Classification of Indian Drainage system
Duration: 3 min
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The video presents a lecture on the classification of the Indian drainage system, structured around two primary bases. The first classification, detailed from 0:00 to 2:00, is based on the orientation of river discharge to the sea. It divides the system into the Arabian Sea Drainage System, which covers 23% of India's drainage area and includes rivers like the Indus, Narmada, and Tapi that flow westward, and the Bay of Bengal Drainage System, which covers 77% of the area and includes major rivers like the Ganga and Brahmaputra that flow eastward and form large deltas. The Delhi Ridge, Aravallis, and Sahyadris are identified as the water divide between these two systems. The second classification, shown from 2:00 to 2:40, is based on the size of the watershed. It categorizes river basins into three types: Major River Basins (catchment area > 20,000 sq. km), with 14 such basins including the Ganga and Brahmaputra; Medium River Basins (catchment area between 2,000-20,000 sq. km), with 44 basins including the Kalindi and Periyar; and Minor River Basins (catchment area < 2,000 sq. km), which are found in low rainfall areas.
Chapters
0:00 – 2:00 00:00-02:00
The lecture begins by introducing the classification of the Indian drainage system on two main bases. The first base, 'Based on Discharge of Water (Orientation to Sea)', is presented. It details the Arabian Sea Drainage System, which covers 23% of India's drainage area and includes rivers such as the Indus, Narmada, Tapi, Mahi, and Periyar, all of which flow westward. The second system is the Bay of Bengal Drainage System, covering 77% of the area, with rivers like the Ganga, Brahmaputra, Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, and Kaveri flowing eastward and forming large deltas. The Delhi Ridge, Aravallis, and Sahyadris are identified as the water divide between these two systems. The instructor uses a diagram to illustrate the two drainage basins and circles key terms on the slide.
2:00 – 2:40 02:00-02:40
The lecture transitions to the second classification of the Indian drainage system, 'Based on Size of Watershed'. This section categorizes river basins into three types. First, Major River Basins are defined as having a catchment area of more than 20,000 sq. km, with 14 such basins including the Ganga, Brahmaputra, Krishna, Narmada, Tapi, Mahi, Sabarmati, Pennar, and Barak. Second, Medium River Basins are those with a catchment area between 2,000 and 20,000 sq. km, totaling 44 basins, with examples like Kalindi, Periyar, and Meghna. Third, Minor River Basins are defined as having a catchment area of less than 2,000 sq. km and are found mainly in low rainfall areas. The instructor circles the key terms and numbers on the slide to emphasize the classification.
The video provides a comprehensive overview of the Indian drainage system by presenting two distinct classification methods. The first method, based on the direction of river flow, highlights the geographical and hydrological divide between the western-flowing Arabian Sea system and the eastern-flowing Bay of Bengal system, which is a fundamental concept in Indian geography. The second method, based on watershed size, offers a quantitative framework for understanding the scale of river basins, from the massive Ganga basin to the smaller, localized minor basins. Together, these classifications provide a holistic framework for studying India's river systems, combining physical geography with hydrological data.