Himalayan Drainage vs Peninsular Drainage

Himalayan Drainage

• Antecedent drainage i.e. Himalayan rivers are older than lesser Himalayas and Shiwaliks
• Himalayan rivers are older than the structures they cut across
• Perennial flowing River → fed by rain and melting glaciers
• Geologically young with long course of flow
• Flow through lose alluvial soils of northern plains
• Form deep valley and gorges due to intensive erosion
• Generate large quantities of sediment & cause annual flooding & form Deltas
• Nature of river course is quiet changing, meandering , forming ox-bow lakes & high waterfalls
• Have deeper basins and large catchment areas

Peninsular Drainage

• Super-imposed drainage i.e. regional structures are older than the river valleys that cut through them.
• Nature of flow is seasonal i.e. majorly during south west monsoon
• Geologically older with shorter course of flow
• Flow through hard granitic soils of peninsular India
• Shallow graded valleys with little erosion.
• Forms shallow valleys, small waterfalls, deltas and estuaries