Grade 9 SST 1

INDIAN EXCELLENT Pvt.
SCHOOL, SHARJAH
STUDY MATERIAL
Subject: Social Science
Topic: Drainage Grade: IX Section: A &B
Objectives: I) To analyze the drainage systems in India.

2) To describe the drainage patterns.
3) To explain the causes of the river pollution.
Value: Conservation of water
The term drainage describes the river system of an area. The area drained by a single river system is
called a drainage basin.
The drainage systems of India are mainly controlled by the broad relief features of the subcontinent.
Accordingly, the Indian rivers are divided into two major groups:
• The Himalayan rivers; and

• The Peninsular rivers.
Difference between Himalayan Rivers and Peninsular Rivers

Rivers are the lifelines of a country as they provide the most valuable thing required for the survival "the
water". The rivers' water can be used for a variety of purposes such as for drinking, for irrigation, to
generate electricity etc. The rivers in India can be categorized into two different categories based on their
origin: The Himalayan Rivers and the Peninsular Rivers. Let us see how these rivers differ from each
other!
The Himalayan Rivers:
The Himalayan Rivers are the rivers that originate from the Himalayan mountain ranges. These rivers are
snow fed; they receive water from the melting ice of the glaciers as well as from the rains. The three main
Himalayan Rivers are the Ganga, the Indus and the Brahmaputra. These three rivers flow towards the
West and collectively form the Himalayan River System. These rivers are also known as three different
river systems as they have many tributaries.
These rivers are very long and generally cover thousands of kilometers before emptying into the sea.
These rivers are perennial in nature as they flow throughout the year. They have larger basins and
catchment areas. Furthermore, the mouth of these rivers, the point where they meet the sea, form large
deltas, e.g. the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta is the biggest delta in the world.
The Peninsular Rivers:
The peninsular rivers are the rivers that originate from the peninsular plateaus and small hills of India.
These rivers are seasonal or non-perennial as they receive water only form the rains and thus cannot
maintain water flow throughout the year. Some of the famous peninsular rivers include Kaveri, Narmada,
Tapi, Krishna, Mahanadi and Godavari. As compared to Himalayan Rivers, these rivers are shorter, do
not have high erosion activity, and have smaller basin and catchment areas. Furthermore, peninsular
rivers are consequent rivers as they follow the direction of the slope.
A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, sea, lake or
another river. In some cases a river flows into the ground and becomes dry at the end of its course
without reaching another body of water. Small rivers can be referred to using names such as stream,
creek, brook, rivulet, and rill.
Rivers are part of the hydrological cycle; water generally collects in a river from precipitation through
a drainage basin from surface run off and other sources such as groundwater recharge, springs, and the
release of stored water in natural ice and snow packs (e.g., from glaciers). Potamology is the scientific
study of rivers, while limnology is the study of inland waters in general.
Causes of Water Pollution
Water pollution is caused due to several reasons. Here are the few major causes of water pollution:
Sewage And Waste Water: Sewage, garbage and liquid waste of households, agricultural lands and
factories are discharged into lakes and rivers. These wastes contain harmful chemicals and toxins which
make the water poisonous for aquatic animals and plants.
Dumping: Dumping of solid wastes and litters in water bodies causes huge problems. Litters include
glass, plastic, aluminum, styrofoam etc. Different things take different amount of time to degrade in
water. They affect aquatic plants and animals.
Industrial Waste: Industrial waste contains pollutants like asbestos, lead, mercury and petrochemicals
which are extremely harmful to both people and environment. Industrial waste is discharged into lakes
and rivers by using fresh water making the water contaminated.
Oil Pollution: Sea water gets polluted due to oil spilled from ships and tankers while traveling. The
spilled oil does not dissolve in water and forms a thick sludge polluting the water.
Acid Rain: Acid rain is pollution of water caused by air pollution. When the acidic particles caused by
air pollution in the atmosphere mix with water vapor, it results in acid rain.
Global Warming: Due to global warming, there is an increase in water temperature. This increase in
temperature results in death of aquatic plants and animals. This also results in bleaching of coral reefs in
water.
Eutrophication: Eutrophication is an increased level of nutrients in water bodies. This results in bloom
of algae in water. It also depletes the oxygen in water, which negatively affects fish and other aquatic
animal population.
Q1: Distinguish between Himalayan and Peninsular Rivers.

Q2: Compare the east flowing and the west flowing rivers of the peninsular plateau
Q3: Why are rivers important for the country’s economy?

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INDIAN EXCELLENT Pvt.

Objectives: I) To analyze the drainage systems in India.

• The Himalayan rivers; and

Difference between Himalayan Rivers and Peninsular Rivers

The Himalayan Rivers:

The Peninsular Rivers:

Q1: Distinguish between Himalayan and Peninsular Rivers.

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