| Rivers and Lakes in the news |
| Vasudhara Tal | Lake of the Dhauli Ganga basin, Uttarakhand |
| Chorabari Tal or Gandhi sarovar | Near Kedarnath temple, Uttarakhand |
| Kanwar lake or Kabartal wetland | Ramsar site in Bihar |
| Tawa Reservoir | Ramsar site of Madhya Pradesh |
| Nanjarayan Bird sanctuaryKazhuveli Bird sanctuary | Ramsar site in Tamilnadu |
| Malkapur Lake | Telangana |
| Doddakallasandra Lake | South Bengaluru, Karnataka |
| Lonar lake | Maharashtra government plans to submit a proposal to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to include the famous Lonar Lake in Buldhana district in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list. It is one of only four known hyper-velocity impact craters in basaltic rock on Earth. The other three basaltic impact structures are in Brazil. It is a notified National Geo-heritage Monument. The lake’s water is both saline and alkaline, making it unique. It is declared a Ramsar Wetland in November 2020. |
| Sambhar lake | Over 40 migratory birds, belonging to two to three different species, have been found dead around Sambhar Lake in Jaipur. It is the largest saltwater lake in India. It is located in the districts of Nagaur and Jaipur in Rajasthan. This saline wetland is elliptical in shape, and is surrounded on all sides by the Aravalli hills. |
| Dal lake | In a historic event, 150 women participated in the first-ever traditional shikara boat race on Dal Lake in Srinagar, breaking societal norms and showcasing their strength.Dal lake situated in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, surrounded by the Pir Panjal mountains. It is called “Raad” locally. |
| Pangong lake | Pangong Tso, also known as Pangong Lake, is a high-altitude lake situated in the Changthang region of eastern Ladakh. It spans both in India and China.Approximately 50% of the lake lies within Tibet (administered by China), while 40% is in Indian-administered Ladakh. The remaining 10% is a disputed buffer zone between India and China. |
| Pulicat lake | It is located in the northern part of Tamil Nadu and the southern part of Andhra Pradesh. It is the second-largest brackish water ecosystem in India. The Pulicat Ecosystem supports a very rich and diverse biota and acts as a breeding ground for several species of bird and marine life. |
| Musi river | TelanganaA tributary of the Krishna River.Flows through Hyderabad, serving as its historic lifeline.The river originates from the Ananthagiri Hills in the Vikarabad district.Known for its historical bridges like the Purana Pul.Severe pollution due to urban effluents in Hyderabad. |
| Rosi River | Located in the state of Uttar Pradesh, primarily flowing through the districts of Lakhimpur Kheri and Pilibhit.It is a tributary of the Sharda River (Ghaghra River system), which eventually joins the Ganga River. |
| Periyar river | KeralaThe longest river in Kerala, spanning 244 km.Known as the “Lifeline of Kerala,” it supports irrigation, drinking water, and hydroelectric projects.Originates from the Sivagiri Hills of the Western Ghats.Famous for the Idukki Dam and Mullaperiyar Dam.Plays a vital role in the Periyar Tiger Reserve ecosystem. |
| Chalakudi river | KeralaOriginates from the Anamalai Hills in Tamil Nadu and flows through Kerala.Known for the picturesque Athirappilly Waterfalls and Vazhachal Waterfalls.Provides water for irrigation, hydroelectric projects, and drinking purposes.The river basin supports rich biodiversity and is part of the Western Ghats’ ecological hotspot. |
| Bakra river | The Bakra River is a river in Bihar that has been the site of a bridge collapse and flooding. |
| Pravara river | MaharashtraA tributary of the Godavari River.Originates from the Pravara Plateau near Trimbak Hills (Western Ghats).Notable for the Randha Falls and Bhandardara Dam.Supports agriculture and hydroelectric projects in the Ahmednagar district. |
