Drainage System

in India
Part- 3
By Dr Vipan Goyal
Peninsular Drainage System
 Peninsular Drainage System
• Peninsula rivers are much older than the Himalayan rivers
•
• Most of the major rivers of the peninsula such as the Mahanadi, the Godavari, the
Krishna and the Cauvery flow eastwards and drain into the Bay of Bengal. These
rivers make deltas at their mouths.

• But the west flowing rivers of Narmada and Tapi as well as those originating from
the Western Ghats and falling in the Arabian Sea form estuaries in place of deltas.
Due to Hard rocks & lack of Distributaries
Peninsular Drainage System
Examples of Falls :
The Jog on the Sharvati (289 m),

Yenna of Mahabaleshwar on Narmada (183 m),

Sivasamundram on the Cauvery(101 m),

Gokak on the Gokak (55 m),

Kapildhara (23 m) and

Dhuandar (15 m) on the Narmada

 Peninsular River System
• Rivers that drain into Bay of Bengal: The Mahanadi, the Godavari, the
Krishna, the Cauvery and several smaller rivers drains south-east into the
Bay of Bengal.
• Rivers that drain into Arabian Sea: The Narmada, the Tapi, the
Mahi flowing west as well as several small streams originating from the
Western Ghats flow westwards into the Arabian Sea.
• Rivers that drain into the Ganges: Tributaries of the Ganga and the
Yamuna such as the Chambal, the Betwa, the Ken, the Son and the
Damodar flow in the north-easterly direction.
 East Flowing Peninsular Rivers
Mahanadi River
Godavari River
Krishna River
Kaveri (Cauvery) River
Pennar River
Subarnarekha River
Brahamani River
Sarada River
Ponnaiyar River
Vaigai River
 East Flowing Peninsular Rivers
Mahanadi River
Godavari River
Krishna River
Kaveri (Cauvery) River
Pennar River
Subarnarekha River
Brahamani River
Sarada River
Ponnaiyar River
Vaigai River
Mahanadi River (858 km)
 Mahanadi River (858 km)
• The Mahanadi basin extends over states of
Chhattisgarh and Odisha and comparatively
smaller portions of Jharkhand, Maharashtra
and Madhya Pradesh.

• The Mahanadi (“Great River”) has its source

in the northern foothills of Dandakaranya in
Raipur District of Chhattisgarh.

• It ranks second to the Godavari.

 Mahanadi River
• Other small streams between the Mahanadi and
the Rushikulya draining directly into the Chilka
Lake also forms the part of the basin enters the
Bay of Bengal
• It is one of the most-active silt-
depositing streams in the Indian subcontinent.
• the Hirakud Dam (one of the largest dams in
India) on the river.
• Puri, at one of its mouths, is a famous pilgrimage
site.
 Mahanadi River
• Projects
 Mahanadi main canal and Tandula reservoir in Chhattisgarh.
 Hirakud dam, Mahanadi delta project, Hasdeo Bango, Mahanadi
Reservoir Project were completed.
 Iron and Steel plant at Bhilai, aluminium factories at Hirakud and
Korba, paper mill near Cuttack and cement factory at Sundargarh.
Godavari River (1465 km)
 Godavari River
• The Godavari is the largest river system of the Peninsular
India and is revered as Dakshina Ganga/Vridha Ganga.

• The Godavari basin extends over states of Maharashtra,

Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Odisha in addition to
smaller parts in Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Union
territory of Puducherry (Yanam)

• The Godavari River rises from Trimbakeshwar in the

Nashik district of Maharashtra then Andra Pradesh and
Bay of Bengal.

• The total length of Godavari is 1,465 km.

