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The Himalayan Rivers

Introduction

The Himalayan rivers are very important. The major ones are the Indus, Ganga, and Brahmaputra. These rivers are long and have many tributaries. A tributary is a smaller river that joins a bigger one. When a river and its tributaries are together, we call it a river system.

The Indus River System

  • The Indus River starts in Tibet, near Lake Mansarowar.
  • It flows west and enters India in Ladakh.
  • In Ladakh, it forms a beautiful gorge.

Tributaries of Indus

  • Many rivers join the Indus in the Kashmir region.
  • Some important tributaries are:
    • Zaskar
    • Nubra
    • Shyok
    • Hunza
  • The Indus then flows through Baltistan and Gilgit.
  • It exits from the mountains at Attock.

Joining Rivers

  • The rivers Satluj, Beas, Ravi, Chenab, and Jhelum join the Indus near Mithankot in Pakistan.
  • Finally, the Indus flows south and reaches the Arabian Sea, east of Karachi.

Key Facts

  • The Indus is 2900 km long.
  • One-third of the Indus basin is in India (Ladakh, Jammu, Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab).
  • The rest is in Pakistan.

Water Regulation

  • According to the Indus Water Treaty (1960), India can use only 20% of the Indus's water.
  • This water is mainly for irrigation in Punjab, Haryana, and parts of Rajasthan.

The Ganga River System

Headwaters

  • The Ganga starts as Bhagirathi from the Gangotri Glacier.
  • It merges with the Alaknanda at Devaprayag in Uttarakhand.

Journey to the Plains

  • The Ganga exits the mountains at Haridwar.
  • It is joined by several tributaries, including:
    • Yamuna (from Yamunotri Glacier)
    • Ghaghara
    • Gandak
    • Kosi

Yearly Floods

  • The rivers Ghaghara, Gandak, and Kosi flood the northern plains every year.
  • These floods can cause damage but also help enrich the soil for farming.

Other Tributaries

  • From the peninsular uplands, rivers like Chambal, Betwa, and Son join the Ganga.
  • These rivers don’t carry much water and come from drier areas.

Conservation Efforts

  • The Namami Gange Programme was started to clean and conserve the Ganga river.
  • You can learn more about this at Namami Gange Website.

Delta Formation

  • After joining other rivers, the Ganga flows east to Farakka in West Bengal.
  • Here, it splits. One part flows as Bhagirathi-Hooghly towards the Bay of Bengal.
  • The other part enters Bangladesh and meets the Brahmaputra.

The Sundarban Delta

  • This delta is formed by the confluence of Ganga and Brahmaputra.
  • It is the largest and fastest-growing delta in the world.
  • Named after the Sundari tree, it is home to the Royal Bengal tiger.

Length of the Ganga

  • The Ganga is over 2500 km long.
  • From Ambala to the Sundarbans, it covers 1800 km but only drops 300 meters in height, resulting in large bends (meanders) in the river.

The Brahmaputra River System

Origin and Flow

  • The Brahmaputra rises in Tibet, near Mansarowar lake.
  • It flows east alongside the Himalayas.
  • Near Namcha Barwa, it takes a U-turn and enters India at Arunachal Pradesh.

In India

  • In India, it becomes known as Dihang.
  • It is joined by rivers like Dibang, Lohit, and others in Assam.

Name Variations

  • In Tibet, it is called Tsang Po.
  • In Bangladesh, it is known as Jamuna.

Characteristics

  • In Tibet, it carries less water due to cold and dry conditions.
  • In India, heavy rainfall increases its water volume and silt.
  • The Brahmaputra has a braided channel in Assam and creates many river islands.

Flooding Issues

  • During monsoons, the Brahmaputra often floods.
  • This causes many problems in Assam and Bangladesh.
  • The riverbed rises due to silt deposits, and its channel changes frequently.

Fun Fact

  • The world's largest riverine island, Majuli, is formed by the Brahmaputra River!

Conclusion: The Himalayan rivers are vital for our ecology and economy. Understanding their systems helps us appreciate nature and the challenges it faces.

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