Major Rivers Basins of India

India is blessed with a variety of river basins that support its ecosystems and population. These basins, which stretch from the powerful Brahmaputra in the northeast to the tranquil Cauvery in the south, cover enormous territories and are home to various states. Significant basins that contribute to the country's water supplies and agricultural output include the Godavari, Indus, Krishna, Mahanadi, Mandovi-Zuari, Narmada, Tapi, and Pamba. For one to fully appreciate India's rich hydrological legacy, one must have a thorough understanding of these major river basins and their geographic scope.

Features of Major Rivers Basins of India

Here are the descriptions of major river basins of India −

Ganga River Basin

The Ganga River originates in the Himalaya Mountains at Gomukh, the terminus of the Gongotri Glacier in Uttarakhand. Melting glacier ice forms the clear waters of the Bhagirathi River. As the Bhagirathi River flows down the Himalayas, it joins the Alaknanda River at Devprayag and officially form the Ganga River. The Ganges River Basin is sometimes considered part of a larger river basin consisting of the nearby Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers. Known as the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna (GBM) River Basin, it is one of the largest river systems in the world.

Brahmaputra River Basin

The Brahmaputra basin in India encircles the entire state of Sikkim as well as the Indian states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, West Bengal, Meghalaya, and Nagaland. 580,000 sq. km. of the Brahmaputra basin are in China (50.5%), India (33.6%), Bangladesh (8.1%), and Bhutan (7.8%). India's length is 916 kilometres. With a maximum east-west length of 1,540 km and a maximum north-south width of 682 km, the basin has an asymmetrical shape. The area of the Tibetan plateau that lies inside the basin is studded with several glaciers and ranges in elevation from 3,000 to 5,000 meters. The Brahmaputra catchment receives the most rain globally.

Cauvery River Basin

The Cauvery is a river that flows eastward through three states in southern India: Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and the Union Territory of Puducherry. The fourth-largest river in the southern region, the Mysore, travels 800 km from the Western Ghats to the Eastern Coast of the Subcontinent, where it finally creates a delta before emptying into the Bay of Bengal. The Western Ghats' Brahmagiri mountains, where Talakaveri, the source of the Cauvery, is located, are 1341 meters above sea level. The basin is a component of the South Indian Shield geologically.

Godavari River Basin

The Godavari River basin is Peninsular India's biggest river system. Because of its age, size, and length, it is often referred to as the Dakshin Ganga or Vridha Ganga (ancient Ganga). In the delta area, it can be navigated. It rises from a location called Trimbak in the Nashik district of Maharashtra's Western Ghats. It forms a sizable delta below Rajahmundry before draining into the Bay of Bengal. The Godavari basin, which has a total size of over 3 lakh sq. km., spans the states of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha as well as lesser portions of Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, and the Union Territory of Puducherry (Yanam).

The basin is bordered on the north by the Satmala hills, the Ajanta range, and the Mahadeo hills, on the south and east by the Eastern Ghats, and on the west by the Western Ghats. Godavari is 1,465 km long in total, measuring from its beginning to its outflow into the Bay of Bengal.

Indus River Basin

The Indus basin in India spans the states of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and portions of Rajasthan, Haryana, and Chandigarh. Its 3,21,289 sq. km. area is almost 9.8% of the nation's total geographic area. The Himalaya on the east, the Karakoram and Haramosh ranges on the north, the Sulaiman and Kirthar ranges on the west, and the Arabian Sea on the south define the boundaries of the Indus basin. 9.6 Mha (Million Hectare land), or 4.9 percent of the nation's total culturable land, is the culturable area of the basin.

Krishna River Basin

The Krishna Basin spans the states of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Karnataka, covering a total size of 2,58,948 square kilometres, or little under 8% of the nation's total land area. The basin's maximum dimensions are roughly 701 km long and 672 km wide. It is bordered on the north by the Balaghat Range, on the south and east by the Eastern Ghats, and on the west by the Western Ghats. From its source to where it empties into the Bay of Bengal, the river measures a total of 1,400 kilometres. A large portion of the basin—75.86% of its total area—is made up of agricultural land, and 4.07% of the basin is covered by bodies of water. The basin encompasses 56 parliamentary districts.

Mahanadi River Basin

The Mahanadi basin drains 1,41,589 square kilometres, or roughly 4.3% of the entire country, and includes the states of Chhattisgarh and Odisha as well as minor areas of Jharkhand, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh. The basin's greatest dimensions are 587 km and 400 km, respectively. It is bordered on the north by the Central India hills, on the south and east by the Eastern Ghats, and on the west by the Maikala range. It comes from a pool that is located 6 kilometres from Farsiya village in the Chhattisgarh district of Dhamtari. The river's whole length, from its source to where it empties into the Bay of Bengal, is 851 km.

