2. FACTS ABOUT BRAHMAPUTRA
1. In the Tibbet and Himalayan region, Brahmaputra flows at an average height
of 400 eters for 13000 kms. This highest for any major river in the world.
2. The mighty Brahmaputra is supposed to be on of the most powerful river in
the world. Based upon the flow rate, Brahmaputra is the fifth strongest river in
the world.
3. The Brahmaputra is one of those vwey few major rivers in the world which
exhibit 'tidal bore'. It means incoming tides form waves that travel up the river
against the direction of the current. This is what called a true 'tidal wave' in
geography. This is one of the reason behind Brahmaputra's enormous strength.
4. 'Majuli', the largest island created by a river also resides in the Brahmaputra.
This river island is situated in Assam and around 100 km in length.
3. 5. The Brahmaputra along with Ganges create the
largest delta in the world, Sundarban in Bangladesh.
6. The average width of Brahmaputra is close to 10 km
in plains which is on the widest in the world.
7. Where Brahmaputra enters India is till date on the
most remote and adventurous part of the world. The
river flows rapidly down to the plains from a height of
4000 meters in this region. This unknown region had
trapped imagination of British for many decades in
19th century until it was discovered.
8. The rivers are considered to be female in India. But
the Brahmaputra is the only male river in India
4. 'The Quest for the Brahmaputra' is a
journey along the course of
Brahmaputra, the largest river in India.
Originating from Tibet as river TsangPo, Brahmaputra travels through the
hills and plateaus of Tibet, entering the
plains of Assam and finally merges with
the Bay of Bengal through Bangladesh.
Changing its name six times throughout
its journey, the Brahmaputra is
equivalent to Navarasa, the nine
emotions; sometimes calm and silent, as
if in a meditative mood, sometimes
destructive like a monster.
The presentation portrays the culture and
livelihoods that have flourished along the
river.
Over half a million people are dependent
on the river, which also has religious
importance in their lives 'The Quest for the
Brahmaputra' is a quest that ends with the
silent answer from a fisherman, when
asked about their dependence even though
the river is so destructive.
5. Source: Chemayungdung
From its origin in south-western Tibet Glacier, Himalayas, Tibet
Length :2,900 km
as the Yarlung
Basin: 651,334 km2
(Imperial blood) River,
Tributaries : - left Dibang
the Brahmaputra flows across
, Lohit
Dhansiri
southern Tibet
- right Kameng, Raida
where it is known as Dihang
Jaldhaka, Teesta River
to break through the Himalayas in Countries
:Bangladesh, India, China
great gorges.
It flows southwest through the Assam Mouth : Bay of Bengal location Ganges
Valley
Delta, Bangladesh
and south through Bangladesh
as the Jamuna.
6. THE JOUNERY OF RIVER
In order to cover all statistics of the river including
important information, we divide the river according
to it’s various stages:
Journey in Tibet (Youth)
Journey in India (Adult)
Journey in Bangladesh (Old)
9. The biggest and the smallest
river islands in the
world, Majuli and
Umandana, are in this river.
It originates as the Yarlung
Zangbo River in southwestern
Tibet and is also known as the
Tsangpo there
Trivia
The Brahmaputra is at its
narrowest (1 km) at Guwahati
near the ancient pilgrimage
center of Hajo.
The Brahmaputra is less
polluted than most other
rivers in India.
10. The Manas River is a major tributary of the Brahmaputra River
11. Physiography
Brahmaputra sub-basin extends over an area of 580,000 sq. km lying
in Tibet (China), Bhutan, India and Bangladesh.
The drainage area lying in India is 194413 sq. km which is nearly
5.9% of the total geographical area of the country.
It is bounded on the north by the Himalays, on the east by the
Patkari range of hills running along the Assam-Burma border, on
the south by the Assam range of hills and on the west by the
Himalayas and the ridge separating it from Ganga sub-basin.
The Sub-basin lies in the States of Arunachal
Pradesh, Assam, Nagaland, Meghalaya, West Bengal and Sikkim.
12. The Gorge of the Tsangpo River at Namcha Barva. Where the
river enters India with a ‘U’ turn
13. Brahmaputa river originates from Kailash ranges of Himalayas a
an elevation of about 5150 m and flows for abut 2900 km through
Tibet (China), India and Bangladesh and joins the Ganga.
