Satluj River :- Satluj
rises from beyond Indian borders in the Southern slopes of the
Kailash mountain near Mansarover lake from Rakas lake, as Longcchen
Khabab river ( in Tibet ). It is the largest among the five rivers
of Himachal Pradesh. It enters Himachal at Shipki ( altitude =
6,608 metres ) and flows in the South-Westerly direction through
Kinnaur, Shimla, Kullu, Solan, Mandi and Bilaspur districts. Its
corse in Himachal Pradesh is 320 km. from Rakastal, with famous
tributaries viz. the Spiti, the Ropa, the Taiti, the Kashang, the
Mulgaon, the Yula, the Wanger, the Throng and the Rupi as right
bank tributaries, whereas the Tirung, the Gayathing, the Baspa,
the Duling and the Soldang are left bank tributaries. It leaves
Himachal Pradesh to enter the plains of Punjab at Bhakhra, where
the world's highest gravity dam has been constructed on this river.
Its toatl catchment area in Himachal Pradesh is 20,000 sq. km.
Its vedic name is Satudri and Sanskrit name Shatadru. The Satluj
finally drains into the Indus in Pakistan. The catchment area of
about 50,140 km. of Satluj river is located above the permanent
snow-line at an altitude of 4,500 metres. The upper tracts of the
Satluj valley are under a permanent snow cover. The prominent human
settlements that have come on the banks of the Satluj river are
Namgia, Kalpa, Rampur, Tattapani, Suni and Bilaspur. Its total
length is 1,448 km.
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| Baspa River : |
Baspa is an important tributary of
the river Satluj in its upper courses. The Baspa is joined by
many smaller channels draining snow melt waters. The Baspa river
has cut across the main Himalayan range. Thereafter it empties
itself into the river Satluj in district Kinnaur. Baspa originates
from the Baspa hills, joins it from the left bank near Karcham
( Kalpa ). Satluj river leaves Kinnaur district in the West near
Chauhra and enters Shimla district. |
| Spiti River
: |
The Spiti river originates from Kunzum
range and Tegpo and Kabzian streams are its tributaries. Water
draining the famous Pin valley area are also a part of the Spiti
river system. Its position across the main Himalayan range deprives
it from the benefit of the South-West monsoons that causes widespread
rain in most parts of India from June to September. The river
attains peak discharge in late summers due to glacier melting.
After flowing through Spiti valley, the Spiti river meets Satluj
at Namgia in Kinnaur district traversing a length of about 150
km. from the North-West beyong that it flows in South-West direction
in the Pradesh. Huge mountain rise to very high elevations on
either sides of the Spiti river and its numerous tributaries.
The mountains are barren and largely devoid of a vegetative cover.
The main settlements along the Spiti river and its tributaries
are Hansi and Dhankar Gompa. |
| The Nogli Khad
: |
It joins Satluj just below Rampur
Bushahar. It touches Kullu district in Nirmand tehsil opposite
to Rampur tehsil of Shimla district. The river Satluj enters
Mandi district near Firnu village in the Chawasigarh and passes
through the areas of Mahunm, Bagra, Batwara, Derahat and Dehar.
Practically, the whole of the ancient Suket state except Jaidevi
and Balh circles drains into Satluj. The main tributaries of
the Satluj in district Mandi are Siun, Bahlu, Kotlu, Behna, Siman,
Bantrehr, Khadel and Bhagmati. |
| Soan River
: |
The Soan river rises from the Southern
slopes of the Shivalik range also known as Solasinghi range in
the tract to the East of the Beas gap across the Southern periphery
of the Kangra valley. It joins the boundary of Himachal Pradesh
and Punjab. Its gradient is not very steep and the slopes of
the Soan catchment vary from gentle to steep. In the summer the
discharge dropes drastically, while during monsoon it is in spate. |
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