| Bagmati river | Nepal and BiharOriginates from the Bagdwar area in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal.Flows into Bihar, India, before joining the Kosi River.Considered sacred in both Nepal and India, with religious sites like the Pashupatinath Temple along its course.Known for floods during the monsoon season, impacting northern Bihar. |
| Tizu river | Nagaland and MyanmarOriginates in the Zunheboto district of Nagaland.Flows eastward into Myanmar, joining the Chindwin River, a tributary of the Irrawaddy. |
| Beki river | AssamA tributary of the Brahmaputra River.Originates as the Khutlangchu River in Bhutan, entering Assam near Barpeta district.Known for its role in irrigation, fishing, and sustaining floodplain ecosystems.Frequently floods during the monsoon, affecting nearby villages. |
| Shyok river | Ladakh, India and PakistanA tributary of the Indus River.Originates from the Rimo Glacier (Karakoram Range) in Ladakh.Known as the “River of Death” due to its turbulent flow.Flows parallel to the Nubra River and meets the Indus in Pakistan.Crucial for irrigation and sustains biodiversity in Ladakh’s cold desert region. |
| Seep river | Madhya PradeshA tributary of the Narmada River.Originates near the Satpura Hills.Plays a crucial role in local irrigation and agriculture.Supports biodiversity in the Satpura Tiger Reserve. |
| Saryu river | Uttarakhand and Uttar PradeshOriginates from the Sarmul Glacier near the Panchachuli peaks in Uttarakhand.Joins the Ghaghra River in Uttar Pradesh, which later merges with the Ganga.Sacred in Hindu mythology, associated with Lord Rama’s Ayodhya.Supports agriculture and fishing along its course. |
| Cauvery river | Karnataka and Tamil NaduOriginates from Talakaveri in the Western Ghats, Karnataka.Known as the “Ganga of the South” for its cultural and agricultural significance.Major projects include the Mettur Dam and KRS Dam.Forms the fertile delta in Tamil Nadu before emptying into the Bay of Bengal.Major Tributaries:Hemavati RiverKabini RiverBhavani River |
| Krishna river | Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra PradeshOriginates near Mahabaleshwar in Maharashtra.One of the longest rivers in peninsular India (1,400 km).Supports extensive irrigation and hydroelectric projects.Famous for the Nagarjuna Sagar and Srisailam Dams.Major Tributaries:Tungabhadra RiverBhima RiverMusi River |
| Godavari river | Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra PradeshKnown as the “Dakshin Ganga” or “Ganga of the South.”Originates from Trimbak in Maharashtra.Second-longest river in India (1,465 km).Major irrigation projects like the Polavaram Project rely on it.Supports extensive biodiversity and cultural heritage.Major Tributaries:Pravara RiverManjira RiverIndravati RiverSabari River |
| Narmada river | Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, MaharashtraOriginates from the Amarkantak Plateau in Madhya Pradesh.Flows westward into the Arabian Sea.Considered sacred in Hinduism.Home to major dams like Sardar Sarovar and Bargi Dam, crucial for irrigation and power.Forms the Narmada Valley, rich in biodiversity.Major Tributaries:Tawa RiverHiran RiverBanjar River |
| Sabarmati river | Major west-flowing river in India, originating in Aravalli Range, Udaipur District, Rajasthan.Travels 371 km in a south-westerly direction, meeting the Gulf of Khambhat of the Arabian Sea.Spans 48 km in Rajasthan and 323 km in Gujarat.Course:Enters Gujarat, joined by left bank tributary Wakal near Ghonpankhari.Joins the right bank tributary Sei River, followed by the left bank tributary Harnav River.Flows into Dharoi reservoir, meeting left bank tributary Hathmati River.Passes Ahmedabad, joined by left bank tributary Watrak River.Finally drains into the Gulf of Khambhat, Arabian Sea. |
