer: The Kaveri rises in Brahmagri range of the Western Ghats and it reaches the Bay of Bengal in
South of Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu.
102. What is the total length of river Kaveri?
Answer: The Total length of river Kaveri is about 760 km.
103. Name the tributaries of river Kaveri?
Answer: Its main tributaries are Amravati, Bhavani, Hemavati and Kabini.
104. Which regions of India are drained by river Kaveri?
Answer: Its basin drains parts of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
105. What is ‘Shivasamudram’? What is its use?
Answer: The river Kaveri makes the second biggest waterfall in India. It is known as Shivasamudram. The
hydroelectric power generated from the falls is supplied to Mysore, Bangalore and the Kolar Gold Field.
106. How are lakes formed?

Answer: There are some lakes which are the result of the action of glaciers and ice sheets, while the others
have been formed by wind, river action and human activities.
107. How ox-bow lakes are formed?
Answer: A meandering river across a flood plain forms cut-offs that later develop into ox-bow lakes.
108. How lagoons are formed?
Answer: Lagoons are salt water lakes which are formed with spits and bars in the coastal areas, for example,
the Chilka Lake.
109. How lakes become seasonal?
Answer: Lakes in the region of inland drainage are sometimes seasonal. For example, Sambhar lake of
Rajasthan.
110. What are fresh water lakes?
Answer: Fresh water lakes are mostly found in the Himalayan region. They are formed when glacier dug out
a basin, which was later filled with snowmelt water.
111. Name some of the fresh water lakes of India.
Answer: The Wular lake. The Dal lake, Bhimtal, Nainital, Loktak and Barapani.
112. How man-made lakes are formed?
Answer: The drainage of rivers for the generation of hydroelectric power also led to the formation of lakes
called man-made lakes. For example. Guru Gobind Sagar Lake (Bhakra Nangal Project).
113. What is the importance of lakes?
Answer: Lakes moderate the climate of surroundings, maintain the aquatic ecosystem, enhance natural
beauty, help develop tourism and provide recreation.
114. How rivers help in an agricultural country like India?
Answer: Rivers help in irrigation, navigation, hydro-power generation to help the farmers in their production
and marketing.
Short Answer Type Questions
1. What is the major objective of the National River Conservation Plan (NRCP)?
Answer: Under this action plan, pollution abatement works in Indian rivers are being taken up. Initially, 215
schemes of pollution abatement have been sanctioned. So, far 69 schemes have been completed under this
plan. A total of one million litres of sewage is targeted to be intercepted, diverted and treated.
2. Identify the rivers of which the following are tributaries: the Gandak, the Dibang, the Ganga and
the Tungabhadra.
Answer: The Gandak is a tributary of the Ganga, the Dibang is a tributary of the Brahmaputra, the Ganga is
a tributary of the Meghna (in Bangladesh) and the Tungabhadra is a tributary of the Krishna.
3. List three salient features of inland salt lakes.
Answer: The three features are

(i) They are found in arid or semi-arid regions of the country.
(iii) They dry up during summers.
(iii) They are fed by short and intermittent streams.
4. Which river in South India receives water both in summer and winter?
Answer: The river Kaveri rises in the Western Ghats and thus receives water from the summer monsoon.
Since, it flows through Tamil Nadu into the Arabian sea, it receives rainfall from the winter monsoon also.
5. Which river flows for the longest length in India?

Answer: The Ganga river flows for 2525 km in India. Although other rivers like the Brahmaputra and Indus
may be longer in their total length, their length of flow in India is much less than that of the Ganga.
6. Which of the lakes out of Nagaijuna Sagar, Loktak, Chilika and Gobind Sagar are artificial lakes?
Answer: Nagarjuna Sagar is an artificial lake created by damming the Krishna river. Gobind Sagar lake in
Himachal Pradesh has been artificially created by damming the Satluj river with the Bhakra dam.
7. What is the Indus Water Treaty?
Answer: The Indus Water Treaty is a water sharing treaty of the Indus basin between India and Pakistan.
According to it, India can use only the waters of the Indus tributaries the Satluj, the Beas and the Ravi
(comprising about 20 per cent of the water).
8. Name three famous waterfalls in India and the rivers on which they are situated.
Answer: Besides the waterfalls listed here, there are many others. The following are three famous waterfalls
in India
Name of Waterfall River on Which Situated
Jag falls Sharavathi river (Shimoga, Karnataka)
Langshiang falls Kyinshi river (West Khasi hills, Meghalaya)
Barehipani falls Budhabalanga river (Mayurbhanj Odisha)
9. In the radial drainage pattern, why do streams flow in all directions from a central point?
Answer: The source of streams in a radial drainage pattern is an uplifted point like a mountain or volcano
and the streams flow down by gravitation. The terrain of the mountain determines the path of these streams.
10. Why does the Brahmaputra in its Tibetan part have less silt, despite a longer course?

Answer: In Tibet, the river Indus known as Tsangpo carries a smaller volume of water and less silt as it is a
cold and dry area. In India, the river carries a large volume of water and considerable amount of silt because
it passes through a region of high rainfall.
11. What you understand by the terms ‘lagoon’ and “estuary”?
Answer: Logoon : A shallow body of water, especially one separated from a sea by sandbars or coral reef is
called lagoon. Estuary Estuary is widening channel of river where it nears the sea with a mixing of fresh
water and salt water. It is a party enclosed,coastal body of brakish water where one or more rivers are
discharging.
12. How growing demand of water from rivers, affects the quality of water?
Answer: More and more water is drained out of the rivers for growing domestic, municipal, industrial and
agricultural demands of water, which reduces their volume. On the other hand, a heavy load of untreated
sewage & industrial effluents are emptied into the rivers, affecting the quality of water.
13. What does ‘drainage’ mean? What is a ‘drainage basin’?
Answer: (i) The term ‘drainage’ means the river system of an area.
(ii) Some small streams flowing from different directions come together to form the main river, which
ultimately drains into a large water body. The area drained by a single river system is called a ‘drainage
basin’.
14. What is meant by ‘water divide’? Give an example.
Answer: Any elevated area such as a mountain or a plateau that separates two drainage basins is known as a
‘water divide’.
For example, Ambala is located at the water divide between the Indus and Ganga rivers. It does not receive
water from either of the two rivers.
15. From where does the river Indus originate and which tributaries join the main river?

