Daily Olympiad: Social Science - Drainage [20260711]

Solution

Correct: B

A water divide is an elevated area, such as a mountain or an upland, that separates two distinct drainage basins. Rainwater falling on one side of the divide flows into one basin, and water falling on the other side flows into a different basin.

Solution

Correct: C

Himalayan rivers are perennial, meaning they flow throughout the year. This is because they are fed by both melting glaciers from the Himalayas and precipitation (rainfall), ensuring a continuous supply of water. Peninsular rivers, in contrast, are largely seasonal and rain-fed.

Solution

Correct: C

The Indus Water Treaty is a water-distribution treaty between India and Pakistan, brokered by the World Bank. It primarily deals with the sharing of the waters of the Indus River system.

Solution

Correct: C

The Son river originates in the Amarkantak Hills (part of the Peninsular uplands) and flows northwards to join the Ganga near Patna. Yamuna, Ghaghara, and Kosi are major tributaries, but Yamuna originates from Yamunotri glacier, while Ghaghara and Kosi originate in Nepal Himalayas.

Solution

Correct: B

The Brahmaputra River, before entering India, flows eastward parallel to the Himalayas in Tibet, where it is known as the Tsangpo. Dihang is its name when it enters Arunachal Pradesh, and Jamuna (in Bangladesh) and Meghna (after combining with Ganga in Bangladesh) are names associated with its lower course.

Solution

Correct: C

Peninsular rivers generally have shorter and shallower courses and are largely seasonal, dependent on rainfall. They flow through older, harder rock formations. Himalayan rivers, in contrast, have longer, deeper courses, are perennial, and originate from snow-capped mountains.

Solution

Correct: C

The Narmada and Tapi are the two largest west-flowing Peninsular rivers. They flow through rift valleys and drain into the Arabian Sea, forming estuaries (tidal mouths of rivers) rather than deltas due to the steep gradient and lack of sediment deposition at their mouths.

Solution

Correct: B

The Godavari is called the 'Dakshin Ganga' (Ganga of the South) because it is the longest and has the largest basin among the Peninsular rivers, making it comparable in significance to the Ganga in its region.

Solution

Correct: C

Wular Lake, located in Jammu and Kashmir, is the largest freshwater lake in India. It is a tectonic lake formed by tectonic activity. Chilika and Pulicat are saltwater lagoons/brackish water lakes, and Sambhar is a saltwater lake.

Solution

Correct: D

Chilika Lake is the largest brackish water lagoon in India, located in Odisha. Lagoons are formed when a part of the sea is separated from the main body by sandbars or spits.

Solution

Correct: D

The dendritic drainage pattern develops where the river channel follows the slope of the terrain, and the tributaries join the main river like the branches of a tree, forming acute angles. This is the most common type of drainage pattern.

Solution

Correct: D

While rivers might be associated with geographical features near trekking routes, directly creating high-altitude trekking routes is not a primary economic benefit of the rivers themselves. The other options (irrigation, navigation, hydroelectric power) are direct and significant economic contributions of rivers.

Solution

Correct: B

The discharge of untreated domestic sewage and industrial effluents into rivers is the most significant and widespread cause of river pollution in India, leading to contamination and degradation of water quality.

Solution

Correct: B

The Krishna River is one of the major east-flowing Peninsular rivers. It originates near Mahabaleshwar in Maharashtra and drains into the Bay of Bengal, forming a large delta.

Solution

Correct: D

The Ganga river system has the largest drainage basin in India, covering a significant portion of the country's landmass. While the Indus and Brahmaputra have longer total lengths, a smaller portion of their basins lies within India compared to the Ganga.

Solution

Correct: C

Ox-bow lakes are formed when a river, in its meandering middle or lower course, cuts across a narrow neck of a meander, leaving the detached loop as a crescent-shaped lake. This is a common feature of rivers flowing through plains.

Solution

Correct: D

The Tapi River, like the Narmada, flows through a rift valley. Both rivers originate in central India and flow westwards into the Arabian Sea.

Solution

Correct: B

Govind Sagar Lake is the reservoir created by the Bhakra Dam across the Sutlej River in Himachal Pradesh. It is one of the largest artificial lakes in India.

Solution

Correct: B

Himalayan rivers are perennial (flow throughout the year) due to glacial melt and rainfall. As they enter the plains, their velocity decreases, leading to deposition and the formation of extensive flood plains. Peninsular rivers are largely seasonal, have shorter courses, and their basins are generally smaller.

Solution

Correct: C

The Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers, before emptying into the Bay of Bengal, combine to form the Sundarbans Delta, which is the largest delta in the world, known for its unique mangrove forests.