4.3.4. The Brahmaputra System

The Brahmaputra is one of the largest river of not only India but the world. Its total length is 2900km and basin area is 5,80,000 sqkm (916 km and 1,87,00 sqkm in India). Its origin is in the Chemayungdung glacier of the Kailash range near the Mansarovar lake. From here, it flows parallel to the Greater Himalayas in the dry and flat Tibetan region where it is known as Tsangpo. It emerges as a turbulent and dynamic river after carving out a deep gorge in the Central Himalayas near Namcha Barwa (7,755 m). The river emerges from the foothills under

the name of Siang or Dihang. It enters India west of Sadiya town in Arunachal Pradesh. It receives its main left bank tributaries, viz., Dibang or Sikang and Lohit; thereafter, it is known as the Brahmaputra.

In the Assam valley, its major left bank tributaries are the Burhi Dihing, Dhansari (South) and Kalang whereas the important right bank tributaries are the Subansiri, Kameng, Manas and Sankosh. The Brahmaputra enters into Bangladesh near Dhubri and flows southward. In Bangladesh, the Tista joins it on its right bank from where the river is known as the Yamuna. The Brahmaputra is well-known for floods, channel shifting and bank erosion. This is due to the fact that most of its tributaries are large, and bring large quantity of sediments owing to heavy rainfall in the region