Tributaries of Brahmaputra River : Brahmaputra River System: Origin, and Map

Tributaries of Brahmaputra River : Brahmaputra River System: Origin, and Map

Brahmaputra River System and Tributaries of Brahmaputra River: The Brahmaputra, one of the largest rivers of the world, has its origin in the Chemayungdung glacier of the Kailash range near the Mansarovar lake. From here, it traverses eastward longitudinally for a distance of nearly 1,200 km in a dry and flat region of southern Tibet, where it is known as the Tsangpo, which means ‘the purifier.’ The Brahmaputra (meaning the son of Brahma).

You can also check – Geography Notes for UPSC

Brahmaputra River System

• It receives a large number of tributaries in Tibet. The first major tributary is the Raga Tsangpo meeting the Tsangpo near Lhatse Dzong.
• It flows as the Yarlung Tsangpo River across southern Tibet to. It emerges as a turbulent and dynamic river after carving out a deep gorge in the Central Himalayas near Namcha Barwa (7,755 m).
• The river emerges from the foothills under the name of Siang or Dihang. It enters India west of Sadiya town in Arunachal Pradesh.
• Flowing southwest, it receives its main left bank tributaries, viz., Dibang or Sikang and Lohit; thereafter, it is known as the Brahmaputra.
• The Brahmaputra enters into Bangladesh near Dhubri and flows southward.
• In Bangladesh, the Tista joins it on its right bank from where the river is known as the Jamuna.
• It finally merges with the river Padma ( The Ganga ), which falls in the Bay of Bengal.

Brahmaputra River Map

Different Name of Brahmaputra River

Region	Name
Tibet	Tsangpo (meaning ‘The Purifier’)
China	Yarlung Zangbo Jiangin
Assam Valley	Dihang or Siong, South of Sadiya: Brahmaputra
Bangladesh	Jamuna River
Bangladesh	Padma River: Combined Waters of Ganga and Brahmaputra
Bangladesh	Meghana: From the confluence of Padma and Meghna

Tributaries of Brahmaputra River

The Brahmaputra receives numerous tributaries in its 750 km long journey through the Assam valley.

North Bank Tributaries	South Bank Tributaries
The Subansiri	The Noa Dehing
The Siang	The Burhi dihing
The Kameng (Jiabharali in Assam)	The Debang
The Dhansiri(North)	The Dikhow
The Manas	The Dhansari(South)
The Sankosh	The Kopili
The Jiadhal	The Digaru
The Puthimari	The Dudhnai
The Pagladiya	The Krishnai
The Champamati	The Jinjiran
The Saralbhanga	The Kulsi
The Aie	The Bhogdoi

• Major left bank tributaries of brahmaputra – the Burhi Dihing and Dhansari (South)
• Major right bank tributaries of brahmaputra – the Subansiri, Kameng, Manas and Sankosh.

The Subansiri which has its origin in Tibet, is an antecedent river.

Siang River

• The Siang is the principal constituent river of the Brahmaputra, known as Yarlung Zangbo in China.
• It originates from the glacier mass of  Kailash Range, at an elevation of about 5300 m and flows eastwards for about 1600 km through the Tibetan Plateau.
• Before entering India, the river Siang or Dihang flows through a deep gorge across the eastern extremity of the Himalayas.
• The river then flows through Arunachal Pradesh in a south/ south-easterly direction for about 230 km to reach Pasighat. 
• Lohit and the Dibang join the Siang at about 30 km downstream of Pasighat to form the mighty Brahmaputra river.

Subansiri River

• The Subansiri rises in the mountains of Tibet. 
• Subansiri River is also called as Gold River as it is famous for its gold dust.
• It flows through the Lower Subansiri District in Arunachal Pradesh.
• Subansari, a swift river offers excellent kayaking opportunities.
• The total length of the Subansiri is about 442 km. 
• Out of which 192 km lie in Arunachal Pradesh and 190 km in Assam and the rest fall in Tibet.

Kameng or Jiabharali River

• Kameng River in the eastern Himalayan mountains originates in the Tawang district
• Flows through West Kameng District, Arunachal Pradesh, and Sonitpur District of Assam.
• The Kameng forms the boundary between East Kameng District and West Kameng Districts.
• The Pakhui Wildlife Sanctuary and the Kaziranga National Park are located near the Kameng River.
• The river Kameng flows for 55 km in south-westerly direction and then reaches Bhalukpong where it ends its hilly journey. 
• The river is nearly 250 km long, 90 km in Arunachal Pradesh and 60 km in Assam.

Dhansiri (South) River

• The Dhansiri (S) rises in the southwest corner of Nagaland below the Laishiang peak.
• From its source up to Dimapur, the Dhansiri forms the boundary between the districts of Cachar, Nagaon and Nagaland. 
• Beyond Dimapur, the river enters and flows through the Karbi-Along and Golaghat districts of Assam. 
• The river is nearly 354 km long.

Kopili River

•  It originates in the Saipong Reserve Forest situated in the southeast of Meghalaya and passes through the borders of Meghalaya, North Cachar hills and Karbi Anglong and enters the plains in Nagaon district of Assam before joining the Brahmaputra at Kopilimukh. 
• Its total length is 256 km, of which 78 km, form the common border of Meghalaya and Assam and the remaining 178 km lie in Assam.