 Godavari River
• Left Bank Tributaries: Dharna,
Penganga, Wainganga, Wardha,
Pranahita [conveying the
combined waters of Penganga,
the Wardha and Wainganga],
Pench, Kanhan, Sabari, Indravati
etc.
• Right Bank Tributaries: Pravara,
Mula, Manjra, Peddavagu,
Maner etc.
• Important projects : Srirama Sagar, Godavari barrage,
Upper Penganga, Jaikwadi, Upper Wainganga, Upper
Indravati,UpperWardha,
• Prnahita-Chevala and Polavaram project.
• The coastal areas are cyclone-prone.
Krishna River (1327 km)
 Krishna River
• The Krishna is the second largest east flowing
river of the Peninsula.
• The Krishna Basin extends over Andhra
Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka.
• The Krishna River rises from the Western
Ghats / Maharashtra just north
of Mahabaleshwar.
• The total length of river from origin to its
outfall into the Bay of Bengal is 1,400 km.
• The Krishna delta appears to merge with that
formed by the Godavari
 Krishna River
Important • Projects :
Projects :  Major projects are the Tungabhadra, Ghataprabha,
Nagarjunasagar, Malaprabha, Bhima, Bhadra and Telugu Ganga.
 The major Hydro Power stations in the basin are Koyna,
* Koyna
Tungabhadara, Sri Sailam, Nagarjuna Sagar, Almatti, Naryanpur,
*Tugrabhdra
Bhadra
*Srisailam
 Hyderabad is the state capital of Telangana and is now a major IT
*Nagarjuna
Sagar Dam hub.
 Pune in Maharashtra has number of automobile and IT
industry and is major education centre.
Cauvery River (805 km)
 Cauvery River
• The Kaveri (Cauvery) is designated as the ‘the Ganga
of the South’.
• The Cauvery River rises at Talakaveri on
the Brahmagiri range of Kodagu (Coorg) district of
Karnataka.
• The total length of the river from origin to outfall is
800 km.
• The Cauvery basin extends over states of Tamil Nadu,
Karnataka, Kerala and Union Territory of Puducherry.
• The basin in Karnataka receives rainfall mainly from
the S-W Monsoon and partially from N-E Monsoon.
 Cauvery River
• The basin in Tamil Nadu receives good flows from the North-East
Monsoon. It is, therefore almost a perennial river
• The river drains into the Bay of Bengal.
• Left Bank: the Harangi, the Hemavati, the Shimsha and the Arkavati.
• Right Bank: Lakshmantirtha, the Kabbani, the Suvarnavati, the Bhavani,
the Noyil and the Amaravati joins from right.
• Sivasamudram waterfalls (101 m high) is on this river.
 Cauvery River
• Projects :
 Krishnarajasagar in Karnataka, Mettur dam and Cauvery delta
system in Tamil Nadu.
 Bhavani, Hemavati, Harangi, Kabini are important projects
 Salem steel plant and many engineering industies in
Coimbatore and Trichinapally are also situated in this basin.
Pennar River
 Pennar River
• The Pennar (also known as Uttara Pinakini) is one of the major
rivers of the peninsula.
• Rises from Karnataka
• Flows b/w Krishna & Kaveri
• Drains into BOB
• Tributaries
 Left Bank: the Jayamangali, the Kunderu and the
 Right bank: the Chiravati, the Papagni etc.
 Pennar River
• Projects
 Tungabhadra high level canal in Krishna basin irrigated
areas in Pennar basin also.
 The only major project in the basin is the Somasila project.
 Subarnarekha
• Originates from the Ranchi Plateau in Jharkhand forming the
boundary between West Bengal and Odisha in its lower
course.
• It joins Bay of Bengal forming an estuary between the Ganga
and Mahanadi deltas. Its total length is 395 km.
 Brahamani River
• The Brahmani river comes into existence by the confluence of
the Koel and the Sankh rivers near Rourkela. It has a total
length of 800 km.
• The basin flows through Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Orissa
States and drains into Bay of Bengal.
 Ponnaiyar River
• The Ponnaiyar is a small stream which is confined to the
coastal area only.
• It covers a small area in the state of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka
and Andhra Pradesh.
 Vaigai River
• Rises from Palni hills (TN)
• A seasonal river flows through TN
• Drains in Gulf of Mannar
West Flowing Rivers of Peninsular India
 West Flowing Rivers of Peninsular India
• The west flowing rivers of the Peninsular India are fewer and
smaller as compared to their east flowing counterparts.

• The two major west flowing rivers are the Narmada and
the Tapi.

• They run parallel to the Vindhyas and the Satpuras.

 West Flowing Rivers of Peninsular India
• The Sabarmati, Mahi and Luni are other rivers of the
Peninsular India which flow westwards.

• They do not form deltas, but only estuaries.