Answer: (i) Several tributaries such as the Zaskar, Nubra, Shyok and the Hunzajoin the river Indus in
Kashmir.
(ii) The Satluj, Beas, Ravi, Chenab andJhelum rivers join together to enter the Indus near Mithankot in
Pakistan.
16. From where does the river Ganga originate and which tributaries join it?
Answer: The river Ganga originates from the Gangotri glacier as ‘Bhagirathi’. Then it is joined by
Alaknanda at Devaprayag in Uttarakhand. The Ganga is joined by many rivers from the Himalayas such as
Yamuna, Ghaghara, Gandak and the Kosi rivers. The river Yamuna originates from the Yamunotri glacier,
but joins the river Ganga at Allahabad. The main tributaries which come from the peninsular uplands are the
Chambal, the Betwa and the Son.
17. Prepare a short note on the ‘Sunderban Delta’.
Answer: The Sunderban Delta is the world’s largest and the fastest growing delta. Filled by various
tributaries, the river Ganga reaches West Bengal. This is the northernmost part of the Ganga Delta. From
here, the Bhagirathi-Hooghly (a distributary) flows southwards towards the deltaic plains and the Bay of
Bengal. The main stream flows southwards into Bangladesh and is joined by Brahmaputra, known as
Meghna. This mighty river (with waters from Ganga and Brahmaputra) forms the deltaic plains and then
flows into the Bay of Bengal. It derives its name from the Sundari tree which grows in marshland.
18. How does the Brahmaputra river enter India? Which are its tributaries?
Answer: (i) The Brahmaputra rises in Tibet, near the Mansarovar lake. Then it flows eastwards, parallel to
the Himalayas. On reaching the Namcha Barwa, it takes a U-turn and enters India into Arunachal Pradesh
through a deep gorge. (ii) Its tributaries are – the Dibang, Lohit and Kenula.
19. From where does the river Narmada originate? How is the Narmada basin formed?
Answer: The Narmada river rises in the Amarkantak hills in Madhya Pradesh. From here, it flows towards
the west in a rift valley. In Jabalpur, it passes through a deep gorge of marble rocks’. It also forms the
‘Dhuadhar falls’. It passes through the states of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.
20. Prepare a short note on the river Tapti.

Answer:(i) The Tapti rises in the Satpura ranges in Betui district of Madhya Pradesh.
(ii) It also flows in a rift valley parallel to the Narmada river.
(iii) Its basin covers parts of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra.
21. Give a brief description of ‘Dakshin Ganga’.
Answer: (i) The Godavari river is the largest Peninsular river.

(ii) It rises from the slopes of the Western Ghats in the Nasik district of Maharashtra.
(iii) Its length is 1,500 km and it drains into the Bay of Bengal.
(iv) Its drainage basin is also the largest among the peninsular rivers.
(v) Its tributaries are?the Puma, Wardha, Pranhita, Manjra, Wainganga and the Penganga. (vi) This basin
covers parts of Maharashtra, MP, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.
22. What do you know about the Mahanadi river?
Answer: (i) The Mahanadi rises in the highlands of Chhattisgarh.

(ii) It flows through Odisha to reach the Bay of Bengal.
(iii) The length of the river is about 860 km.
(iv) Its drainage basin is shared by the states of Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Odisha.
23. From where does the river Krishna originate and name its tributaries?
Answer: The river Krishna rises from a spring near Mahabaleshwar. The Tungabhadra, Koyna, Ghatprabha,
Musi and the Bhima are some of its tributaries.
24. Make a comparison in tabular form between the East flowing and West flowing rivers of the
Peninsular plateau. Or Differentiate between East flowing and West flowing rivers of Peninsular
plateau. Mention their name also. Or Differentiate between the salient features of East flowing and
West flowing rivers of Peninsular India.
Answer: Comparison between the East/lowing and West flowing rivers of the Peninsular plateau
East Flowing Rivers West Flowing Rivers

These rivers originate from the Western Chats and flow These rivers originate in central India and flow
Eastwards. Westwards.
These rivers flow into the Bay of Bengal. These rivers flow into the Arabian sea.
These rivers form deltas at their mouths. These rivers form estuaries at their mouths.
They carry larger amount of water. They carry a lesser amount of water.
Examples are Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri. Examples are Narmada and Tapi.
25. Explain what life would be like if freshwater is not available.
Answer: For survival, man depends on water. It circulates and goes through our bodies, replenishing
nutrients and carrying away waste materials. Without freshwater, no activities of human beings and life
would be possible. Seawater is salty and it cannot substitute for freshwater. Life as we know it, will not be
there. No, trees will be able to grow and no land based animals can survive. Even birds will not exist.
26. Describe inland drainage, giving its main features.
Answer: When rivers do not reach a sea or ocean, but empty their water in an inland sea or lake, this is
known as inland drainage. Its main features are (i) The streams joining lakes or inland seas are fed by
rainwater. (ii) During the rainy season, we may have flash floods and during other seasons they may dry up.
(iii) In some cases they may form salt water lakes, like the Sambhar lake in Rajasthan.
27. Make a comparison in tabular form between a delta and an estuary.
Answer: Comparison between a delta and an estuary
Delta Estuary
These are triangular deposits made by rivers at their These are sharp edged mouths of rivers without any
mouths. deposits.
Formed in regions of low tides and coastal plaints. Formed in regions of high tides and rift valleys.

