Home                                                   Indus Basin                             Go Back

Brief Description of the Basin
  • One of the mightiest and the longest rivers in the world
  • Originates from Mount Kailash in Tibet
  • Total length of the river is 3,199 km
  • Bisects the physical territory of Pakistan longitudinally.
  • From its origin to the Guddu Barrage in Pakistan, it is called the Upper Indus, while downstream from the barrage it is known as the Lower Indus.
  • The Karakoram and the Haramosh ranges bound the basin on the north, the Himalayas on the east, the Sulaiman and the Kirthar ranges on the west and the Arabian Sea on the south.
  • Catchment  area : 1,165,500 km2
  • Country under the river Tibet (China), India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.
  • Drainage area lying in Pakistan is 692,700 km2. 
  • Area lying in Afghanistan and China is 15,100 km2.
  • Drainage area lying in India is 321,289 km2
  • The river travels about 2,880 km up to its outfall into the Arabian Sea. 
  • Length of the river in India is 1,114 km.
  • In India, the Indus basin lies in the States of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana and the Union Territory of Chandigarh.
  • Longitudes 72º 35' E to 79º 50' E and latitudes 28º 52' N to 37º 20' N.
  • The culturable area of the basin is 9.6 Mha, (about 4.9% of the total culturable area of the country).
  • mean annual flow of the Indus basin rivers amounts to about 187 cubic km.
  • Contribution of snow and glacier melt to annual runoff is about 60%
River Network

Drainage area of the basin (in Km2)

Statewise Drainage Area (in Km2)

State

Drainage Area (km2)

Jammu and Kashmir

193,762

Himachal Pradesh

51,358

Punjab

50,306

Rajasthan

15,814

Haryana

 9,939

Chandigarh

110

Total Drainage Area of Indus Basin (Km2)

321,289

Topography

 

Upper part of the basin lying in Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh mostly consists of mountain ranges and narrow valleys. In Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan the basin consists of vast plains, which are the fertile granary of the country.

Soil

The principal soil types found in the basin are submontane, brown hill, and alluvial soils.

Climate

S. N.

 Location

Temperature (°C)

Rainfall (mm)

Maximum

Minimum

1.

Jammu

18.7 - 32.7

7.0 - 26.2

1,300

2.

Kathua

18.5 - 39.4

8.0 - 26.0

1,450

3.

Udhampur

18.0 - 38.0

6.5 - 25.4

1,070

4.

Rajouri

16.5 - 36.0

5.3 - 23.0

1,065

5.

Doda

16.5 - 37.5

6.0 - 23.2

460

6.

Poonch

15.3 - 32.0

4.3 - 21.4

951

Tributaries

Jhelum River, Chenab River, Beas River, Ravi River and Sutlej River

Hydropower Potential

 

The hydroelectric potential of the Indus basin has been assessed 33832 MW. Out of the identified schemes in the basin, schemes with a total installed capacity of 12254 MW are in operation as on 31.7.2014 and schemes with an installed capacity of about 4809 MW are in various stages of construction. (Source: www.cea.nic.in ). The status of the schemes as on 2010 is given below:

 S. No.

Name

River/Khad

MW

Status

1.

Allian – Dhungan

Allaain Nallah

192

Under Construction

2.

Malana

Malana Khad

86

Under Operation

3.

Parbati Stage – I

Parbati Khad

750

Under Construction

4.

Parbati Stage – II

Parbati Khad

800

Under Construction

5.

Parbati Stage – III

Parbati Khad

501

Under Construction

6.

Larji

Beas River

126

Under Construction

7.

Beas Satluj Link

Beas River

990

Under Operation

8.

Uhl Stage – I (Shanan)

Uhl Khad

110

Under Operation

9.

Bassi

Uhl Khad

60

Under Operation

10.

Uhl Stage – III

Uhl Khad

100

Under Construction

11.

Neogal

Uhl Khad

15

Under Construction

12.

Binwa

Binwa Khad

6

Under Operation

13.

Baner

Baner Khad

12

Under Operation

14.

Khauli

Khauli Khad

12

Under Construction

15.

Gaj

Gaj Khad

10.5

Under Operation

16.

Pong Dam

Beas River

360

Under Operation

17.

Patikari

Bakhli Khad

16

Under Construction

18.

Sainj

Sainj Nallah

100

Under Investigation

19.

Gada Gosain

Tirthan Nallah

25

Under Investigation

20.

