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Abhiyan Civil Services
The North Indian Plain
The North Indian PlainFormed by depositional work of Rivers viz. Indus, Ganga & Brahamputra2400 km long & varying in width from 240 to approx. 320 kmDivided into three sections, viz. the Punjab Plain (Indus), the Ganga Plain and the Brahmaputra PlainPunjab PlainsFormed by the Indus and its tributaries with major portion of this plains in PakistanGanga PlainsBetween Ghaggar and Tista rivers (Haryana, Delhi, UP, Bihar, part of Jharkhand and West Bengal lie in the Ganga plains)Brahmaputra PlainsFrom Tista to Dihang with major portion lying in AssamNorthern plains subdivisionsBhabhar Lies along foothills of Shiwaliks, From Indus to TistaLaid down by streams coming from hillsComprises of pebble studded rocks (Highly porous bed plain)Due to high porosity, streams disappears here Tarai Lies south of Bhabhar & runs parallel to itMarked by re-emergence of underground streams of Bhabhar beltHighly alluvial & agricultural landHas a high water table due to groundwater percolating down from the adjacent zoneKhadar Flood plains with newer alluvium deposited by flood almost every yearMarked with fertile soilZone of intensive agricultureNon porous, clayey and loamyBhangarAlluvial terrace lying above the level of flood plainsComposed of the oldest alluvial soilcoarse in nature, contain kankar (lime nodules), pebbles, gravelsSoil of this region is locally known as kankar viz. calcareous concretions
Oisiki Bag
The Central Highlands
The Central HighlandsLies to the north of the Narmada river between Aravali in North & Vindhya range in southCovers the major portion of the Malwa plateau (Madhya Pradesh)Rivers in this region flow from southwest to northeast; which indicates the slope of this regionFurther extension of it is Bundelkhand, Bhaghelkhand & Chhota Nagpur PlateauChambal & Betwa flows through it →Region known as Bedland (Not fit for cultivation)Malwa PlateauLies in Madhya Pradesh b/w Aravali & VindhyasExtension of it is Bundelkhand, Bhaghelkhand & Chota Nagpur PlateauBundelkhand Plateau Lies along the borders of UP & MPHas been transformed into ravines by extensive erosional activities of river Chambal & its tributariesChhotanagpur Plateau NE part of Peninsular plateauIncludes Jharkhand, parts of Chhattisgarh & WB,Highest Peak ParasnathFamous as Patland plateau & known as ruhr of India
Deccan Plateau
Deccan PlateauLargest plateau in India; Lies to the south of the Narmada River; Shaped as inverted triangle.Surrounded by Satpura hills, Mahadeo hills, Maikala range, Amarkantak hills and Rajmahal hills i the north; Western Ghats in the west and the Eastern Ghats in the eastVolcanic in origin, made up of horizontal layers of solidified lava forming trap structure with step like appearanceSedimentary layers are also found in between the layers of solidified lava, making it inter-trapping in structureAverage elevation of Western Ghats is 900 – 1600 metres; compared to 600 metres of Eastern GhatsSlopes towards east and south and descends abruptly towards west making sahayadri rangesThe plateau is suitable for the cultivation of cotton; home to rich mineral resources & a source to generate hydroelectric power
Western Ghats
Western GhatsFolded parts of Deccan PlateauAlso known as ShayadriesMore Continuous & higher than Eastern GhatsSeparated from coast by narrow coastal plainsRich watersheds give birth to large peninsular rivers like Godavari and KrishnaExtends from Tapi in North to Kanyakumari in south Important Passes (Rail Links)Thalghat → Mumbai —- KolkataBhorghat → Mumbai —- ChennaiPhalghat → Kochi ——– Chennai Important Hill RangesNilgiri Range (Highest peak → Doda Betta along ooty (Udhagmandalam) →TNHighest Peak of South India → Anaimudi From which 3 ranges radiates in 3 directions Cardmom Hills to south,Anamalai hills to northPalni to North East
Eastern Ghats
Eastern GhatsExtends from Odisha to North of Nilgiri hillsDiscontinuous & lower then Western GhatsDo not give birth to important rivers like western ghatsSeparated from coast by very wide coastal plainsGeologically older than western ghatsMahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri cut through this range to merge with Bay of BengalThe Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats meet in the Nilgiri hillsTelangana Plateau Part of deccan plateaulocated on north of river Krishna Karnataka Plateau South of deccan lava regionConsist of Bababudan hillsFamous for iron ores Dandakaranya Plateau Forms parts of Chhatisgarh & OdishaContains igneous & metamorphic rocks of Archaen periodRiver Indravati & Mahandi flows throuth this plateauLargely inhabited by Gond tribes Shillong PlateauPart of Peninsular Deccan PlateauMade of Garo, Khasi & Jaintia HillsWorld’s highest rainfall receiving point Mawsynram is situated here
