West flowing rivers of India

West flowing rivers of India mostly drains into Arabian Sea, traversing through unique geological formations like rift valleys.
These rivers play a crucial role in the region’s hydrology, supporting agriculture and contributing to the local economy through fishing and hydroelectric power generation.

In Peninsular India, most of the rivers flow towards east and join the Bay of Bengal. Few rivers flow west and join Arabian Sea. They are:

  • Narmada
  • Tapti
  • Sabarmati
  • Mahi
  • Luni
  • Tawa

They Form only Estuaries. No Delta is formed due to Hard rock & lack of Distributaries.

This exceptional behavior is because these rivers didn’t form valleys and instead they flow through faults (linear rift, rift valley, trough) created due to the bending of the northern peninsula during the formation process of Himalayas.

These faults run parallel to the Vindhyas and the Satpuras. The Sabarmati, Mahi and Luni are other rivers of the Peninsular India which flow westwards. Hundreds of small streams originating in the Western Ghats flow swiftly westwards and join the Arabian Sea.

It is interesting to note that the Peninsular Rivers which fall into the Arabian Sea do not form deltas, but only estuaries. This is due to the fact that the west flowing rivers, especially the Narmada and the Tapi flow through hard rocks and hence do not carry any good amount of silt.

Moreover, the tributaries of these rivers are very small and hence they don’t contribute any silt. Hence these rivers are not able to form distributaries or a delta before they enter the sea.

Estuary

An estuary is a partially enclosed body of water along the coast where freshwater from rivers and streams meets and mixes with salt water from the ocean. [Primary productivity in estuaries is very high. Fishing is a dominant occupation around estuaries. Most of the estuaries are good bird sanctuaries].

Estuaries and the lands surrounding them are places of transition from land to sea and freshwater to salt water. Although influenced by the tides, they are protected from the full force of ocean waves, winds, and storms by such land forms as barrier islands or peninsulas.
Estuarine environments are among the most productive on earth, creating more organic matter each year than comparably-sized areas of forest, grassland, or agricultural land.

The tidal, sheltered waters of estuaries also support unique communities of plants and animals especially adapted for life at the margin of the sea. Estuaries have important commercial value and their resources provide economic benefits for tourism, fisheries, and recreational activities.
The protected coastal waters of estuaries also support important public infrastructure, serving as harbors and ports vital for shipping and transportation.

Estuaries also perform other valuable services. Water draining from uplands carries sediments, nutrients, and other pollutants to estuaries.
As the water flows through wetlands such as swamps and salt marshes, much of the sediments and pollutants are filtered out. Salt marsh grasses and other estuarine plants also help prevent erosion and stabilize shorelines [Mangroves].

Narmada River

The Narmada, also called the Rewa, is a river in central India and the fifth longest river in the Indian subcontinent. It is the third longest river that flows entirely within India, after the Godavari, and the Krishna. It is also known as “Life Line of Madhya Pradesh” for its huge contribution to the state of Madhya Pradesh in many ways.
It forms the traditional boundary between North India and South India and flows westwards over a length of 1,312 km (815.2 mi) before draining through the Gulf of Khambhat into the Arabian Sea, 30 km (18.6 mi) west of Bharuch city of Gujarat.

Its total length from its source in Amarkantak to its estuary in the Gulf of Khambhat is 1,310 km. The hilly regions are in the upper part of the basin, and lower middle reaches are broad and fertile areas well suited for cultivation. Jabalpur is the only important urban centre in the basin.
The river slopes down near Jabalpur where it cascades (a small waterfall, especially one in a series) 15 m into a gorge to form the Dhuan Dhar (Cloud of Mist) Falls.

Since the gorge is composed of marble, it is popularly known as the Marble Rocks. It makes two waterfalls of 12 m each at Mandhar and Dardi. Near Maheshwar the river again descends from another small fall of 8 m, known as the Sahasradhara Falls. There are several islands in the estuary of the Narmada of which Aliabet is the largest.

Tributaries

  • The tributaries of Narmada River are Kolar River, Shakkar River, Dudhi River, Tawa River, and Hiran River.
  • Major Hydro Power Project in this river are Maheshwar Dam, Sardar Sarovar Dam, and Indira Gandhi Sagar Dam.

Major Hydropower Projects on Narmada River

  • The Indira Sagar Dam,
  • The Sardar Sarovar Dam,
  • The Omkareshwar Dam,
  • The Bargi & Maheshwar Dam

Tapti River

Tapti River, Tapti also spelled Tapi, river in central India, rising in the Gawilgarh Hills of the central Deccan plateau in south-central Madhya Pradesh state. It flows westward between two spurs of the Satpura Range, across the Jalgaon plateau region in Maharashtra state, and through the plain of Surat in Gujarat state to the Gulf of Khambhat (an inlet of the Arabian Sea).
It has a total length of about 435 miles (700 km) and drains an area of 25,200 square miles (65,300 square km). For the last 32 miles (51 km) it is tidal but is navigable by small vessels.