• This is due to the fact that the west flowing rivers, especially
the Narmada and the Tapi flow through hard rocks and hence
do not carry any good amount of silt.
 Estuary
• An estuary is a partially enclosed body of water along the coast where freshwater
from rivers and streams meets and mixes with salt water from the ocean.
 Estuary
• Characteristics of Estuary:
 most productive, creating more organic matter
 support unique communities of plants and animals especially adapted for
life at the margin of the sea.
 provide economic benefits for tourism, fisheries, and recreational
activities.
 support important public infrastructure, serving as harbors and ports
vital for shipping and transportation.
 Fishing is a dominant occupation around estuaries.
 Most of the estuaries are good bird sanctuaries
Narmada River (1310km)
 Narmada River
• Narmada is the largest west flowing river of the peninsular India.
• Narmada flows westwards through a rift valley between the
Vindhyan Range on the north and the Satpura Range on the south.
• Narmada basin extends over states of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat,
Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh
• Its total length from its source in Amarkantak in Madhya Pradesh
to its estuary in the Gulf of Khambhat is 1,310 km.
 Narmada River
• Jabalpur is the only important urban centre in the basin. (a small
waterfall, especially one in a series to form the Dhuan Dhar (Cloud
of Mist) Falls.
• composed of marble, it is popularly known as the Marble Rocks.
• Near Maheshwar the river again descends from another small fall,
known as the Sahasradhara Falls.
• Longest among all east to west flowing rivers
 Narmada River
• Longest among all east to west flowing rivers
• Known as Life line of MP
 Tributary → Hiran River, Tawa River (Narmada’s longest tributary),
Kolar River
 Aliabet → Largest Island in Estuary
• The major Hydro Power Project in the basin are Indira Sagar, Sardar
Sarovar, Omkareshwar, Bargi & Maheshwar.
Tapti River (724 km)
 Tapti River
• The Tapti (also known as the Tapi) is the second largest
west flowing river of the Peninsular India and is known as
‘the twin’ or ‘the handmaid’ of the Narmada.
• The basin extends over states of Madhya Pradesh,
Maharashtra and Gujarat
 Origin : Mahadev hills, Satpura range, Betul district, MP
 Flow Route: MP, Maharashtra , Gulf of Khambat or Cambay and
then Arabian Sea
 Tapti River
• Projects on Tapti River
 Hathnur Dam of Upper Tapi Project (Maharashtra)
 Kakrapara and Ukai Dam of Ukai Project (Gujarat)
 Girna Dam and Dahigam Weir of Girna Project
(Maharashtra)
Sabarmati River (416 km)
 Sabarmati River
• The Sabarmati is the name given to the combined streams
• the Sabar and Hathmati.
• The Sabarmati basin extends over states of Rajasthan and
Gujarat
• Sabarmati originates from Aravalli hills near village Tepur,
in Udaipur district of Rajasthan and flows into Gulf of Khambat
and Arabian Sea via Estuary.
 Sabarmati River
 Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad are the important urban
centers in the basin.

 Ahmedabad is an industrial city situated on the banks of

Sabarmati.
Mahi River (560 km)
 Mahi River
• The Mahi basin extends over states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and
Gujarat .
• It originates from the northern slopes of Vindhyas at an altitude of 500 m
in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh.
• It drains into the Arabian Sea through the Gulf of Khambhat.
• Vadodara is the only important urban centre in the basin.
• Famous Projects → Banswara Dam, Mahi Bajaj Sagar dam & Kadana dam
Luni River (450 km)
 Luni River
• Luni is the only river basin of any significance in Western Rajasthan, which
form the bulk of arid zone.
• Luni originates from western slopes of the Aravalli
ranges near Ajmer flowing in South West direction and traversing a course
in Rajasthan, it finally flow into the Rann of Kachchh (it gets lost in the
marsh).
• The peculiarity of this river is that it tends to increase its width rather
than deepening the bed
 Periyar River
• Rises from Western Ghats in Kerala
• Flows towards west & drains in Arabian Sea via an estuary
 West flowing Rivers of the Sahyadris
(Western Ghats)

About six hundred small streams originate from the Western

Ghats and flow westwards to fall into the Arabian Sea.

The Jog or Gersoppa Falls (289 m) made by the Sharavati

river is the most famous waterfall of India.
Jog Falls on Sharavati River
 Points To Remember
Jog Falls/ Gersoppa Falls / Mahatma Gandhi Falls (289m) : on River Sharavati / Karnataka

Kunchikal Falls : Highest river Falls 455m on Varahi River in Karnataka

Chilika River : largest brackish water lake/ Odisha

Wular lake : largest Fresh water lake in Jammu and Kashmir.

Dal lake : also in Jammu and Kashmir

Sambhar and Didwana lake in Rajasthan : salt producing lakes

Vembanad lake in Kerala

 Points To Remember
Kolleru and Pulicat lake in Andhra Pradesh

Lonar Lake in Maharashtra is a meteoritic lake.

Keibul Lamjao National park is a floating national park located in Loktak lake in Manipur
Gahirmatha beach in Odisha separates the Bhitarkanika mangroves from BOB, is a nesting ground
for Olive Ridley Turtles.
Gulf of Kutchh region has a highest potential for tidal energy in Gujarat.
Gulf of Cambay or Gulf of Khambat (Gujarat) : Narmada, Tapti, Mahi, Luni, Sabarmati drains into
it.
Gulf of Mannar ( south of TN) : Marine Biosphere Reserve
Thank You