Peninsular Drainage
Ancient Courses · Seasonal Flow · The Great Divide
MICRO-REALM 01
Geological Antiquity
- OLDER THAN HIMALAYAN RIVERS
- SUPERIMPOSED & CONSEQUENT DRAINAGE
- FLOWS OVER STABLE CRATON
MICRO-REALM 02
Seasonal Regime
- STRICTLY RAIN-FED (MONSOON)
- NON-PERENNIAL NATURE
- DRY BEDS DURING SUMMER
MICRO-REALM 03
Broad Valleys
- U-SHAPED, SHALLOW VALLEYS
- GRADED PROFILES (SENILE STAGE)
- BASE LEVEL OF EROSION REACHED
MICRO-REALM 04
Fixed Courses
- HARD ROCK BEDS PREVENT SHIFTING
- ABSENCE OF MEANDERING
- HIGHLY STABLE CHANNELS
MICRO-REALM 05
The Water Divide
- WESTERN GHATS ACT AS DIVIDE
- SEPARATES EAST VS WEST FLOW
- MAJORITY FLOWS EASTWARDS
MICRO-REALM 06
East-Flowing
- MAHANADI, GODAVARI, KRISHNA, CAUVERY
- LONG COURSES ACROSS PLATEAU
- DRAIN INTO BAY OF BENGAL
MICRO-REALM 07
Delta Formation
- GENTLE GRADIENT AT MOUTH
- EXTENSIVE SEDIMENT DEPOSITION
- FERTILE EAST COAST DELTAS
MICRO-REALM 08
West-Flowing (Rifts)
- NARMADA AND TAPI
- FLOW THROUGH FAULT TROUGHS
- LACK EXTENSIVE TRIBUTARIES
MICRO-REALM 09
Estuary Formation
- STEEP GRADIENT INTO ARABIAN SEA
- NO DELTA FORMATION
- HIGH TIDES SCOUR THE MOUTH
MICRO-REALM 10
Western Coastal Streams
- MANDOVI, ZUARI, SHARAVATI, PERIYAR
- SHORT, SWIFT COURSES
- HEAVY MONSOON DISCHARGE
MICRO-REALM 11
Catchment Basins
- GENERALLY SMALLER THAN HIMALAYAN
- GODAVARI IS THE LARGEST (DAKSHIN GANGA)
- LIMITED TRIBUTARY NETWORK
MICRO-REALM 12
Hydroelectric Potential
- DEPENDS ON WATERFALLS (GHATS)
- REQUIRES LARGE RESERVOIRS
- VULNERABLE TO MONSOON FAILURE