NCERT Solutions for Class 9 Geography Social Science Chapter 3: Drainage

The term ‘drainage’ refers to the river system of a region. Small streams flowing from various directions come together to form the main river, which eventually empties into a large water body such as a lake, sea, or ocean. CBSE Notes for Class 9 Geography Chapter 3 on Drainage will help you understand India’s drainage system. Towards the end of the chapter, you will also learn about lakes, their significance, the economic role of rivers, and river pollution. The area drained by a single river system is called a drainage basin. Any elevated area, like a mountain or highland, that separates two drainage basins is known as a water divide. Here are the solutions.

1. Choose the right answer from the four alternatives given below.

(i) In which of the following states is the Wular lake located?

(a) Rajasthan (b) Punjab (c) Uttar Pradesh (d) Jammu and Kashmir

Answer:

Jammu and Kashmir

(ii) The river Narmada has its source at

(a) Satpura (b) Amarkantak (c) Brahmagiri (d) Slopes of the Western Ghat

Answer:

Amarkantak

(iii) Which one of the following lakes is a saltwater lake?

(a) Sambhar (b) Wular (c) Dal (d) Gobind Sagar

Answer:

Sambhar

(iv) Which one of the following is the longest river in Peninsular India?

(a) Narmada (b) Godavari (c) Krishna (d) Mahanadi

Answer:

Godavari

(v) Which one amongst the following rivers flows through a rift valley?

(a) Mahanadi (b) Krishna (c) Tungabhadra (d) Tapi

Answer:

Tapi

2. Answer the following questions briefly.

(i) What is meant by a water divide? Give an example.

Answer:

Any high area, like a mountain or a plateau, that separates two drainage basins is called an upland. It’s also known as a water divide. For instance, the water divide between the Indus and the Ganga River Systems.

(ii) Which is the largest river basin in India?

Answer:

The Ganga River Basin is the largest river basin in India.

(iii) Where do the rivers Indus and Ganga have their origin?

Answer:

1. Indus River origin – Near Manasarovar Lake, Tibet
2. Ganga River origin – Gangotri glacier in Uttaranchal

(iv) Name the two headstreams of the Ganga. Where do they meet to form the Ganga?

Answer:

The two headstreams of the Ganga are Alaknanda and Bhagirathi. They both meet to form Ganga at Devprayag.

(v) Why does the Brahmaputra in its Tibetan part have less silt, despite a longer course?

Answer:

In Tibet, the river carries less water and sediment because it’s a cold and arid area. In India, it flows through a region with heavy rainfall. Therefore, the river carries a lot of water and a significant amount of sediment.

(vi) Which two Peninsular rivers flow through a trough?

Answer:

Narmada and Tapi are the two Peninsular rivers that flow through a trough.

(vii) State some economic benefits of rivers and lakes.

Answer:

Rivers have been incredibly important throughout human history. The water from rivers is a crucial natural resource, necessary for many human activities. That’s why people have settled along riverbanks since ancient times. Using rivers for watering crops, traveling, and generating electricity is especially important, especially in countries like India, where most people depend on farming for their livelihoods.

3. Below are given names of a few lakes of India. Group them under two categories – natural and created by human beings. (a) Wular (b) Dal (c) Nainital (d) Bhimtal (e) Gobind Sagar (f) Loktak (g) Barapani (h) Chilika (i) Sambhar (j) Rana Pratap Sagar (k) Nizam Sagar (l) Pulicat (m) Nagarjuna Sagar (n) Hirakund

Answer:

Natural Lakes

1. Wular
2. Dal
3. Nainital
4. Bhimtal
5. Loktal
6. Chilika
7. Pulicat
8. Sambhar
9. Barapani

Human-made Lakes

1. Gobind Sagar
2. Rana Pratap Sagar
3. Nizam Sagar
4. Nagarjuan Sagar
5. Hirakud

4. Discuss the significant difference between the Himalayan and the Peninsular rivers.

Answer:

Himalayan Rivers

1. These are perennial rivers.
2. Receive water from Rain and Snowfall.

Peninsular Rivers

1. These are seasonal rivers.
2. Dependent on rainfall. During dry seasons, the rivers get dried up

5. Compare the east-flowing and the west-flowing rivers of the Peninsular plateau.

Answer:

West flowing rivers

1. There are only 2 long West flowing rivers – Narmada and Tapi.
2. They flow into the Arabian Sea.
3. They have a lesser number of tributaries.
4. Form estuaries.
5. Carry lesser sediments.

East flowing rivers:

1. Many major rivers, Mahanadi, Cauvery, Godavari, Krishna, etc.
2. They flow into the Bay of Bengal.
3. Have many tributaries.
4. Forms Deltas.
5. Carry larger sediments than West flowing rivers.

6. Why are rivers important for the country’s economy?

Answer:

Rivers have been extremely important throughout human history. Water from rivers is a basic natural necessity, crucial for various human activities. That’s why settlements have always formed along riverbanks since ancient times. These settlements have grown into large cities today. Using rivers for irrigation, transportation, and generating electricity is especially important, especially in a country like India, where agriculture is the main livelihood for most people.

The NCERT Solutions for Class 9 Geography Chapter 3 on Drainage includes questions about India’s river system. This chapter focuses on the rivers originating from the Himalayas, those in the peninsular region, lakes, and the significance of rivers in the economy, as well as river pollution. To find answers to all six questions given in the exercise, consult the NCERT Solutions for Class 9 Geography Chapter 3 on Drainage. These solutions are designed according to the NCERT textbook. Students can use these solutions to prepare for their CBSE exams.

In this article, we are going to discuss NCERT Solutions for Class 9 Geography Social Science Chapter 3: Drainage in detail.