These are agriculturally fertile lands. They are not agriculturally fertile lands
28. List the differences between glaciers and rivers.
Answer:
Feature Glaciers Rivers
Composition and It is composed ice moving at a very slow It is composed of water flowing at a
speed speed. faster speed.
These are found either on snow-capped These are found from mountain tops to
Location
mountains or in higher latitudes. the oceans and all latitudes.
They are wide and deep, filling a whole They are shallower and confined to a
Dimensions
valley. narrower channel.
29. Distinguish between a tributary and a distributary.
Answer: A tributary is a stream which flows into a main stream (or parent) river. A tributary does not flow
directly into a sea, ocean or lake. Tributaries and the main stream river drain the surrounding drainage basin
of its surface water and groundwater. The reverse to a tributary is a distributary, a river that branches off and
flows away from the main stream. The Yamuna is a tributary of the Ganga, whereas the Hugli is a
distributary of the Ganga.
30. Make a list of natural and artificial lakes with the help of the atlas.
Answer: Natural Lakes: Wular lake, Dal lake, Nainital lake, Bhimtal lake, Loktak lake, Barapani lake,
Chilika lake, Sarnbhar lake, Pulicat lake, Kolleru lake, Vembanad lake.
Artificial Lakes: Guru Gobind sagar, Rana Pratap sagar, Nizam sagar, Nagarjuna sagar, Hirakud.
Long Answer Type Questions
1. Why are rivers important for the country’s economy?

Answer: Rivers are important for the country’s economy because water from the rivers is a basic natural
resource is essential for various human activities. The importance of the rivers for the country’s economy are
(i) The rivers provide water for irrigation.
(ii) They provide fertility to the soil.
(iii) They are useful for navigation.
(iv) They help to generate hydroelectricity.
(v) They help to develop tourism.
(vi) They provide water for various domestic uses.
(vii) They provide livelihood to fishermen.
(viii) They help to moderate the climate and environment of nearby areas.
2. What is a river pattern? Name any four patterns formed by the rivers?
Answer: The streams within a drainage basin form certain patterns depending on the slope of land,
underlying rock structure as well as the climatic conditions of the area. These patterns are known as drainage
patterns.
The four patterns are
(i) Dendritic Pattern The river and its tributaries follow the slope of the terrain just like the branches of a tree.
(ii) Rectangular Pattern This occurs on a strongly jointed rocky terrain.
(iii) Trellis Pattern This develops where hard and soft rocks exist parallel to each other, so that the tributaries
join the river at almost right angles.
(iv) Radial Pattern This pattern develops when streams flow in different directions from a central peak or
dome like structure.
3. Explain any three features of peninsular rivers.
Answer: The three features of peninsular rivers are

(i) A large number of peninsular rivers are seasonal, as their flow depends on rainfall.
(ii) These rivers have shorter and shallower courses.
(iii) Most of the peninsular rivers originate in the Western Ghats and flow towards the Bay of Bengal.
4. Describe any three features of the Himalayan rivers. Or Explain main features of rivers originating
from the Himalayas.

Answer: The three features of the Himalayan rivers are
(i) Most of the Himalayan rivers are perennial. It means that they have water throughout the year.
(ii) The Himalayan rivers have long courses from their source to the sea.
(iii) They perform intensive emotional activity in their upper courses and carry huge loads of silt and sand.
5. Describe the Indus river system on the following heads (i) Source (ii) Any two tributaries (iii) Indus
Water Treaty.
Answer: (i) Source The river Indus rises in Tibet, near lake Mansarowar.
(ii)Tributaries Tributaries of Indus river system are the Zaskar, the Nubra, the Shyok, the Hunza, the Satluj,
the Beas, the Ravi, the Chenab and the Jhelum.
(iii) Indus Water Treaty According to the regulations of the Indus Water Treaty, India can use only 20 per
cent of the total water carried by the Indus river system. This water is use for irrigation in the Punjab, the
Haryana, the Southern and the Western parts of Rajasthan.
6. Why are the rivers of the Western coastal plains short?
Answer: The Western Ghats run North-South very near to the Arabian sea coast and provides a prominent
watershed in the peninsular India. So, the coastal plains between the Western Ghats and the Arabian sea
coast are very narrow. Hence, the coastal rivers flowing Westward from Western Ghats are very narrow.
Sabarmati, Periyar rivers are example of such rivers.
7. Describe the three main features of the Ganga river system.
Answer: The three main features of the Ganga river system are
(i) The length of the Ganga is 2500 km. It is India’s longest river.
(ii) It has many tributaries which join it from both sides and form the Ganga river basin. It has dendritic
drainage pattern.
(iii) The Ganga originates from the Gangotri glacier. The headwater of the Ganga is called ‘Bhagirathi’. It
joins Alaknanda at Devaprayag in Uttarakhand. At Haridwar the Ganga emerges from the mountains on to
the plains.

8. (i) How are the most of the freshwater lakes in the Himalayan region formed? Give two examples of
freshwater lakes of this region.
(ii) How is Sambhar lake useful?
Answer:(i) Most of the freshwater lakes are in the Himalayan region. They are of the glacial origin. They are
formed when glaciers dug out a basin, which was later filled with snowmelt. Examples of such lakes are
Bhimtal, Nainital, Dal lake. etc. India’s largest freshwater lake is the Wular lake.
(ii) Sambhar lake is India’s largest inland salt water lake. It is located in Rajasthan in an inland drainage. It is
important source of salt in India. It is famous for production of edible salt here.
9. Give four characteristics of the Ganga Brahmaputra delta.
Answer: The four characteristics of the Ganga Brahmaputra delta are

