Drainage – Notes

Introduction to Drainage System

A drainage basin is an area drained by a single river system.

The drainage basin works as a funnel, by collecting all the water within the area and channelling it into a waterway.

Himalayan rivers are perennial, whereas Peninsular Rivers are seasonal.

This upland area is known as a water divide.

Drainage systems in India can broadly be categorised as Himalayan rivers and Peninsular rivers.

The four main patterns are:

• Dendritic Drainage
• Rectangular Drainage
• Trellis Drainage
• Radial Drainage

Himalayan Rivers

The three important Himalayan Rivers are the Ganga, the Brahmaputra ad the Indus.

The main tributaries of the Indus are the Sutlej, the Beas, the Ravi, the Chenab and the Jhelum.