Indus Plain Flashcards
Location and drainage
Most of punjab and central part of Sindhi
River indus and tributaries
Topography
Active flood plain Old flood plain Alluvial terraces Piedmont plains Tidal delta Rolling sand plains Fertile Flat lands
Active flood plain
The active flood plain is the narrow strip of land along river sides
Locally it’s called bet or khaddar
It floods every year and is marked with dry and braided channels
Very fertile
It’s along all rivers except the south half of river Ravi bc of low water volume
Meanders, oxbow lakes and levees are part of it
Old flood plain
The old flood plain is the land between the alluvial terrace and active flood plain
It only flood when there is Heavy monsoon rainfall
It’s covered in old alluviam deposited before and abandoned channels as well as meander scars and remains of oxbows
Alluvial terrace
Also called bars or scalloped interfluves
They have a flat surface and south west slopes
They are the high area between two rivers formed by erosion of old alluviam
Good for agriculture with irrigation
Example: the Bahawalpur plain that’s been reclaimed
Doabs
Between indus and Jhelum - sindh sagar - thal bar
Between Jhelum and Chenab - Chaj - kirana bar
Chenab and Ravi - Rachna - Sandal bar
Ravi and Sutlej- Bari - Ganji and neeli bar
Cross section of Doab
Active flood plain Old flood plain a) meander flood plain b) cover flood plain Scarp - long steep slope at edge of plateaus or ridge Bar upland - alluvial terrace Flood plain has abandoned channels and oxbow lakes Levees - raised sides of rivers
Why are doabs preferred for settlements etc.
In general doabs are very good for farming, transport, industries and business so they have a high population density
- they flood every get so crops that require a lot of water like rice and sugar cane can easily be grown
- the meander and cover flood plains are very good for arable farming
- well developed link canal irrigation system so good water supply
The bar upland or alluvial terraces are higher and safe from floods so they are ideal locations for settling, transport links, industry, markets, storing crops etc
Piedmont plains
Located in foothills of sulaiman kirthar and Himalayan ranges
Alluvial fans/cones
Mainly agricultural
There are extensive alluviam fans on east of sulaiman kirthar range
Tidal delta
Often triangular or fan shaped with distributaries branching out
River flows into the sea, speed slows, alluviam deposits = high levees
Swamps caused by sea water filling troughs
Location of indus delta
South of thatta, east of Karachi
Includes thatta, ladian, jati and katti bandar
Topography of indus delta
Tidal flats with mangrove swamps, low/flat coastal area
Life in indus delta
Low population because sea water and tidal waves
Low agriculture because swampy land and saline soil
Not well developed infrastructure
Low rain
No commercial and industrial activities
Unmetalled roads
Mainly fishing
Mangroves used as fuel wood and animal fodder
Tropical cyclones damage villages and agriculture
Rolling sand plains
Mound or ridge of sand
When sand accumulates because of an obstacle in the path of moving sand (wind) thus forcing deposition
Economic activities
Productive region
The relief and drainage encourages settlements
The doabs of upper plain and the old and active flood plains of lower plain are good for agriculture especially cotton, sugar cane and rice
Extensive irrigation system because of good Relief
Industries- cotton, sugar mills, chemical industry, large domestic and foreign market
