The Peninsular Rivers

  • Main water divide formed by Western Ghats. Run north to south close to the western coast.
  • Most of the major Peninsular rivers except Narmada and Tapi flow from west to east, also they flow through Rift valley.
  • Chambal, the Sind, the Betwa, the Ken, the Son, originating in the northern part of the Peninsula belong to the Ganga river system.
  • Mahanadi, the Godavari, the Krishna and the Kaveri flow eastwards and drain into the Bay of Bengal, absence of meanders and non-perennial flow of water.
  • Narmada and the Tapi are the only long rivers, which flow west and make esturies.
Evolution
  • Subsidence of the western flank of the Peninsula leading to its submergence below the sea during the early tertiary period. Generally, it has disturbed the symmetrical plan of the river on either side of the original watershed.
  • Upheaval of the Himalayas when the northern flank of the Peninsular block was subjected to subsidence and the consequent trough faulting. The Narmada and The Tapi flow in trough faults and fill the original cracks with their detritus materials. Hence, there is a lack of alluvial and deltaic deposits in these rivers.
  • Slight tilting of the Peninsular block from northwest to the southeastern direction gave orientation to the entire drainage system towards the Bay of Bengal during the same period.
The Narmada Basin
  • Amarkantak hills in Madhya Pradesh.
  • Flows towards the west in a rift valley formed due to faulting & deep/picturesque groge. Marble rocks Marble rocks’, near Jabalpur.
  • 27 km estuary.
  • Dhuadhar falls - river plunges over steep rocks.
  • Tributaries are short 7 join the main stream right angle.
  • Basin cover Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.
  • Sardar Sarovar Project
The Tapi Basin
  • Rises in the Satpura ranges, Multai in Betul district of Madhya Pradesh.
  • Flows in a rift valley parallel to the Narmada but shorter in length.
  • Basin cover Madhya Pradesh (15%), Gujarat (6%) and Maharashtra (79%).
  • Main west flowing rivers are Sabarmati, Mahi, Bharathpuzha and Periyar.
The Godavari Basin
  • Largest Peninsular river. Also called Dakshin Ganga.
  • Largest Peninsular river, rise in Slope of western Ghats, Nasik district of Maharashtra.
  • Heavy flood & form Picturesque gorge.
  • Basin covers Maharashtra (about 49%), 20% in Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.
  • Joined by many tributaries the Purna, the Wardha, the Indravati, the Pranhita, the Manjra, the Wainganga and the Penganga. (last three tributaries are very large).
  • River after Rajamundri splits into several branches forming a large delta.
The Mahanadi Basin
  • Rises near Sihawa in Raipur district of Chhattisgarh. about 860 km (1.42 lakh sq.km).
  • Basin cover Madhya Pradesh (53%), Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, and Odisha (47%).
The Krishna Basin
  • Rise near Mahabaleshwar in Sahysdri. About 1400 km. Second largest east flowing peninsular river.
  • Some tributaries – the Tungabhadra, the Koyana, the Ghatprabha, the Musi and the Bhima.
  • Basin cover 27% in Maharasthra, 44% in Karnatak and 29% in Andhra Pradesh & Telangana.
The Kaveri Basin
  • Rises in the Brahmagri range of the Western Ghats. About 760 km.
  • Upper catchment area receives rainfall during the southwest monsoon season (summer) and the lower part during the northeast monsoon season (winter)
  • Main Tributaries - Amravati, Bhavani, Hemavati and Kabini.
  • Basin cover Karnataka (3%), Kerala (41%) and Tamil Nadu (56%).
  • Make second biggest waterfall in India - Shivasamudram Falls.
  • Hydroelectric power – supplied to Mysuru, Bengaluru and the Kolar Gold Field.
  • Smaller river - Damoder, the Brahmani, the Baitarni and the Subarnrekha.
The Luni basin
  • largest river system of Rajasthan, west of Aravali.
  • Pushkar in two branches Saraswati and the Sabarmati, join with each other at Govindgarh.

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