Mandovizuari River Basin

One of the major west-flowing rivers in Goa State is the Mandovi River basin. The river flows for about 5 kilometres in a north-easterly direction before turning westward.The 1,550 square kilometres that the Mandovi River drains are located in the Goa State Talukas of Tiswadi, Berdez, Bicholim, Sanguem, and Ponda.The Jamboti Ghats in Karnataka State are the source of the Mandovi River. It is known as Bhaburnal at the beginning, which is close to the settlement of Mabulyesheir and is 600 meters above mean sea level.

This West Flowing River spans 62 kilometres from its source to its outfall into the Arabian Sea.The Sarang, Mahainada, Udel, Lohi, Velvota Bicholim, Mapuce, Nanoda, and Khandepar rivers are significant tributaries of the Mandovi River.

Narmada River Basin

The river has a 97,410 square kilometre total basin area, of which 85,858 square kilometre is in Madhya Pradesh, 1658 square kilometre is in Maharashtra, and 9894 square kilometre is in Gujarat. 88,000 square kilometres make up the drainage area up to the dam site. In the basin, there is an average annual rainfall of 112 centimetres. The river has a 97,410 square kilometre total basin area, of which 85,858 square kilometre is in Madhya Pradesh, 1658 square kilometre is in Maharashtra, and 9894 square kilometre is in Gujarat. 88,000 square kilometres make up the drainage area up to the dam site.

Pamba River Basin

The Pamba is Kerala's third-longest river with a length of 176 km. It is created by the Pamba Aar, Kaki Aar, Arudhai Aar, Kakkad Aar, and Kall Aar coming together. At a height of 1,670 m, the Pamba Aar rises in the Peermedu Plateau. Good rainfall, moderate temperatures, and a humid climate are all characteristics of the Pamba basin. The climatic state of the basin is greatly influenced by the South West and North East monsoons. Despite the hot, humid weather that the coastal sections of the basin enjoy, the mountainous interior is typically cool.

Tapi River Basin

The Tapi basin, which spans the states of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat, has a maximum length and width of 534 and 196 km with a total area of 65,145 sq. km.The basin, which is part of the Deccan plateau, is bordered on the north by the Satpura range, on the east by the Mahadev hills, on the south by the Ajanta Range and the Satmala hills, and on the west by the Arabian Sea.While the lowlands are wide and fertile regions appropriate for cultivation, the steep section of the basin is heavily forested.

The Tapi is the Peninsula's second-largest westward-draining river.It begins at an elevation of 752 meters in the Betul region of Madhya Pradesh, close to the Multai reserve forest.The river's entire length, from its beginning to its outflow into the Arabian Sea, is 724 km.

List of Major Rivers Basins of India

Here is a table showcasing the major river basins in India, the Indian states covered under them, and their approximate areas −

River Basin	Indian States Covered	Approximate Area (sq. km)
Ganga River Basin	Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal	Approx. 1,000,000 square kilometers
Brahmaputra River Basin	Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Sikkim, and parts of Tibet (China) and Bangladesh	Approximately 651,334 sq. km
Cauvery River Basin	Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and parts of Puducherry	Approximately 81,155 sq. km
Godavari River Basin	Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and parts of Odisha, Karnataka, and Madhya Pradesh	Approximately 312,812 sq. km
Indus River Basin	Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and parts of Ladakh and Pakistan	Approximately 381,446 sq. km
Krishna River Basin	Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, and parts of Andhra Pradesh	Approximately 258,948 sq. km
Mahanadi River Basin	Chhattisgarh and Odisha	Approximately 141,589 sq. km
Mandovi-Zuari River Basin	Goa	Approximately 2,291 sq. km
Narmada River Basin	Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and parts of Rajasthan	Approximately 98,796 sq. km
Tapi River Basin	Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and parts of Rajasthan	Approximately 65,145 sq. km
Pamba River Basin	Kerala	Approximately 2,222 sq. km

Conclusion

Diverse river basins that India is blessed with are essential to the nation's water resources, environmental stability, and agricultural output. Each river basin, from the majestic Brahmaputra and Indus to the lovely Cauvery and Godavari, is distinct in terms of its geographical scope, the states it covers, and its cultural significance. These river basins offer a wealth of biodiversity and various communities. However, they also encounter difficulties like overexploitation, habitat destruction, and water pollution. For ensuring the wellbeing of both environment and society, these river basins must be conserved and managed sustainably.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the major river basins in India?

The major river basins in India include the Brahmaputra, Cauvery, Godavari, Indus, Krishna, Mahanadi, Mandovi-Zuari, Narmada, Tapi, and Pamba.

Which states are covered under the Brahmaputra River Basin?

The Brahmaputra River Basin covers the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Sikkim, and parts of Tibet (China) and Bangladesh.

What are the states covered under the Godavari River Basin?

The Godavari River Basin covers the states of Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and parts of Odisha, Karnataka, and Madhya Pradesh.

Which states are part of the Krishna River Basin?

The Krishna River Basin includes Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, and parts of Andhra Pradesh.

What is the approximate area covered by the Narmada River Basin?

The Narmada River Basin covers an approximate area of 98,796 square kilometers, spanning Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and parts of Rajasthan.