Indus Basin

Indus Basin extends over an area of 11,65,500 km2 and lies in Tibet (China), India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. The drainage area lying in India is 321,289 km2 which is nearly 9.8% of the total of the total geographical area of the country. The basin lies in the states of Jammu & Kashmir (193,762 km2), Himachal Pradesh (51,356 km2), Punjab (50,304 km2), Rajasthan (15,814km2), Haryana (9,939 km2) and Union Territory of Chandigarh (114 km2).

Indus River rises from Mansarovar in Tibet at an elevation of about 5182 m and flows for about 2880 km up to its outfall into the Arabian Sea. The length of the river in India is 1114 km. The principal tributaries of the river are the Sutlej, the Beas, the Ravi, the Chenab and Jhelum.

The upper part of basin lying in Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh in mostly mountain ranges and narrow valleys. In Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan the basin consists of vast plains which are the fertile granary of the country. The principal soil types found in the basin are submontane, brown hill and alluvial soils.

An average annual surface water potential of 73.3 km3 has been assessed in this basin. Out of this, 46.0 km3 is utilisable water.

Culturable area of the basin is about 9.6 M.ha, which is 4.9% of the total culturable area of the country.

Present use of surface water in the basin is 40.0 km3. Live storage capacity in the basin has increased significantly since independence. From just about 0.01 km3 in the I'st-Plan period, the total live storage capacity of the completed projects has increased to 13.8 km3. In addition, a storage quantity of over 2.4 km3 would be created on completion of projects under construction. An additional storage to the tune of over 0.3 km3 would become available on execution of projects under consideration. The hydropower potential of the basin has been assessed as 19,998 MW at 60% load factor.

Source: MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES
GOVERNMENT  OF  INDIA