Rivers are very important for India.
They provide water for drinking, farming and electricity. For competitive exams like SSC, Railway, Banking and state exams, rivers, dams and water conservation is a common topic. Every year two to three questions come from this area.In this article we will cover rivers, important dams and water conservation methods in a simple and exam oriented way.
Rivers of India and Their Main System
Rivers in India are divided into two main groups. Himalayan rivers and Peninsular rivers.
Himalayan rivers are perennial. It means they have water throughout the year because they get water from snow and rain. Peninsular rivers are seasonal. They depend mainly on rain.
1. Himalayan River System
There are three main Himalayan rivers, Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra.
Indus river is one of the longest rivers. It starts from Tibet and enters India through Ladakh. It flows through Pakistan and falls into the Arabian Sea. Its main tributaries in India are Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas and Sutlej. You must remember this. It is often called as the five rivers of Punjab.
Ganga is the most important river for India. It starts from Gangotri glacier in Uttarakhand as Bhagirathi. When Bhagirathi meets Alaknanda at Devprayag, it becomes Ganga. It flows through Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal. Its length is about 2525 km. Its main tributaries are Yamuna, Ghaghara, Gandak, Kosi, Chambal and Son. Yamuna is the largest tributary of Ganga. It meets Ganga at Prayagraj.
Brahmaputra starts from Tibet as Tsangpo. It enters India through Arunachal Pradesh where it is called Dihang. In Assam it is called Brahmaputra and in Bangladesh it is called Jamuna. Its main tributaries are Dibang, Lohit and Teesta.
2. Peninsular River System
Peninsular rivers flow through the plateau region. The main rivers are Narmada, Tapi, Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri.
Narmada and Tapi flow towards the west and fall into the Arabian Sea. All other peninsular rivers flow towards the east and fall into the Bay of Bengal. This is a very important point for exams.Narmada starts from Amarkantak in Madhya Pradesh. It flows through a rift valley and forms Dhuandhar falls near Jabalpur. It is known for being one of the few rivers that flow westwards.
Godavari is the longest peninsular river. Its length is about 1465 km. It starts from Nashik in Maharashtra. It is also called Dakshin Ganga. Its main tributaries are Pranhita, Indravati and Manjira.Krishna starts from Mahabaleshwar in Maharashtra. It flows through Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.Kaveri starts from Talakaveri in Karnataka. It is very important for Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. It is called the lifeline of Tamil Nadu.
Important Dams in India
Dams are built on rivers for irrigation, electricity and flood control. For exams, you must know which dam is on which river.Bhakra Nangal Dam is on Sutlej river. It is in Himachal Pradesh and Punjab border. It is one of the highest gravity dams in India.
Tehri Dam is on Bhagirathi river in Uttarakhand. It is the highest dam in India.
Sardar Sarovar Dam is on Narmada river in Gujarat.
Hirakud Dam is on Mahanadi river in Odisha. It is one of the longest dams in the world.
Nagarjuna Sagar Dam is on Krishna river. It is between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Tungabhadra Dam is on Tungabhadra river in Karnataka.Damodar Valley Project is on Damodar river. It is known as the sorrow of Bengal, but after the dam it helped in controlling floods.
Remembering dams with rivers and states will help you answer direct questions in SSC and Railway exams.
Water Conservation and Why It Is Important
India has only four percent of the world’s fresh water but has to support about eighteen percent of the world’s population. So water conservation is very necessary.
The government has started many initiatives for water conservation.
Jal Shakti Abhiyan was launched in 2019. Its aim is to make water conservation a people’s movement. It focuses on rainwater harvesting and renovation of water bodies.
Atal Bhujal Yojana is for groundwater management. It is active in seven states where groundwater level is very low.
Namami Gange Programme was launched in 2014 to clean Ganga river. It includes sewage treatment, river cleaning and public awareness.
Interlinking of rivers is another important concept. Its aim is to transfer water from water surplus rivers to water deficit areas. Ken Betwa link is the first project under this.Apart from government schemes, traditional methods of water conservation are also important for exams. Johads in Rajasthan, Bawris in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, Zings in Ladakh and Kuls in Himachal Pradesh are old methods used by local people to save water.
How to Prepare This Topic for Exams
For rivers, make a table with four columns. River name, origin, tributaries and the state where it meets the sea or another river. This table will help you revise quickly.
For dams, make another table with dam name, river and state. Learn at least twenty important dams.For water conservation, focus on the schemes launched in the last five years. Note their launch year, ministry and main objective.Do not just read this topic once. Rivers and dams are easy to forget. Revise your tables every week.