(i) The Ganga Brahmaputra delta, also named Ganga delta, Sunderban delta or Bengal delta is situated in
Bangladesh and Paschim Banga state of India, where the Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers discharge into the
Bay of Bengal. The total catchment area of the rivers is 1.72 million sq km.
(ii) It is the world’s largest delta, with a surface area of 1 lakh sq km.
(iii) It is among the most fertile regions in the world. With more than 130 million inhabitants, this belongs to
the most densely populated areas in the world (1300 inhabitants/sq km).
(iv) Downstream of the confluence, the river is named Padma. About halfway to the ocean the Meghna joins
the Padma.
10. Explain the use of salt water lakes in India with particular reference to Chilika and Sambhar lakes.
Answer: The Sambhar lake is India’s largest saline lake and has made Rajasthan the third largest salt
producing state in India. It produces about 2 lakh tonnes of clean salt every year. Salt is produced by
evaporation of brine. This lake is also recognised as a wetland of international importance because it is a key
wintering area for flamingos and other birds that migrate from Northern Asia. Chilika lake in Odisha is the
largest brackish water lake in India. It is the wintering ground for migratory birds on the Indian sub
continent. The lake is home to a number of threatened species of plants and animals. It is an ecosystem with
large fishery resources sustaining 150000 fishermen living nearby.
11. Discuss the significant difference between the Himalayan and the Peninsular rivers. Or Give any
three differences between peninsular and Himalayan rivers.

Answer: The three differences between peninsular and Himalayan rivers are
Himalayan Rivers Peninsular Rivers
They rise from glaciers or springs in high mountains. They rise from plateaus and highlands.
Perennial in nature due to originating from glaciers. Seasonal as they get water from rainfall.
Only suitable for generation of hydroelectricity in hilly They flow at high speed due to form
regions, as they are slow flowing in the plaints. Dams need waterfalls, thus being suitable for
to be built to create waterfalls. hydroelectricity. Generation.
12. Explain how pollution is caused to river water and what action the government is taking to
minimise it.
Answer: Due to the requirements of the increasing population, large amounts of industrial effluents and
untreated sewage are released into drains which ultimately flow into rivers. Further, due to requirements in
agriculture and industry, larger amounts of water are being drained out from rivers. All this has led to
increased pollution of the water remaining in the rivers. The government has launched various action plans to
clean rivers. The major offensive in this regard is the National River Conservation Plan (NRCP), which
envisages pollution abatement in 38 major rivers covering 172 towns in 20 states currently. Under this plan,
4400 million litres of sewage is targeted to be intercepted, diverted and treated every day.
13. Describe the various drainage patterns of rivers giving some examples of Indian rivers.
Answer: There are basically four drainage patterns of rivers

(i) Dendritic Pattern This is the most common pattern followed by rivers like the Ganga. This develops
where the river channel follows the slope of the terrain. The stream with its tributaries resembles the
branches of a tree.
(ii) Trellis Pattern Short tributaries meet long trunk streams at near right angles. They are formed on
sedimentary rocks of different resistance to erosion. An example is the Narmada river.
(iii) Rectangular Pattern Straight tributaries meet straight trunk streams with bends at almost right angles.
These are formed on faulted or fractured bedrock.
(iv) Radial Pattern The streams flow outward from a well defined central point like a volcano or other round
uplift of land.

14. Explain the differences between the Indus basin and the Ganga basin in tabular form.
Answer:
Indus Basin Ganga Basin
Formed by the Indus river and its tributaries like the Formed by the Ganga river and its tributaries like the
Ravi, Chenab, Satluj, Jhelum, Beas, etc. Yamuna, Son, Ghaghara, Gomati, Kosi, Gandak, etc.
Located in Uttarakhand, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh,

Located in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana,
Bihar, Madhya Pradesh. Jharkhand and Paschim
Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan (besides Pakistan).
Banga (besides Bangladesh).
Indus river flows for 3180 km (including China and

Ganga river flows for 2506 km (including
Pakistan).Most of its tributaries flow from North-
Bangladesh).
West to South-West.
It has fertile land and a dense network of canals for Irrigation facilites required are less as it has high
irrigation. rainfall.
Separated from the Ganga basin by the Ambala Spreads from Ambala in the North-West to
Saharanpur water divide. Sunderban in the South-East.
16. What are the causes of water pollution in rivers and lakes?
Answer: Water in rivers and lakes is being reduced as the requirements of rapid urbanisation, population
growth and industrialization cause more water to be drained out from them. In place of this, huge amounts of
untreated sewage and industrial effluents are being emptied into the rivers and lakes. This has caused the
water bodies to become highly polluted. Human ashes (due to cremation near water bodies), dead animals
and leaching out of nitrogen compounds from fertilised agricultural lands also increase the pollution.
Nutrient run-off in storm water from “sheet flow” over an agricultural field or a forest is also another cause.
17. State some economic benefits of rivers and lakes.
Answer: Lake (i) Lakes help to regulate the flow of rivers.

(ii) Lakes help to prevent flooding during rainy season.
(iii) During the dry season, lakes help to maintain an even flow of water.
(iv) Lakes can also be used for developing hydelpower.
(v) Lakes provide opportunities for fishery development.
(vi) They moderate the climate of the surroundings and maintain the acquaric ecosystem. (viii) They enhance
natural beauty and help to develop tourism and provide recreation, e.g., Dal lake and Naini lake at Nainital.
Rivers
(i) They help to develop hydel power.
(ii)They provide water for irrigation for drinking and other requirements.
(iii) They help to develop fisheries.
18. The textbook states: “Imagine that if Srinagar, Nainital and other tourist places did not have a
lake, would they have been as attractive as they are today? Have you ever tried to know the
importance of lakes in making a place attractive to tourists?” Can you answer these questions?
Answer: Definitely, Srinagar without die Dal lake will not attract so many tourists. Similarly, Nainital
without the Naini lake will be bereft of tourists. Avast expanse of bright blue water in the midst of dense
forests, lofty mountains or barren landscape is marvellous and looks picturesque at dawn, sunset or during
full moon nights. The view of a lake shimmering in the spring sunshine is marvellous. The lakes declared as
water bird sanctuaries are like fairylands for birds. Shorelines or banks of lakes attract both humans and a
diverse community of plants and animals. The biodiversity of lakes make them important as natural
resources for tourism. Further, the usage of lakes for sports, entertainment, swimming, fishing, etc is of great
importance to the public. Use of lake shores for residential, commercial development and recreation has
increased the world over. However, through years of neglect, the lake water has been allowed to deteriorate.
This should be looked into by the concerned authorities before lake tourism comes to a stop due to the
pollution in the lakes.
19. Rivers are very important for development in India? Explain. Or Explain any three reasons for the
significance of rivers for economy of a country. Or Rivers have been of fundamental importance
throughout human history? How do rivers affect economy of a country? Explain or Highlight the role
of rivers in agricultural economy like India. Write any three points.
Answer: Rivers are known as the lifeline of human civilisation. Rivers have been of fundamental importance
throughout the human history. Water from the river is a basic natural resource, essential for various human
activities. The river banks have attracted the settlers from ancient times. These settlements have also become
big cities. The three points are

