Types of Drainage Patterns
The following are the major drainage patterns:
- Dendritic – Where the river channels follow the sloping topography, dendritic patterns emerge. The creek and its tributaries resemble tree branches, hence the name dendritic. e.g. The rivers of the northern plains; Indus, Ganga, and Brahmaputra.
- Trellis – A trellis pattern is formed when a river and its tributaries are linked at nearly right angles. A pattern like a trellis. Hard and soft rocks exist parallel to each other, forming a trellis drainage pattern. e.g. The rivers in the upper part of the Himalayan region; Indus, Ganga, and Brahmaputra.
- Rectangle – On a stubbornly jointed rocky surface, a rectangular drainage pattern forms. e.g. Streams found in the Vindhya mountain range; Chambal, Betwa, and Ken.
- Radial – When a watercourse runs in multiple directions from a central peak or dome-like structure, a radial pattern emerges. e.g. The rivers originating from the Amarkantak range; Narmada and Son.
- Parallel – It grows in areas with parallel, elongated landforms and a significant slope to the surface. Following the slope of the surface, tributary streams tend to expand out in a parallel-like pattern. e.g. The rivers originating in the Western Ghats; Godavari, Kaveri, Krishna, and Tungabhadra.
- Centripetal – As streams travel toward a central depression, it is the polar opposite of the radial. These streams feed ephemeral lakes that evaporate during dry spells throughout the wetter parts of the year. e.g. Loktak lake.
Drainage System of India
Drainage refers to the flow of water through well-defined channels and the network of such channels is known as a “drainage system”. The drainage system of a given area is the outcome of the geological time period, nature and structure of rocks, topography, slope, amount of water flow, and periodicity of flow. The area drained by a single river system is known as its drainage basin and an elevated area that separates two drainage basins is known as the “Water Divide”.
Here are important terms used in understanding the drainage and drainage systems:
- The geological time period, type, and structure of rocks, terrain, slope, and other factors all influence an area’s drainage pattern.
- A river drain is a specified region that is known as the river’s catchment area.
- A drainage basin is an area drained by a river and its tributaries.
- The watershed area is the borderline that separates one drainage basin from another.
- When the water bodies are combined with any river are known as tributaries.
- When any river comes out from that river is known as a Distributaries.
Drainage System of India