What are the River Basins in India?

River Basins in India

Many different watersheds make up a river basin. A smaller river basin is known as a watershed. Each tributary and stream has a separate watershed that empties into a larger stream or wetland. 12 major river basins have an area of 20,000 km² and more. The various river basins in India are given below.

• Brahmaputra River Basin: It includes the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, West Bengal, Meghalaya, Nagaland, and the entire state of Sikkim. It is known as the greenest part of India.
• Cauvery River Basin: It covers the states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and the Union Territory of Puducherry. River Cauvery flows into the Bay of Bengal. Alluvial soils characterize the delta areas.
• Godavari River Basin: It includes the states of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha. During the southwest monsoon, the Godavari basin receives the most rainfall.
• Indus River Basin: It includes parts of the states of Rajasthan, Haryana, and Chandigarh as well as Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Punjab. The majority of the watershed is made up of agricultural land, and snowmelt helps to fuel its enormous water flow.
• Krishna River Basin: It extends across Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Karnataka and is characterized by the Deccan Traps in the northwest, undifferentiated crystals in the center, and the Cuddapah Group in the east.
• Mahanadi River Basin: It extends over large areas of Chhattisgarh and Odisha, as well as smaller parts of Jharkhand, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh. Deltaic soil is found in the Mahanadi coastal plains.
• Mandovizuari River Basin: Water from the Mandovi and Zuari rivers is frequently used in agriculture and for drinking. The Mandovi River is a crucial inland route for commercial shipping. On the left bank of the Mandovi River are Old Goa, the former capital of Goa, and Panaji, the state capital.
• Narmada River Basin: Located at the northernmost tip of the Deccan Plateau, the basin includes significant areas in the states of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat and a smaller area in Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh. The mountainous areas are located in the higher elevations of the basin, while the lower middle reaches are wide and fertile soils suitable for agriculture.
• Pamba River Basin: The Pamba River rises at a height of 1,650 meters in Kerala’s Idukki district’s Peermade Plateau. After traveling 176 kilometers, it joins the Arabian Sea and divides into a number of channels. The basin has a 2235 km2 area. The state of Kerala contains the entire catchment area. The Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat states make up the Tapi River Basin. Basaltic terrain dominates the region, and important physiological units include plateaus, escarpments, hills, foothills, colluvial alluvial plains, and valley plains.
• Ganges Basin: Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Bihar, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Delhi are the 11 basin states of the Ganges. All rivers in the Ganga basin experience annual flooding.
• Mahi: Covers the states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Gujarat. The Mahi is one of India’s major west-flowing interstate rivers.

Summary:

What are the River Basins in India?

The river basins in India are Cauvery River Basin, Brahmaputra River Basin, Indus River Basin, Godavari River Basin, Mahanadi River Basin, Krishna River Basin, Narmada River Basin, Mandovizuari River Basin, Tapi River Basin, Pamba River Basin, Ganges Basin, and Tapi.

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