Manas River

• The river originates in Bhutan, enters into the plains of Assam near Mathanguri and flows through Manas reserve forest. 
• At Mathanguri, this river bifurcates into two branches, the eastern branch is known as Beki and the western branch is known as Manas. 
• The river Manas meets the river Brahmaputra near Jogighopa.

Tista River

• The river originates from Tso Lhamo lake in North Sikkim at an elevation of 5330 m in the Himalayas.
• Rangeet River is the major tributary of the Teesta River. Rangeet river is the largest river in Sikkim. Rangeet river joins Teesta river at a place known as Tribeni.
• The river then flows past the town of Rangpo where it forms the border between Sikkim and West Bengal up to Teesta Bazaar.
• The river flows through Jalpaiguri and then to Rangpur District of Bangladesh,
• It joins the Brahmaputra near Rangpur town in Bangladesh after traversing a length of 309 km.

Sankosh River

• It rises in northern Bhutan and empties into the Brahmaputra in the state of Assam
• The upper catchment of the river is glaciated. The middle and the lower courses flow along V-shaped valleys that have been carved by running water
• The entire catchment of the river is covered with forests.

Dibang River

• The river Dibang is one of the principal tributaries of the Brahmaputra river
• Originating from the snow-covered southern flank of the Himalayas close to the Tibet border at an altitude of more than 5000 m.
• It emerges from the hills to enter the plain area near Nizamghat in the Lower Dibang Valley district of Arunachal Pradesh
• The Mishmi hills are found along the upper course of the Dibang River.

Lohit River

• The River Lohit originates in eastern Tibet.
• The river flows through the Mishmi hills to meet the Siang at the head of Brahmaputra valley
• The valley of Lohit is thickly forested, covered with alpine and sub-tropical vegetation
• A large variety of medicinal plants are also found here.

Characteristics of the Tributaries of Brahmaputra River

The North Bank Brahmaputra River Map

The tributaries of the Brahmaputra River originating in the North Bank are the Lohit, Dibang, and Subansiri Rivers. 

• These tributaries originate from the Himalayan range of mountains.
• The Lohit River is the largest of the three rivers and is about 1,080 km long.
• The Dibang River is about 850 km long, while the Subansiri River is about 680 km long..
• These tributaries flow through dense forests and pass through several gorges and valleys before joining the Brahmaputra.
• The tributaries of the Brahmaputra River form a network of rivers and streams that cover the entire region of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, and Nagaland. 
• These tributaries are known for their abundance of water throughout the year and are an important source of irrigation and drinking water for the local population. These rivers are also important for fishing and navigation in the region.
• Have boulder, pebble and coarse sandy beds and carry a heavy silt charge.
• Generally have flashy floods.

The South Bank Brahmaputra River Map

• The tributaries of the south bank of the Brahmaputra River are mainly snow-fed rivers originating from mountain ranges in the Himalayas. 
• The south bank tributaries are generally shorter in length than their north bank counterparts. 
• These tributaries have a high gradient, which makes them very turbulent and fast-flowing. 
• The tributaries of the south bank are often used for navigation and to generate hydroelectric power. 
• The tributaries of the south bank are important for irrigation in the region as well as for fishing and other forms of aquaculture. 
• These tributaries are also vital for the sustenance of the diverse wildlife and habitat along their banks.

Major River Valley Projects/Dams/Barrages associated with the Brahmaputra river system-

In the state of Arunachal Pradesh-

• Tawang Hydel Power Project
• Subansiri Lower Hydel Power Project
• Ranganadi Hydel Power Project
• Paki Hydel Power Project
• Papumpap Hydel Power Project
• Dhinkrong Hydel Power Project
• Upper Lohit Hydel Power Project
• Damway Hydel Power Project
• Kameng Hydel Power Project

In the state of Sikkim-

• Rangit Hydel Power Project
• Teesta Hydel Power Project

In the state of Assam-

• Kopli Hydel Power Project

In the state of Meghalaya-

• New Umtru Hydel Power Project

In the state of Nagaland-

• Doyang Hydel Power Project

In the state of Manipur-

• Loktak Hydel Power Project
• Tipaimukh Hydel Power Project

In the state of Mizoram-

• Tuibai Hydel Power Project
• Tuirial Hydel Power Project
• Dhaleshwari Hydel Power Project

Important Facts About Brahmaputra River System

The biggest and the smallest river islands in the world, Majuli, and Umananda respectively, are in the river in the state of Assam.

Dibrugarh, Pasighat, Neamati, Tezpur, and Guwahati are the important urban centers on the river.

The Brahmaputra is well-known for floods, channel shifting and bank erosion.

This is due to the fact that most of its tributaries are large, and bring large quantity of sediments owing to heavy rainfall in its catchment area.

Brahmaputra River UPSC

Year 2017. With reference to river Teesta, consider the following statements: The source of river Teesta is the same as that of Brahmaputra but it flows through Sikkim.

River Rangeet originates in Sikkim and is a tributary of river Teesta. River Teesta flows into the Bay of Bengal on the border of India and Bangladesh.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

• (a) 1 and 3 only
• (b) 2 only
• (c) 2 and 3 only
• (d) 1, 2 and 3

Year 2016. Which of the following is/are tributary/ tributaries of Brahmaputra?

1. Dibang
2. Kameng
3. Lohit

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

• (a) 1 only
• (b) 2 and 3 only
• (c) 1 and 3 only
• (d) 1, 2 and 3