Question

Discuss the significant difference between the Himalayan and Peninsular rivers.

Answer 1

Hint:
The Indian river drainage is grouped into Himalayan and peninsular rivers broadly on the basis of the location of drainage. The peninsular rivers have different features from Himalayan rivers.


Complete solution:

Differences between Himalayan and Peninsular rivers are given as follows -

1) Duration of the river’s flow :
The Himalayan rivers have a continual nature indicating that they flow all the year without a lean season. The credit of this goes to the nature of its source that is the form of glaciers which are continuously supplying water. Peninsular rivers cannot be called continual as the Himalayan rivers due to its dependence on the monsoon rainfall. Therefore peninsular rivers have a lean period of water flow during the summers.

2) Sediments :
Large amounts of sediments are carried by the Himalayan rivers because they are younger and repeatedly engaged in erosion in the upper reaches. Whereas the peninsular rivers are older in age and there is no erosion activity. Hence, the levels of sediments in the case of these are also low.

3) Structure of drainage :
The Himalayan rivers have a foregoing nature which means that their path was created earlier than the upliftment of Himalayas took place. This has resulted in them cutting deep gorges. The consequent pattern is followed by the peninsular rivers where the river flow depends on the slope of the land.
4) River plain structures -
Different structures of the Himalayan rivers are shown on plains like oxbow lakes, meanders, multiple layers of alluvium, etc. Peninsular rivers do not show structures such as meanders as their sediments carrying and depositing capacity is comparatively lower.

Note:
The Himalayan rivers with reference to the deltas consider the nature of deposition of sediments. These deltas are fertile and promote large scale agriculture. The peninsular rivers show deltas as well as estuaries. The west-flowing peninsular rivers mostly form estuary whereas east-flowing rivers form deltas.