The river Brahmaputra receives a number of tributaries at its
north and south banks, in the catchment area in India. The
major tributaries are as follow
(A) 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 the Kailash Range of the
Himalayas at an elevation of about 5300 m
and flows through China. The river flows
eastwards for about 1600 km through the
Tibetan Plateau
14. (B)TISTA RIVER
DHANSIRI (S) RIVER
The Tista is the largest river
of North Bengal. It rises in
the Himalayas in North
Sikkim. Running through
narrow gorges for nearly 138
km, it debouches into the
plains of the Jalpaiguri
district at sevoke. It flows
in a steady course upto
Jalpaiguri town beyond
which it records frequent
changes. It joins the
Brahmaputra near Rangpur
town in Bangladesh after
The Dhansiri (S) rises in the
south west corner of
Nagaland below the laishiang
peak. From its source upto
Dimapur, the Dhansiri forms
the boundary between the
districts of Cachar, Nagaon
and Nagaland. Beyond
Dimapur, the river enters and
flows through the KarbiAlong and Golaghat districts
of Assam. The river is nearly
354 km long.
16. During the year, four distinct seasons
occur in the Indian portion of the basin.
These are (i) winter, (ii) summer, (iii)
monsoon and (iv) autum or postmonsoon.
The winter season begins in December
and continues to the end of February.
Light north-easterly winds blow down
the Brahmaputra valley in Assam and
light northerly to north westerly winds
in West Bengal.
The weather is occasionally changed by
the passage of western disturbances
across the region, light rainfall occurs in
January and February along the
hills, increasing towards North-east
Assam. Thunder storms are rare in
December and January and occur only on
one or two days in February, these may
occasionally be accompanied by a dust or
hail storm
17. During the post-winter
months, the north-east
monsoon finds its way
into the Brahmaputra
valley through a saddle
in the high
Himalayas, at their
eastern end. The Assam
range of hills gradually
rise in height eastward
from 300 m in the Garo
hills to about 3,000 m in
the Naga hills.
The rainfall in the Tista
valley varies from 1,635
mm in West Dinajpur
district to 3,945 mm in
Jalpaiguri district.
During the monsoon
months of May to
October, about 85% of the
precipitation in the basin
occurs. About 12% of the
annual rainfall occurs in
March and April.
18. During the winter season in January, the mean temperature over the
catchment varies from 15.0°C to 17.5°C.
The higher elevations in the Himalayan ranges experience lower
temperatures. During the summer season in April, the mean
temperature in the lower part of the catchment varies from 25.0°C to
27.5°C.
The temperatures are below 25°C in the upper parts of the basin
notably in Arunachal. In the rainy season, in the month of July, the
mean temperature varies from 27.5°C to 30.0°C. Towards the end of th
monsoon season, in the month of October, the mean temperature ove
the basin varies from 25.0°C to 27.5°C.
The Arunachal region experiences temperatures lower than 25.0°C.
19. Plant life
Along the upper reaches of the Brahmaputra
(Tsangpo) on the high Plateau of Tibet, the
vegetation is mainly drought-resistant shrubs and
grasses. As the river descends from Tibet, increased
precipitation supports the growth of forests. Forests
of sal, a valuable timber tree that yields resin, are
found in Assam. At even lower elevations, tall reed
jungles grow in the swamps and depressed waterfilled areas (jheels) of the immense floodplains.
Around towns and villages in the Assam Valley, the
many fruit trees yield
plantains, papayas, mangoes, and jackfruit. Bamboo
thickets abound throughout Assam and Bangladesh
20.
21.
22. The Brahmaputra sub-basin has abundant hydropower potential. As
per the latest assessment the hydropower potential of the sub-basin is
31012 MW at 60% load factor.
This is almost 37% of the country’s total installed capacity of 196 MW
are in operation and another 7 schemes with a total installed capacity
of 1043 MW are under construction.
These 14 schemes together amount for only 2.2% of the assessed
potential. Therefore, a large chunk of the hydropower potential of the
sub-basin remains to be tapped.
23. .
Guwahati, Shillong and Siliguri are the important urban
centres. The sub-basin is rich in petroleum and coal.
Digboi in Assam was the only source of petroleum in
Sales
India until about 1953-54. Petroleum products, jute, drugs
and pharmaceuticals are other industries in the subbasin.
1st Qtr
Brahmaputra Board was established by the
Govt. of India in 1980 with the object of
preparing a master plan for controlling the
flood and bank erosion and improving the
drainage of the Brahmaputra
valley, simultaneously tapping the immense
water potential for hydropower generation and
2nd Qtr
3rd Qtr
4th Qtr
24. To draw up standards and specifications for construction, operation and
maintenance of such dams and other projects.
To construct with the approval of the Central Government, multipurpose
dams and works connected therewith as proposed in the Master Plan
approved by the Central Govt. and maintain and operate such dams and
works.
To prepare in consultation with State Govt. concerned, a phased
programme for construction by the State Government of all dams and other
projects proposed in the Master Plan as approved by the Central
Government other than those referred in above. The Board may maintain
and operate any dam or project for so long as it deems necessary to do so.
To perform such other functions as are supplemental, incidental or
consequential to the functions specified above.