Desert and Coastal areas
The Great Indian DesertExtends from the western margins of the Aravali HillsLuni is the only prominent riverThe Coastal regionsExcluding the islands, the mainland of India has 6,100 kms length of coastlineExtends from Kutch in Gujarat in the west to the Gangetic delta in the eastThe coast of India is divided into western coast and eastern coastal plains.The coastal regions of India are known for agriculture, trade, industrial centres, tourist centres, fishing and salt makingThey also provide important hinterlands for the ports
Western and Eastern coastal regions
Western Coastal PlainsLies between Western Ghats & Arabian sea from Gujrat in north to Kanyakumari in southNarrower & wetter than Eastern plainsDivided into Malabar coast, Kannada Coast, Konkan coast, Kanyakumari Coast, Kachchh and Kathiawad peninsulasKathiawar Coast → Kutch to Daman (Tapti, Narmada, Sabarmati & Mahi river deposit huge load of sediments in the Gulf of Cambay & form estuaries)Konkan Coast → Between Daman & GoaKannada Coast → Goa to CannanoreKanyakumari Coast → Cannanore to Cape CamorinMalabar Coast → Kannada + Kanyakumari Coast Important Ports → Mumbai, Marmagoa, Cochin, Mangalore, Nhava-Sheva and KandlaMarked with Lagoons → Ashtamudi & Vembanad called Kayals → Kerala Eastern coastal PlainsLies between Eastern Ghats & Bay of Bengal from Gangetic delta in north to Kanyakumari in southKnown as Land of Deltas viz. of Mahanadi, Krishna, Kaveri & GodavariBroader but drier than Western plainsConsists of following sub coastsUtkal coast → Deltaic plains of Ganga to Mahanadi delta (Famous Chilka lake is located in this plain)Andhra Coast → Utkal plains to Pulicat lake (Contains deltas of Godavari & Krishna Rivers, & famous Kolleru lake)Northern Circars → Utkal Coast + Andhra Coast (Between Mahanadi & Krishna)Coromandal Coast → Between Krishna & Kanyakumari (Consist of Kaveri Delta)Freshwater Kolleru Lake → Between Godavari & KrishnaMarked with Famous Lagoons → Chilka lake (Orissa) & Pulicat (Tamilnadu)Chilka Lake is the largest salt water lake in IndiaIt lies in the state of Odisha, to the south of the Mahanadi Delta
Peninsular Rivers Systems
Peninsular Rivers flowing in Arabian Sea (East → West)Forms only EstuariesNo Delta → Due to Hard rocks & lack of DistributariesLuniSabarmatiMahiNarmadaTawaTapiLuniDesertic river, also known as the SagarmatiRises from the western slopes of the Aravalli Range near AjmerEnds in the marshy lands of Rann of Kutch in GujaratInspite of high salinity, it is a major river in regionServes as a primary source of irrigationSabarmatiRises from Dhebar lake in Aravalli Range of the Udaipur (Rajasthan)Flow Route: Udaipur →Gulf of Khambat →Arabian Sea via EstuaryMahiRises from Vindhya range (MP)flows through MP, Rajasthan & Gujrat & drains in Gulf of CambayFamous Projects → Banswara Dam & Kadana damNarmadaOrigin → Amarkantak, Shahdol, MPAlso known as Rewa RiverFlows through rift valley of Vindhya & SatpuraFlow Route: MP →Bharuch (Gujrat) → Gulf of Khambat (Gujrat) →Arabian Sea via EstuaryLongest among all east to west flowing riversKnown as Life line of MPForms Duandhar falls at JabalpurTributary → Hiran River, Tawa River, Kolar RiverAliabet → Largest Island in EstuaryFamous projects →Sardar Sarovar Dam, Maheshwar Dam, Indira Gandhi Sagar DamTawaRises in the Satpura Range of Betul (MP)Narmada’s longest tributaryTapiOrigin → Mahadev hills, Satpura range, Betul district, MPFlow Route: MP →Maharashtra → Gulf of Khambat or Cambay →Arabian Sea via EstuaryFamous projects → Kakrapar Dam & Ukai DamPeriyarRises from Western Ghats in KeralaFlows towards west & drains in Arabian Sea via an estuaryNote → JOG falls, made by Sharavati river in Karnataka is Highest in IndiaPeninsular Rivers flowing in Bay of Bengal ( West → East)MahanadiGodavariPengangaSabriWardhaIndravatiKrishnaTungabhadraBhimaKaveriPennerVaigai (Drains in Gulf of Mannar)MahanadiOrigin → Dandakaranya Hills, RaipurFlow Route: Chhattisgarh →Orissa → EGs → BOBFamous Project : Hirakund DamGodavariOrigin →Triambakeshwar Plateau, Nashik, WGsLargest Peninsular RiverKnown as Dakshina / Vriddha GangaFlow Route: Nashik → Andhra Pradesh →BOBFamous Tributaries → Penganga, Sabri, Wardha & IndravatiFamous Projects → Poochampad, Jayakwadi, PolavaramPengangaRises from Ajanta hills (Maharashtra)a tributary of River Wardha which finally merges into GodavariKrishnaOrigin → Mahabaleshwar, Maharashtra, WGsFlow Route: Maharashtra →Andhra Pradesh →BOBFamous Projects → Koyna, Tugrabhdra, Srisailam & Nagarjuna Sagar DamTungabhadraa major tributary of KrishnaRises from Western GhatsBhimaRises from Balaghat range (Maharashtra)Tributary of KrishnaKaveriOrigin → Brahamgiri hills, Karnataka, WGsFlow Route: Karnataka →Kaveripatnam (TN) →BOBPerrenial RiverForms Shivasundaram WaterfallsFamous projects →Krishnaraja sagar & MetturPenner Rises from KarnatakaFlows b/w Krishna & KaveriDrains into BOBVaigaiRises from Palni hills (TN)A seasonal river flows through TNDrains in Gulf of Mannar
Himalayan Drainage vs Peninsular Drainage
Himalayan Drainage vs Peninsular DrainageHimalayan DrainageAntecedent drainage i.e. Himalayan rivers are older than lesser Himalayas and ShiwaliksHimalayan rivers are older than the structures they cut acrossPerennial flowing River → fed by rain and melting glaciersGeologically young with long course of flowFlow through lose alluvial soils of northern plainsForm deep valley and gorges due to intensive erosionGenerate large quantities of sediment & cause annual flooding & form DeltasNature of river course is quiet changing, meandering , forming ox-bow lakes & high waterfallsHave deeper basins and large catchment areasPeninsular DrainageSuper-imposed drainage i.e. regional structures are older than the river valleys that cut through them.Nature of flow is seasonal i.e. majorly during south west monsoonGeologically older with shorter course of flowFlow through hard granitic soils of peninsular IndiaShallow graded valleys with little erosion.Forms shallow valleys, small waterfalls, deltas and estuaries
Watershed
WatershedGeographic area through which water flows across the land and drains into a common body of water, whether a stream, river, lake, or oceanWatershed boundary will more or less follow the highest ridgeline around the stream channels and meet at the bottom or lowest point of the land where water flows out of the watershed, the mouth of the waterwayDrainage basinAlso known as catchment basinAn area of land where surface water from rain, melting snow, or ice converges to a single point at a lower elevationUsually converses at the exit of the basin, where the waters join another water body viz. river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, or seaHence it is an area drained by tributary streams that coalesce into a main channel Watershed DivideThe line, which divides the surface runoff between two adjacent river basins, is called the topographic water divide, or the watershed divide.It marks the highest points between the basins, but isolated peaks within a basin may reach higher elevations than any point on the divide.
Stream or Flowing River Patterns
Stream or Flowing River PatternsThe combined effects of climate and geology on the catchment topography yield an erosion pattern, which is characterized by a network of streams.Some of the frequently observed stream patterns are as follows - Dendritic River PatternRiver channel follows the slope of the terrainHomogeneous beds of uniform resistance to erosionStreams run in all directions without definite preference to any one particular regionExample → Indo – Gangetic Plains Rectangular River PatternRegions that have undergone faultingProvide uniform resistance to erosionStreams Meet at right angle approx.Develops on strongly joined rocky terrainExample → Vindhya Mountains of India Trellis River PatternRiver joined by tributaries at approx. right angleDevelops in folded topography; alternate layers of hard & soft rocksLonger streams have preference to one directionTributaries have preference to right angle to the main streamExample → Appalachian Mountains of North America & Singhbhum (Chotanagpur Plateau) Radial River PatternStreams flow in different directions from central peakOutflowing rivers, away from a central point, analogous with the spokes of a wheelGenerally referred to rivers flowing through dome Mountains and volcanoesExample → Rivers Narmada, Son and Mahanadi originating from Amarkantak Hills; Girnar Hills (Kathiwar, Gujarat), and Mikir Hills of Assam Pinnate River PatternMain stream runs in one directionTributaries join it at oblique angle Parallel River PatternMain stream runs in one directionTributaries also join it running in the same direction