| Mahisagar river | Located in western India, originating in Madhya Pradesh, flowing through Rajasthan, and reaching Gujarat before entering the Arabian Sea.Among the few west-flowing rivers in India, alongside the Luni, Sabarmati, Tapi, and Narmada rivers.Geographical Features:Originates near Minda Village in Dhar district, Madhya Pradesh.Begins in the western Vindhya Range, south of Sardarpur, flowing northward through Madhya Pradesh, then turning northwest into Rajasthan, and finally southwest through Gujarat.Empties into the sea through a wide estuary before Khambhat after a 360-mile (580-km) course.Impact and Characteristics:Silt deposited by the Mahi contributes to the shallowing of the Gulf of Khambhat, impacting the region’s ports.Despite its size, the riverbed’s lower elevation compared to land limits its usefulness for irrigation.Notably crosses the Tropic of Cancer twice.Known as “Mais” in Ancient Greek. |
| Arun river | It is a transboundary river that is part of the Koshi or Sapta Koshi river system in Nepal.It originates in the Tibet Autonomous Region of the People’s Republic of China where it is called the Phung Chu or Bum-chu.Mouth: Confluence with Sun Koshi and Tamur River to form Sapta KoshiTributaries:Left- Yeru Tsanpo, Trakar-chuRight- Barun River |
| Hooghly river | The Hooghly River, also known as the Bhagirathi-Hoogly and Kati-Ganga Rivers.It is a distributary or arm of the Ganges River.It is formed in Murshidabad, where the Ganga splits into two parts, while the part flowing through Bangladesh is called the Padma.The Hooghly River is silted up above Kolkata, and the river flows to the west and south to the estuary of Rupnarayan and then south and southwest to enter the Bay of Bengal through a 32-kilometer-wide estuary.Haldi, Ajay, Damodar and Rupnarayan are the rivers that feed the lower reaches of the Hooghly.The important cities near the Hoogli River are Jiaganj, Azimganj, Murshidabad, and Baharampur. |
| Chenab river | The Chenab River is a major river that flows in India and Pakistan, and is one of the 5 major rivers of the Punjab region.It is formed by the union of two headwaters, Chandra and Bhaga, which rise in the upper Himalayas in the Lahaul region of Himachal Pradesh, India.The Chenab flows through the Jammu region of Jammu and Kashmir, India, into the plains of Punjab, Pakistan, before ultimately flowing into the Indus River. |
| Gumti river | Source– Dumur, TripuraMouth– Meghna RiverThe Gumti, Gomti, Gumati or Gomati is a river flowing through the north-eastern Indian state of Tripura and the district of Comilla in Bangladesh.A dam has been constructed near Dumbur on the river that has formed a 40 square kilometres (15 sq mi) lake. |
| Hindon River | Once a lifeline for communities settled along its banks, the Hindon River in Western Uttar Pradesh, often called India’s Sugar Bowl, has declared “Dead” by environmental experts due to severe pollution and lack of aquatic life. It originates in upper Shivalik Hills in Saharanpur district, Uttar Pradesh. Its major tributaries include Krishni & Kali Rivers, which significantly impact its flow and pollution levels. |
| Siang river/ Brahmaputra river | The Tsangpo, which originates in China, is called the Siang after it enters India through the Upper Siang district in the north-eastern state.The Siang joins two other rivers the Lohit and the Dibang downstream to form the Brahmaputra.Tributaries: Left: Lhasa, Nyang, Parlung Zangbo, Lohit, Nao Dihing, Buri Dihing, Dangori, Disang, Dikhow, Jhanji, Dhansiri, Kolong, Kopili, Bhorolu, Kulsi, Krishnai, Upper MeghnaRight: Kameng, Jia Bhoroli, Manas, Beki, Raidak, Jaldhaka, Teesta, Subansiri, Jia dhol, Simen, Pagladia, Sonkosh, Gadadhar. |
| Sharavathi River | The river originates and flows entirely within the state of Karnataka. It is one of the westward flowing rivers of India and a major part of the river basin lies in the Western Ghats. The river joins the Arabian Sea at Honnavar in Uttara Kannada district. |
