River System of Himachal Pradesh

 The Indian River system is divided into two categories based on its origin , in simple words we say , the system is named, from where it is originated. 

1. River System originating from Himalaya is named as Himalayan river system. 

2. The river system originating from Peninsula is known as peninsular river system. 

Since Himachal Pradesh is situated in Western Himalayas  it is covered under Himalayan river system. 

            Himalayan river system provides water

              to major part of Indian sub -continent 

Himalayas have a very huge storage of moisture in its snowy mountains, lakes and subsurface. This huge storage of moisture, which is present in the form of snow, fresh water and subsurface water is one of our natural resources having great influence on climatic conditions in Indian sub-continent. 

             Himalayas, a big storage of moisture

The topography and geography of Himalayas in Himachal Pradesh forms a drainage system of water coming as result of snow melt, subsurface water coming out as springs and rains which flows in small  channels and further discharge in big channels called rivers thus a drainage system is followed by the water known as river system. 

    Himachal comes under Himalayan river system

The Himalayan river system is comprised of three drainage systems. 

1. Indus River system

2. Ganga River system. 

3. Brahmaputra River system

Himachal Pradesh is also a state of five rivers flowing through it in addition to Punjab. Four rivers out five flowing through Himachal Pradesh found mention in Rig Veda. The rivers mentioned in Rig Veda are Asikni now known as Chenab, Arjikya now known Beas, Purushani now called as Ravi and Sutudri or Shatadru now known as Satluj. The fifth river flowing through Himachal Pradesh is Yamuna, originating from Yamunotri  has mythical relation to Sun. 

      Himalayas form the river system in Himachal

Out of three river systems of Himalayas as mentioned above two come in Himachal Pradesh which serve as perineal source of water to Indus River system and Ganga River system. 

INDUS RIVER SYSTEM :-  

Indus river system is the largest in the world and the important rivers of this system are :- The Satluj, the Beas the , the Chenab, the Ravi and the Jhelum. Four out of these five flow through Himachal and Jhelum flows in  Jammu & Kashmir. 

 The river Indus starts from Tibetan Plateau, enters Himalayas in Ladakh . 

              Indus Enters Himalayas in Ladakh

It enters Kashmir region near it's confluence with  Gurtang river. The Indus river Basin includes complete Jammu & Kashmir and most of the Himachal Pradesh. 

GANGA RIVER SYSTEM :-  

One third of Western Himalayas is covered by Ganga river system basin, The only river which is providing water to the Ganga river system in Himachal Pradesh is Yamuna. It is originating from Yamunotri. 

      Yamuna provides water to Ganga river system

  The Ganga river system basin in Himachal Pradesh commences from Eastern face of Shimla ridge to Kanchenjunga on Nepal -Sikkim boarder. The Yamuna is the longest tributary of Ganga flowing through Himachal Pradesh. 

The Ganga, Brahmaputra and Meghana form the largest Delta about 350 Km wide along the Bay of Bengal named as "Sunderban ".

                     View of Sunderban Delta 

            World 's Largest Delta Sunderban