The port of Swally Hole, at the river’s mouth, well known in Anglo-Portuguese colonial history, is now deserted, having become silted up. The Tapti flows roughly parallel to the longer Narmada River to the north, from which it is separated by the main part of the Satpura Range.
The two river valleys and the intervening range form the natural barrier between northern and peninsular India. The Tapti River’s three major tributaries—the Purna, Girna, and Panjhra—flow from the south in Maharashtra state.

Tributaries

Right Bank: The Suki, the Gomai, the Arunavati and the Aner.

Left Bank: The Vaghur, the Amravati, the Buray, the Panjhra, the Bori, the Girna, the Purna, the Monaand the Sipna.

Projects on Tapti River

  • The Hathnur Dam of Upper Tapi Project (Maharashtra),
  • The Kakrapar weir and Ukai Dam of Ukai Project (Gujarat),
  • The Girna Dam and Dahigam Weir of Girna Project (Maharashtra).

Mahi

  • The river originates from Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh.
  • The river flows through Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Gujarat.
  • The river drains in Gulf of Cambay.
  • Mahi Bajaj Sagar dam and Kadana Dam are the major Hydro Power stations situated on this river.

Sabarmati River

  • Sabarmati River is a combination of two streams the Sabar and Hathmati.
  • The river is flowing through Rajasthan and Gujarat.
  • It originates from Tepur in Udaipur district of Rajasthan.
  • The Wakal, the Hathmati, the Vatrak and the Sei are the major tributaries of Sabarmati River.
  • Sabarmati reservoir, Hathmati reservoir, and Meshwo reservoir project are the major projects situated on this river.

Luni

  • Luni is an endorheic river.
  • It is also known as the Sagarmati.
  • It originates from the Western slopes of the Aravalli ranges near Ajmer.

Tawa River 

  • The river rises from the Satpura Range of Betul in MP.
  • This river is the longest tributary of River Narmada.

Sharavati River

  • This is an important river in the state of Karnataka flowing towards the west.
  • The Sharavati River originates from the Shimoga district of Karnataka.
  • The river drains a catchment area of 2,209 sq. km.
  • The Jog Falls is created by the Sharavati River.

Mahadayi River

  • The Mahadayi, also known as the Mhadei or Mandovi in Goa, is a west-flowing river that originates in the Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary in the Belagavi district of Karnataka.
  • This rain-fed river is formed by several streams converging, making it one of the two major rivers in Goa, alongside the Zuari River.

Mahadayi/Mandovi River Dispute

  • The dispute over the Mahadayi River is between Goa and Karnataka.
  • It started in the 1980s and grew stronger in the subsequent decades.
  • Karnataka has moved to design several dams, canals, and barrages to route the Mahadayi river water to the Malaprabha basin.
  • The state claimed that channelling the river water into the Malaprabha basin, a tributary of the Krishna would meet the requirements of the water-scarce districts of Balkot, Gadag, Dharwad, and Belagavi.

Ghaggar River

  • The Ghaggar is the most significant river in the inland drainage system. Originating on the lower slopes of the Himalayas, this seasonal stream forms the boundary between Haryana and Punjab.
    • It eventually dissipates into the dry sands of Rajasthan near Hanumangarh.
  • Earlier, this river was an affluent of the Indus; the old channel’s dry bed is still traceable.
  • Its main tributaries are:
    • The Tangri,
    • The Markanda,
    • The Saraswati and
    • The Chaitanya.

Desert Rivers

  • A few rivers in Rajasthan do not drain into the sea. They drain into salt lakes and get lost in the sand with no outlet to the sea.
  • Besides these, some desert rivers flow for some distance and are lost in the desert.
  • These are Luni and Machhu, Rupen, Saraswati, Banas, and Ghaggar. These rivers flow for a certain distance before disappearing into the desert sands without an outlet to the sea.
  • Some rivers also drain into salt lakes, evaporating and leaving behind salt deposits.

Some west flowing rivers of Sahyadris

About six hundred small streams originate from the Western Ghats and flow westwards to fall into the Arabian Sea. The western slopes of the Western Ghats receive heavy rainfall from the south-west monsoons and are able to feed such a large number of streams.
Although only about 3% of the areal extent flow swiftly down the steep slope and some of them make waterfalls.
The Jog or Gersoppa Falls (289 m) made by the Sharavati river is the most famous waterfall of India.

Some rivers of India are not able to reach the sea and constitute inland drainage. Large parts of the Rajasthan desert and parts of Aksai Chin in Ladakh have inland drainage.
The Ghaggar is the most important river of inland drainage. It is a seasonal stream which rises on the lower slopes of the Himalayas and forms boundary between Haryana and Punjab.
Its main tributaries are the Tangri, the Markanda, the Saraswati and the Chaitanya.
It contains a lot more water in rainy season when its bed becomes 10 km wide at places.
Most of the streams draining western slopes of the Aravalli Range dry up immediately after they enter the sandy arid areas to the west of this range.

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