Drainage

Question 1

Define:
Drainage
Draiange Basin

Answer 1

Drainage
The term drainage describes the river system of an area

Drainage Basin
The area drained by a single river system is called a Drainage Basin

Question 2

Write a short note on the Amazon River Basin

Answer 2

• The world’s largest drainage​ basin is of the Amazon river.
• The Amazon Basin is the part of South America drained by the Amazon River and its branches.
• The river has its origins high up in the Andes of Peru and Ecuador.
• Most of this drainage basin (54%) is in Brazil, including the lower part.​
• The Amazon drainage basin covers an area of about 6,300,000 sq.km or about 35.5% of the South American continent

Question 3

Write a short note on Water Divide

Answer 3

• Any elevated area such as a mountain or an upland that separates two drainage basins is called a Water Divide
• Example: Ambala act as a water divide between Indus and Ganga River System​

Question 4

Describe some features of rivers

Answer 4

Ox-bow lakes:
An oxbow lake is a U-shaped body of water that forms when a wide meander from the main stem of a river is cut off, creating a free-standing body of water​

Meander:
A meander is a bend in a sinuous watercourse or river

Question 5

What are the types of rivers in India

Answer 5

Types of Rivers in India
1. The Himalayan Rivers
2. The Peninsular Rivers

Question 6

State the characteristics of Himalayan rivers

Answer 6

• The Himalayan rivers originates from the Himalayas
• Most of the Himalayan rivers are perennial in nature
• Himalayan rivers have longer course and carry more sediments in them
• These rivers are involved more in doing erosional and depositional activities and therefore, forms many land features like valleys, gorges, meanders, ox-bow lakes, delta etc.​
• These rivers have got comparatively larger drainage basin

Question 7

What are the three major river systems in India

Answer 7

1. Indus River System
   
   2. Ganga River System
   3. Brahmaputra River System

Question 8

State the characteristics of the Indus River System

Answer 8

Refer notes

Question 9

Write a short note on the Indus Water Treaty

Answer 9

• The Indus Water Treaty was signed between India and Pakistan in 1960
• According to the regulations of this treaty India can use only 20% of the total water carried by Indus river
• This water is used for irrigation in the Punjab, Haryana and the southern and western parts of Rajasthan

Question 10

State the characteristics of the Ganga river system

Answer 10

Refer notes

Question 11

Write a short note on the Sundarban Delta

Answer 11

• The delta formed by confluence of the rivers Ganga, Brahmaputra and Meghna which is the largest delta of the world is known as Sundarban Delta.
• The delta derived its name from the Sundari trees which grows well in this marsh land.
• It is also the home of Royal Bengal Tiger

Question 12

State the characteristics of the Brahmaputra River System

Answer 12

Refer notes

Question 13

Compare the Brahamputra river in Tibet and in India

Answer 13

• In Tibet, the river carries a smaller volume of water and less silt as it is a cold and a dry area
• When the river enters India, the volume of water increases by the tributaries added into it, high rainfall and melting snow.
• Therefore, Brahmaputra in its Tibetan part have less silt, despite a longer course​