(i) The rivers for irrigation, navigation, hydropower generation is of special significance particularly to a
country like India, where agriculture is the major source of livelihood for majority of its population.
(ii) River water is used for providing irrigation facilities through various canals. Multi-purpose dams have
been constructed on the Indian rivers which provides hydro-electricity, irrigation facilities, navigation,
afforestation, etc.
(iii) Rivers are considered of great cultural significance in Indian culture. Many cultural activities like
Kumbh melas are organised on river banks in every part of India. Indian rivers like the Ganga form vast
basins that are considered as one of the most agriculturally productive part of the world. Indian rivers host
many religious, cultural and picturesque tourist spots that are of great significance to tourism industry which
is a great source of income to a country’s economy.
20. How lakes are of great value to human beings? State any six importance’s, Or What is lake?
Explain the importance of lakes. Or Describe any three benefits of lakes?
Answer: Lake is a large body of water that is entirely surrounded by land. Lake water can be fresh or more
rarely salty or saline.
Importance of lakes are
(i) Lake are of great value to human beings. It helps to regulate the flow of a river.
(ii) During heavy rainfall, it prevents flooding and during the dry season, it help to maintain an even flow of
water.
(iii) Lakes can also be used for developing hydel power. They moderate the climate of the
surroundings maintain the aquatic ecosystem, enhance natural beauty, help develop tourism and provide
recreation.
21. Explain the ‘National River Conservation Plan’ (NRCP) in brief.
Answer: The central government sponsored scheme of National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) is being
implemented by the central government jointly with the state governments on a cost-sharing basis. The
pollution abatement works under NRCP presently covers polluted stretches of 39 major rivers and 185 towns
spread over 20 states in the country. The activities of Ganga Action plan (GAP) Phase-1 initiated in 1985,
were declared closed on 31st March, 2000. The steering committee of the National River Conservation
Authority reviewed the progress of the GAP and necessary correction on the basis of lessons learnt and
experience gained from GAP Phase-I. These have been applied to the major polluted rivers of the country by
the NRCP. The Ganga Action Plan (GAP) Phase-II has been merged with NRCP. A total of 215 schemes of

pollution abatement have been sanctioned. So far, 69 schemes have been completed under this action plan. A
million litres of sewage is targeted to be intercepted, diverted and treated.
22. State some economic benefits of rivers and lakes.
Answer: (i) Water from the rivers is a basic natural resource, essential for various human activities.
(ii) The river banks have attracted settlers from ancient times. These settlements have now become big cities.
(iii) Using rivers for irrigation, navigation, hydro-power generation is of special significance.
(iv) Rivers are very significant for countries like India where agriculture is the livelihood for a majority of
the population.
(v) Lakes help to develop tourism and provide recreation. Rivers have been of fundamental importance
throughout human history.
23. Discuss the significant differences between the Himalayan and the Peninsular rivers.
Answer: Himalayan rivers:

(i) These rivers are perennial, i.e., they flow throughout the year.
(ii) They receive water from the melting of the glaciers, as well as rains.
(iii) They have long and deep courses.
(iv) They perform erosional activity in their upper course and carry huge loads of silt and sand.
(v) They have large drainage basins.
(vi) They make huge deltas at their mouths, which are well developed. Examples: Ganga and Brahmaputra
Peninsular rivers:
(i) These rivers are seasonal, i.e., they flow for a certain period in a year.
(ii) They depend mainly on the rains and dry up during the dry season.
(iii) They have short and shallow courses.
(iv) They carry less or no silt and sand during their course.
(v) They have comparatively smaller drainage basins.
(vi) They make smaller deltas and two of the rivers also make estuaries. Examples: Godavari and Narmada
24. Compare the East flowing and West flowing rivers of the Peninsular plateau.

Answer: The East flowing rivers:
(i) These rivers originate from the Western Ghats and flow eastwards.
(ii) They all form deltas at their mouths.
(iii) They drain into the Bay of Bengal.
(iv) They have large volume of water. Examples: Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri
The West flowing rivers:

(i) These rivers originate in Central India and flow westwards.
(ii) They form estuaries since they flow from rift valleys.
(iii) They drain into the Arabian Sea.
(iv) They have lesser volume of water. Examples: Narmada and Tapi
25. Define the following drainage patterns: Dendritic, Trellis, Rectangular and Radial.
Answer:(i) Dendritic: The dendritic pattern develops where the river channel follows the slope of the terrain.
The stream with its tributaries resembles the branches of a tree.
(ii) Trellis: A river joined by its tributaries at approximately right angles develops a trellis pattern. A trellis
drainage pattern develops where hard and soft rocks exist parallel to each other.
(iii) Rectangular: A rectangular drainage pattern develops on a strongly joined rocky terrain.
(iv) Radial: A radial pattern develops when streams flow in different directions from a central peak or dome
like structure.
26. What are the main causes of pollution of Indian rivers?
Answer: The main causes of pollution of Indian rivers are:

(i) The growing domestic, municipal, industrial and agricultural demand for water from rivers naturally
affects the quality of water.
(ii) As a result, more and more water is drained out of the rivers, thereby reducing their volume.
(iii) A heavy load of untreated sewage and industrial effluents are emptied into the rivers. (iv) This affects
not only the quality of water but also the self-cleansing capacity of the river.
(v) The increasing urbanisation and industrialisation has increased the pollution levels of the rivers.
27. What types of lakes are found in India? Give suitable examples.