Baragaon

Baragaon Nallah

10.5

Under Construction

21.

Dhaulasidh

Beas River

80.0

Under Construction

22.

Lambadug

Beas River

15.0

Under Construction

23.

Trithan

Beas River

18.0

Under Investigation

 

Total

4,495

Hydropower Potential in Satluj Basin

 S. N.

Name

River

Capacity (MW)

Status

1.

Rongtong

Rongtong Khad

2.5

Under Operation

2.

Kealing Lara

Spiti

40

Under Investigation

3.

Lara Project

Spiti

60

Under Investigation

4.

Mane Nadang

Spiti

76

Under Investigation

5.

Nadang

Spiti

80

Under Investigation

6.

Lari Sumate

Spiti

104

Under Investigation

7.

Sumte Kothans

Spiti

130

Under Investigation

8.

Chango Yangthang

Spiti

140

Under Investigation

9.

Yangthang Khab

Spiti

400

Under Investigation

10.

Khab Pooh

Satluj

340

Under Investigation

11.

Pool Spillo

Satluj

300

Under Investigation

12.

Jhangi Thopan

Satluj

300

Under Investigation

13.

Thopan Powari

Satluj

400

Under Investigation

14.

Shongtong Karcham

Satluj

225

Under Investigation

15.

Baspa Stage - I

Baspa

210

Under Investigation

16.

Rukti

Rukti Khad

1.5

Under Operation

17.

Baspa Stage - II

Baspa

300

Under Construction

18.

Karcham Wangtoo

Satluj

1,000

Under Construction

19.

Bhaba Aug. P/H

Shango Khad

3

Under Construction

20.

SVP Bhaba

Bhaba Khad

120

Under Operation

21.

Nathpa Jhakri

Satluj

1,500

Under Operation

22.

Ghanvi

Ghanvi Khad

22.5

Under Operation

23.

Rampur

Satluj

403

DPR Ready

24.

Nogli Stage - I

Nogli

2.5

Under Operation

25.

Chaba

Nauti Khad

1.75

Under Operation

26.

Kol Dam

Satluj

800

Under Construction

27.

Bhakra Dam

Satluj

1,200

Under Operation

28.

Keshang

Keshang Khad

160

Under Construction

29.

Sorang

Sorang

100

Under Investigation

30.

Tidong

Tidong Khud

100

Under Investigation

31.

Karang

Karang Khud

16

Under Investigation

32.

Ropa

Ropa Khud

80

Under Investigation

33.

Ghanvi-II

Satluj

7

Under Construction

34.

Barhal

Satluj

9

Under Investigation

 

Total

8,633.75

 

 

Surface Water Potential of the River

An average annual surface water potential of 73.3 km3 has been assessed in this basin. Out of this, 46.0 km3 is utilizable water. Culturable area of the basin is about 9.6 M ha, which is 4.9% of the total culturable area of the country. The seasonal flow in each sub-basin of Indus river is given in Table 10.9.

Water Resources Projects in the Basin

Bhakra Nangal System, Bhakra Dam, Nangal Barrage, Bhakra Canal Systems, Beas-Satluj Link, Pandoh Dam, Pong Dam, Indira Gandhi Nahar Project (IGNP), Nathpa Jhakri Hydroelectric Project, Anandpur Sahib, Baira Siul Project, Baglihar Hydro-Electric Project, Chamera Project, Dulhasti Project, Kishanganga Project,Kol Dam, Parbati Project, Sewa Project and Uri Project

Problems  in the Basin

Flash Floods

Water quality of the tributaries of the basin in Punjab

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

S. No.

Parameter

Satluj

Ghaggar

Beas

Ravi

1

Temperature 0C

 16

 16

16

14

2

PH

7.7

7.6

7.8

7.8

3

Conductivity (mmho)

378

424

342

202

4

Nitrogen (NO2 + NO3)

1.0

2.34

1.4

.04

5

DO (mg/l)

7.7

5.8

7.8

9.0 

6

BOD (mg/l)

1.8

28.0

4.2

0.4 

7

COD (mg/l)

6.4

57.6

14.4

1.6 

8

Cl- (mg/l)

20

54.0

23.0

10

9

So4

14

30

16

8.0

10

Na

4.2

21.2

14.6

1.8

11

Fecal Coliform

170

500

500

0.0

12

Turbidity (NTU)

22

62

24

7.0

13

Total Coliform

500

9,000

5,000

7.0

14

TDS

340

396

302

194