State PCS - Uttar Pradesh (UP PCS)

• 17 Jun 2025

Sharda River

Why in News? 

Several people drowned after being caught in the strong currents of the Sharda River near Devraghat in the Sitapur district.

Key Points 

• About the Sharda River: 
  • Origin and Course: 
    • The Sharda River, also known as the Kali River in its upper reaches, originates in Uttarakhand. 
    • It rises in the Great Himalayas, on the eastern slopes of the Nanda Devi massif. 
    • Flowing generally south-southwest, the river forms the boundary between Uttarakhand (India) and western Nepal. 
    • After descending from the mountains, it enters the Indo-Gangetic Plain at Barmdeo Mandi in Nepal. 
      • As the river widens above the Sarda Barrage, it is referred to as the Sarda River. 
    • After crossing into India, the Sarda River flows southeastward through northern Uttar Pradesh. 
    • It eventually joins the Ghaghara River southwest of Bahraich, covering a total length of approximately 480 km (300 miles). 
  • Major Tributaries: 
    • Key tributaries of the Sarda River are Dhauliganga River, Goriganga River, Sarju River. 
  • Sarda Barrage and Canal System: 
    • The Sarda Barrage, located near Banbasa in Uttarakhand, plays a significant role in irrigation. 
    • It serves as the origin of the Sarda Canal, completed in 1930, which is one of northern India’s longest irrigation canals. 

Ghaghara River 

 

• Origin and Upper Course: 
  • The Ghaghara River is a major left-bank tributary of the Ganges River. 
  • It originates as the Karnali River in the high Himalayas of the southern Tibet Autonomous Region in China. 
  • Flowing southeast through Nepal, it descends from the mountains and cuts across the Siwalik Range. 
• Formation of the River: 
  • After crossing the Siwalik Range, the river splits into two branches. 
  • These branches reunite south of the India-Nepal border, forming what is known as the Ghaghara River. 
• Key Tributaries: 
  • Major tributaries that join the Ghaghara from the north include Kuwana River, Rapti River, Little Gandak River. 
  • These tributaries contribute significantly to the river’s volume and have helped shape the extensive alluvial plains of northern Uttar Pradesh. 
    • In its lower reaches, the Ghaghara is also known by other names Sarju River, Deoha. 
    • It was referred to as Sarabos by the 2nd-century Greek geographer Ptolemy.