Answer: India has many lakes. They differ in size and other characteristics. Most lakes are permanent,
whereas some contain water only during the rainy season. There are lakes which are formed by the action of
glaciers and ice sheets, while the others have been formed by human activities.
(i) Salt water lakes: Spit and bars form lagoons or salt water lakes in the coastal areas like the Chilika lake,
Pulicat lake and the Kolleru lake. Sometimes salt water lakes are formed with island drainage like Sambhar
lake in Rajasthan. Its water is used for producing salt.
(ii) Freshwater lakes: Most of these are in the Himalayan region. They are of glacier origin. They are formed
when glaciers dug out a basin, which was later filled with snow melt. The Wular lake in Jammu and Kashmir
is the largest freshwater lake in India. Other freshwater lakes are the Dal, Bhimtal, Nainital, Loktak and
Barapani.
(iii) Man-made lakes: The damming of the rivers for the generation of hydel power has also led to the
formation of lakes. These lakes are formed to drain excessive water of the river during floods and adding
water to the rivers during the dry season. Such lakes are the Guru Gobind Sagar (Bhakra Nangal Project),
Nizam Sagar, Nagarjuna Sagar, Rana Pratap Sagar, etc.
28. What are the benefits of lakes to human beings?
Answer: The benefits of lakes to human beings are:

(i) A lake helps to regulate the flow of a river.
(ii) During heavy rainfall, it prevents flooding and during the dry season, it helps to maintain an even flow of
water.
(iii) Lakes can be used for developing hydel power too.
(iv) They help in maintaining a moderate climate.
(v) They are able to maintain the aquatic ecosystem.
(vi) They enhance the natural beauty and help in developing tourism and provide recreation.
29. Give characteristics of the Ganga-Brahmaputra River System.
Answer: The basin is separated from the Indus by the watershed in Haryana, i.e., Ambala. It covers the
Central and the Eastern parts of the northern alluvial plains in Haryana, U.R, West Bengal and Assam. Its
large central part is drained by river Ganga and its many tributaries. The general slope of the Ganga plain is

from the north-west to south-east and south into Bay of Bengal. Its eastern part is drained by the mighty
Brahmaputra river. It slopes from the north-east to south-west and then southward into Bangladesh.
30. Write main features of Indus Basin.
Answer: (i) The river Indus rises in Tibet, near lake Mansarovar.
(ii) Flowing west, it enters India in the Ladakh district of Jammu &: Kashmir. It forms a picturesque gorge in
this part.
(iii) It flows through Baltistan and Gilgit and emerges from the mountain at Attock.
(iv) All its major tributaries?the Satluj, the Beas, the Ravi, the Chenab and the Jhelum join together to enter
the Indus near Mithankot in Pakistan.
(v) Beyond this, the Indus flows southwards eventually reaching the Arabian Sea, east of Karachi. Indus is
2,900-km long and is one of the longest rivers of the world.
31. Give main characteristics of the Ganga River System.
Answer: (i) The headquarters of the Ganga called the ‘Bhagirathi’ is fed by the Gangotri Glacier and joined
by Alkananda at Devaprayag in Uttarakhand.
(ii) At Haridwar the Ganga emerges from the mountains on to the plains.
(iii) Its tributaries flood parts of the northern plains every year, causing widespread damage to life and
property but enriching the soil for the extensive agricultural lands.
(iv) Enlarged with the waters from its right and left bank tributaries, the Ganga flows eastward till Farakka in
West Bengal. This is the northern most point of Ganga Delta.
(v) The mainstream flows southwards into Bangladesh and is joined by the Brahmaputra. This mighty river
along with Brahmaputra flows into the Bay of Bengal and the delta formed by these rivers is known as
Sunderban delta.
32. What are the main characteristics of the mighty river Brahmaputra?
Answer: (i) The Brahmaputra rises in Tibet east of Mansarovar Lake very close to the sources of the Indus
and the Satluj.
(ii) It is slightly longer than the Indus and most of its course lies outside India.
(iii) In Tibet, the river carries a smaller volume of water and less silt as it is a cold and a dry area. (iv) In
India, it passes through a region of high rainfall. Here the river carries a large volume of water and

considerable amount of silt.
(v) The Brahmaputra has a braided channel in its entire length in Assam and forms many riverine islands.
(vi) Every year during the rainy season, the river overflows its banks causing widespread devastation due to
floods in Assam and Bangladesh.
(vii) Unlike other north Indian rivers, the Brahmaputra is marked by huge deposits of silt on its bed causing
the river bed to rise. The river also shifts its channel frequently.
33. Write down the differences between a delta and an estuary.
Answer: Delta
(i) It is a triangular-shaped piece of land formed at the mouth of a river, where it meets the sea.
(ii) With the continuous deposition of silt on its bed, a river goes on splitting itself into channels or
distributaries. They carry river water into the sea.
(iii) Delta shows an extension of land into sea. It is continuously growing seawards.
(iv) The sea is shallow. Tidal currents are not strong enough to remove deposits effectively. (v) The world’s
largest and the fastest growing delta is the Ganga- Brahmaputra delta known as the Sunderban delta.
Peninsular rivers like the Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri also form big deltas.
Estuary
(i) An estuary is an inlet formed generally by the submergence of the mouth of a river.
(ii) It has a single mouth or channel. It has steep banks or slopes. Where an estuary is formed, sea is deep.
(iii) Strong tidal waves carry away the little amount of sediments deposited by a river.
(iv) Estuaries produce an indented coastline and provide sites of natural harbours. They create conditions for
better navigation.
(v) The mouths of rivers Narmada and Tapi present good examples of estuaries.
34. Give main characteristics of the largest peninsular river.
Answer: (i) The Godavari is the largest peninsular river.

