Question

Which are the major water divides of India giving examples.

Which are the major water divides of India? Explain by giving examples.

Answer 1

A water divide is any elevated terrain that divides two drainage basins, such as an upland or mountain. The following are India’s main water divides:

• Western Ghats:
  1. The Western Ghats are a mountain range found wholly in India, parallel to the western coast of the peninsula. It creates a significant water split in the Peninsula.
  2. Major rivers in the peninsula, including the Godavari, Krishna, and Kaveri, flow eastward and discharge into the Bay of Bengal. Several tiny streams and rivers, including Savitri and Terekhol, run westward from the Western Ghats.
• Aravali Range:
  1. The Aravali Hills are located on the Peninsular Plateau’s western and northwestern edges.
  2. River Luni originates on the western slopes of the Aravali range and flows northwest to southwest till it reaches the Gulf of Kutch, whereas Banas, a tributary of River Chambal, flows northeast.
  3. In this way, Aravali serves as a water divide for India.
• Vindhya Range: The Vindhya Range separates the Ganga drainage basin and the Narmada River valley.
• Satpuda range: The Satpuda range divides the Narmada and Tapi river valleys.
• Himalayas: The Himalayas act as a water divide, separating rivers flowing in the Himalayan system from those flowing in the Trans-Himalayan range.