Rivers

1)Indus River:
● The Indus River originates from a glacier near Bokhar Chu in the Tibetan region,
specifically in the Kailash Mountain range near Mansarovar Lake.
● In Tibet, it is known as Singi Khamban or Lion's Mouth.
● The river flows northwest and enters the Ladakh region of India.
● After entering Laddakh it flows between the Ladakh and the Zaskar Ranges.
The Left Bank Tributaries of the Indus River are as follows: Zaskar River, Suru River, Soan
River, Jhelum River, Chenab River, Ravi River, Beas River, Satluj River, and Panjnad River.
Right-bank Tributaries: Shyok River, Gilgit River, Hunza River, Swat River, Kunnar River,
Kurram River, Gomal River, Tochi River, and Kabul River.

2) Chenab River
● The Chenab River originates near the BaraLacha Pass in the Lahaul-Spiti region of the
Zaskar Range.
● In its upper reaches, it is also called the Chandrabhaga.
● It flows through the Jammu region of Jammu & Kashmir to the plains of Punjab in
Pakistan.
3) Jhelum River
● The Jhelum River, a tributary of the Chenab River, originates from a spring at Verinag at
the foot of the Pir Panjal in the southeastern part of the Kashmir Valley in India.
4) Ravi River
● Ravi has its source in Kullu hills near the Rohtang Pass in Himachal Pradesh.
● The major multipurpose project built on the river is the Ranjit Sagar Dam.
● Chamba town is situated on the right bank of the river.
5) Sutlej River
● The Satluj River is an antecedent river and is sometimes known as the Red River.
● It rises from beyond the Indian borders on the southern slopes of the Kailash Mountain
near Mansarover Lake from Rakas Lake.
● In Tibet, it is known as Langchen Khambab.
● It leaves Himachal Pradesh to enter the plains of Punjab at Bhakra, where the world’s
highest gravity dam- Bhakra Nangal Dam, has been constructed on this river.
6) Beas River
● It emerges from Rohtang Pass in Himachal Pradesh.
● The river before entering Pakistan merges with the Sutlej River at Hari-Ke-Pattan in
Punjab.
● The city of Manali is situated on the right bank of the River Beas.
Ramsar Sites
Ladakh
1)Tsomoriri (Tso Moriri): Freshwater to brackish lake lying at 4,595m above sea level, with wet
meadows and borax-laden wetlands along the shores.
● The site is said to represent the only breeding ground outside of China for one of the
most endangered cranes, the Black-necked crane, and the only breeding ground
for Bar-headed geese in India.
2) Tso Kar Wetland Complex (Tso Kar Lake): The complex includes two connected lakes, the
freshwater Startsapuk Tso and the larger hypersaline Tso Kar.
● There are numerous threatened species including the endangered saker falcon and
Asiatic wild dog or dhole, and the vulnerable snow leopard.
● The Site also acts as an important stopover ground for migratory birds along the Central
Asian Flyway and is one of the most important breeding areas in India for the
black-necked crane.

Jammu and Kashmir

1)Wular lake: The largest freshwater lake in India with extensive marshes of emergent
and floating vegetation, particularly water chestnut.
2) Shallbugh Wetland Conservation Reserve: This shallow wetland is primarily fed by rainfall,
snowmelt from the Kashmir Himalayas, and stream water flowing from the Sindh river and
Anchar Lake.
3) Hokera Wetland: A natural perennial wetland contiguous to the Jhelum basin.
4) Hygam wetland: The wetland is located within the Jhelum river basin and plays a
significant role in flood control, aquifer recharge, and regulating water flow of the Wular Lake.
● It lies on the Central Asian Flyway and over 40,000 migratory and resident bird species
have been recorded annually.
5) Surinsar-Mansar Lakes: Freshwater composite lake in semi-arid Punjab Plains, adjoining
the Jhelum Basin.
● Surinsar is rain-fed without permanent discharge, and Mansar is primarily fed by surface
run-off and partially by mineralised water through paddy fields.

Himachal Pradesh
1)Chandertal Wetland: A high altitude lake on the upper Chandra valley flowing to the Chandra
river of the Western Himalayas.
● It supports CITES and IUCN Red Listed Snow Leopard and is a refuge for many
species like Snow Cock, Chukor, Black Ring Stilt, Kestrel, Golden Eagle, Chough, Red
Fox, Himalayan Ibex, and Blue Sheep.
2)Pong Dam Lake: Pong Dam Lake (also known as Maharana Pratap Sagar) is a manmade
reservoir formed due to the construction of Pong Dam on Beas River in the wetland zone of
Shivalik hills in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh.
3) Renuka Wetland: A natural wetland with freshwater springs and inland subterranean karst
formations, fed by a small stream flowing from the lower Himalayan out to the Giri river.
Punjab
1)The Beas Conservation Reserve: It is a 185-kilometre stretch of the Beas River located
primarily in the north-west of the State of Punjab.
● The Reserve also hosts the only known population in India of the endangered Indus
river dolphin
2) Harike Wetland: Situated on the confluence of the river Beas and Satluj at the Ferozepur
and Amritsar border.
3) Kanjli Wetland: A permanent stream, the Kali Bein, converted by construction of a small
barrage in 1870 into a water storage area for irrigation purposes.
● The stream is considered to be the most significant in the state from the religious point of
view, as it is associated with the first guru of the Sikhs, Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji.
4) The Keshopur-Miami Community Reserve: The Reserve is a mosaic of natural marshes,
aquaculture ponds and agricultural wetlands maintained by the annual rainfall runoff.
5) Nangal Wildlife Sanctuary: Located in the Shivalik foothills of Punjab is the highly
eco-sensitive Nangal Wildlife Sanctuary, which supports abundant flora and fauna including
threatened species, such as the endangered Indian pangolin and Egyptian vulture.

Important Paasses

Pass Range Significance

Burzil Pass Great Himalayan Range Connects Srinagar to Gilgit

Banihal Pass Pir Panjal Range Connects Jammu with Kashmir Valley

Zoji La Zanskar Range connects Srinagar to Leh; vital for military

and civilian movement.

Khardung La Ladakh Range Connects Shyok and Nubra valleys; one of

the highest motorable roads in the world.

Baralacha La Zanskar Range Connects Lahaul-Spiti to Ladakh.

Shipki La Great Himalayan Range Satluj River enters India through this pass.

Rohtang Pass Pir Panjal Range Connects Manali and Leh; Atal Tunnel
(nearby) connects Manali to Lahaul-Spiti;
longest highway tunnel in the world.