(ii) Its length is about 1500 km. Its drainage basin is also the largest amongst the peninsular rivers.
(iii) The basin covers parts of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. (iv) The Godavari
is joined by a number of tributaries such as the Purna, the Wardha, the Pranhita, the Manjra, the Wainganga
and the Penganga.

(v) The last three tributaries are very large. Because of its length and the area it covers, it is also known as
‘Dakshin Ganga’.
35. How Indian lakes differ from each other?
Answer: India has many lakes. These differ from each other in 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 region. There are some of the lakes which are the result of the action of glaciers and ice sheets,
while the others have been formed by wind, river action and human activities.
36. Describe the journey of river Ganga in India and which rivers join it en route.
Answer: (i) The river Ganga originates from Gangotri Glacier and is called Bhagirathi over here.
(ii) It is joined by Alaknanda at Devaprayag in Uttarakhand.
(iii) At Haridwar, it enters the plains and starts doing the job of transportation and deposition,
(iv) The major Himalayan rivers joining Ganga are the Yamuna, the Ghaghra, the Gandak and the Kosi.
(v) The river Yamuna flows parallel to the Ganga and as a right bank tributary meets the Ganga at Allahabad,
(vi) The Ghaghra, the Gandak and the Kosi originate from Nepal Himalayas and ultimately join river Ganga.
(vii) These rivers flood northern plains almost every year causing widespread damage to life and property but
enriching the soil for the extensive agricultural land.
(viii) The tributaries coming from the peninsular uplands are the Chambal, the Betwa and the Son.
(ix) Enlarged with waters from its right and left bank tributaries, the Ganga flows eastwards till Farakka in
West Bengal. This is the northern most point of the Ganga Delta. (x) The river bifurcates here; the
Bhagirathi?Hooghly flows southwards through the deltic plains to the Bay of Bengal. With Brahmaputra, it
forms the world’s biggest delta called the ‘Sunderbans Delta’. Here, ends the journey of river Ganga.
37. Have you heard about’Dakshin Ganga’? Give an account of its course.
Answer: (i) River Godawari is called the ‘Dakshin Ganga’.

(ii) It is the largest peninsular river.
(iii) It rises from the slopes of the Western Ghats in the Nasik district of Maharashtra.
(iv) It is about 1,500 kms long and drains into the Bay of Bengal.
(v) Its drainage basin is the largest among other peninsular rivers.
(vi) The basin covers parts of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. (vii) The

Godawari is joined by a number of tributaries like the Puma and Wardha, the Pranhita, the Manjra, the
Wainganga and the Penganga.
(viii) Because of its length and the area it covers, it is known as ‘Dakshin Ganga.’
38. Define the role of rivers in Indian economy.
Answer: (i) Rivers have been of fundamental importance throughout the human history.
(ii) Water from the rivers is a basic natural resource, essential for various human activities.
(iii) Therefore, the river banks have attracted settlers from ancient times. These settlements have now
become big cities.
(iv) Using rivers for irrigation, navigation, hydro-power generation is of special significance particularly to a
country like India, where agriculture is the major source of livelihood of the majority of its population.
39. What are the main causes of the pollution in the rivers of India? How can we prevent this kind of
pollution?
Answer: (i) The growing domestic, municipal industrial and agricultural demand for water from rivers
naturally affects the quality of water.
(ii) As a result, more and more water is being drained out of the rivers, reducing their volume.
(iii) On the other hand, a heavy load of untreated sewage and industrial effluents are emptied into the rivers.
(iv) This affects not only the quality of water but also the self-cleansing capacity of the rivers.
(v) But the increasing urbanisation and industrialisation do not allow it to happen and the pollution level of
many rivers has been rising.
How to prevent pollution:

(i) The effluents of the industries should be treated before they enter the river waters.
(ii) People of the urban areas living on the banks of the rivers should be sensitised about the pollution levels
of the rivers and the difficulty in cleaning it.
(iii) Since Indians are religious-minded and most of their festivals are associated with pure water of rivers,
the immersing of deities, and of religious goods and even the dead are associated with these holy rivers,
resulting into pollution, which needs to be checked and controlled.

Map Questions
The Political Map of India shows all the States and Union Territories.
Question 1.
Locate and label the following rivers on the given map of India
1 Ganga
2 Brahmaputra
3 Indus
4 Yamuna
5 Godavari
6 Krishna
7 Kaveri
8 Narmada
9 Tapi
Question 2.
Locate and label the following Lakes on the given map
1 Sambar
2 Daal
3 Ular
4 Chilka
5 Kolleru

6 Pulikat
7 Vembanad
NCERT Solutions for class 9 SST Geography Chapter 3 Drainage Questions
Question-1
What is meant by the water divide? Give an example.
Solution:
Any elevated area, such as a mountain or upland, separates two drainage basins. Such upland is
known as the water divide. Ambala is located on the water divide between the Indus and the Ganga
river systems.
Question-2
Which is the largest river basin in India?

Solution:
The Ganga basin is the largest basin in India.
Question-3
Where do the rivers Indus and Ganga have their origin?
Solution:
The headwaters of the Ganga called the ‘Bhagirathi’ is fed by the Gangotri Glacier and joined by the
Alaknanda at Devaprayag in Uttaranchal. At Haridwar, the Ganga emerges from the mountains on
to the plains. The Indus flows through Baltistan and Gilgit and emerges from the mountains at
Attock.
Question-4
Name the two headstreams of the Ganga. Where do they meet to form the Ganga?
Solution:
Alakananda and Bhagirathi are the two headstreams of the Ganga. They meet at Devaprayag.
Question-5
Why does the Brahmaputra in its Tibetan part have less silt, despite a longer course?
Solution:
The Brahmaputra river, which is known as Tsangpo in Tibet, receives a very little volume of water in
Tibet so it has less silt there. On the other hand, this very river when enters India it passes through
such a region which receives heavy rainfall. As such in India, it carries a large volume of water and
a larger amount of silt.
Question-6
Which two Peninsular rivers flow through trough?
Solution:
Narmada and Tapi are the two Peninsular rivers, which flow through the trough.
Question-7
Discuss the significant difference between the Himalayan and the Peninsular rivers.
Solution:
The Himalayan Rivers The Peninsular or Deccan Rivers
1. The Himalayan rivers rise in the snow-covered mountains as such they flow throughout the year.
The mountains in which the Deccan rivers rise are not snow-covered. Hence they dry up in
summer.
2. The Himalayan rivers flow in leveled Northern Plains. Therefore, they are quite useful for
navigation and irrigation. The Peninsular rivers flow on the uneven rocky surface. Therefore they
are neither navigable nor useful for irrigation.
3. The Himalayan rivers bring with them fertile alluvium which they deposit in the Indo-Gangetic
Plains. The Peninsular rivers do not bring with them enough alluvium. As the current is swift so the
deposition activity is negligible.

4. Canals have been dug to use the water of these rivers for irrigation. As the terrain is rocky and
the banks of these rivers are high, canals cannot be dug. However, dams are built to store the
floodwater for irrigation with the help of small channels.
5. Many important towns and centres of trade are situated on the banks of these rivers. Very few
important towns and centres of trade are situated on the banks of these rivers.
6. The porous soil absorbs a lot of water, which is later on used as groundwater by digging wells
and tube wells for domestic and irrigation purposes. The rocky soil does not absorb any water.
Hence no wells can be dug. All the water flows down the sea at one and the same time.
Question-8
Compare the east-flowing and the west-flowing rivers of the Peninsular plateau.
Solution:
East Flowing Rivers
The Mahanadi, the Godavari, the Krishna, and the Kaveri are the main east flowing rivers of
Peninsular India. These rivers drain in the Bay of Bengal. These rivers make deltas at their mouth
West Flowing Rivers.

These rivers have a developed tributary system. Their tributaries are comparatively large in size.
These rivers flow through not very deep channels.
The Narmada and the Tapi are the main west-flowing rivers of Peninsular India. These rivers drain
in the Arabian Sea. These rivers enter the sea through estuaries. These rivers are devoid of
developed tributary system. Their tributaries are quite small in size. These rivers flow in a trough or
a funnel-like narrow but deep channel.
Question-9
Why are rivers important for the country’s economy?
Solution:
Rivers have been of fundamental importance throughout human history. Water from the rivers is a
basic natural resource, essential for various human activities. Therefore, the riverbanks have
attracted settlers from ancient times. These settlements have now become big cities. Make a list
of cities in your state, which is located on the bank of a river. Using rivers for irrigation, navigation,
hydropower generation is of special significance – particularly to a country like India, where
agriculture is the major source of livelihood of the majority of its population.
THE END

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Shiv Chhatrapati Shikshan Sanstha’s

SANT TUKARAM NATIONAL MODEL SCHOOL, LATUR

Main Concept and Sub concept

Important Drainage Systems of India

1. The drainage systems in India are dominated by broad relief features.

2. The Indian rivers are categorized into two major groups:

a. The Himalayan Rivers:

The Himalayan River Systems

a. Indus River System:

b. Ganga River System:

c. Brahmaputra River System:

By: KALYAN B MASKE PGT Social (STNMS)

• The Brahmaputra overflows to flood the banks of Assam.

The Peninsular River Systems

1. The Western Ghats serves as a water divide in the peninsular region.

3. An account of these rivers are as follows:

By: KALYAN B MASKE PGT Social (STNMS)

d. Ox-Bow Lakes: These are formed from meandering rivers.

2. Lakes have numerous uses some of which are as follows:

b. They are also used for the generation of hydroelectric power.

By: KALYAN B MASKE PGT Social (STNMS)

Rivers and Their Role in the Economy

b. They are used in navigation.

d. Rivers help in hydroelectric power generation.

Pollution and River

3. Industrialization and urbanization further increase the levels of river pollution.

Click on the links to see the videos related to the chapter.

1. On the outline map of India, the important Himalayan Rivers.

By: KALYAN B MASKE PGT Social (STNMS)

By: KALYAN B MASKE PGT Social (STNMS)

1. Super fresher – MBD

2. Together With – RachnaSagar

4. All In One – Arihant

5. Golden Social Science – New Age International LTD

6. Social Science – S Chand

By: KALYAN B MASKE PGT Social (STNMS)

By: KALYAN B MASKE PGT Social (STNMS)

By: KALYAN B MASKE PGT Social (STNMS)

By: KALYAN B MASKE PGT Social (STNMS)

Question Answer Question Answer Question Answer

Fill in the blanks.

By: KALYAN B MASKE PGT Social (STNMS)

Very Short Answer Questions

Answer: They are all salt water lakes.

2. Which is the largest natural inland lake in India?

3. The Satluj is a tributary of which river?

4. What are other names given to the Brahmaputra river?

5. What is the Sunderban famous for?

6. Through which states in India does the river Satluj flow?

10. Which is the highest waterfall in India?

11. Why has industrial development flourished along rivers?

13. What is the meaning of the word ‘doab’?

14. The Kaveri basin covers parts of which Indian states?

15. Which is the longest river of peninsular India?

By: KALYAN B MASKE PGT Social (STNMS)

Answer: Dendritic drainage pattern resembles the branches of a tree.

18. What do you understand by the term “Drainage Basin”?

21. Which is the longest river of the peninsular plateau?

Answer: River Godavari is the longest river of peninsular plateau.

22. Which river is known as “Dakshin Ganga”?