Geography Chapters

1. Continents and Oceans2. Biosphere3. Lithosphere4. Hydrosphere5. Atmosphere6. Latitudes and Longitudes7. Different Heat Zones of the Earth8. Longitudes and Time Zones9. International Date Line10. Motion of the Earth11. Effect of the Tilted Axis on Day and Night12. The Atmosphere (Composition and Layers)13. Weather and Climate14. Atmospheric Pressure15. Internal Structure of the Earth16. Rocks17. Earthquakes and Volcanoes18. Various Landforms (Mountains, Plateaus, Plains, Grasslands)19. Landforms Created by River System20. Landforms Created by Glacier21. Landforms Created by Wind22. Landforms Created by Groundwater23. The Indian Subcontinent Position, Extent, and Physical Features24. Climatic Diversity in the Indian Subcontinent25. Soil Resources of the Indian Subcontinent26. Agriculture in India27. Land Use Pattern of India28. Water Resources and Their Utilization in India29. Multipurpose River Valley Projects30. Transport in India31. Rivers of India

Landforms Created by River System

“Rivers shape the Earth's surface through erosion, transportation, and deposition, creating unique landforms over time.”

Introduction

Rivers are powerful agents of erosion and deposition. As they flow from their source to the mouth, they modify the landscape and form different landforms such as valleys, waterfalls, meanders, oxbow lakes, deltas, and floodplains.

Landforms Made by Rivers

  • V-Shaped Valley: Formed in the upper course due to vertical erosion.
  • Waterfall: Occurs when a river drops vertically from a height (e.g., Jog Falls).
  • Meander: A curve or bend in a river formed in the middle course.
  • Oxbow Lake: A crescent-shaped lake formed when a meander is cut off.
  • Floodplain: Flat area along the river formed due to repeated flooding and deposition.
  • Delta: Fan-shaped fertile land formed at the river mouth by deposition (e.g., Sunderban Delta).

River Course and Associated Landforms

Upper Course

Steep gradient, fast flow, vertical erosion

  • V-shaped valleys
  • Waterfalls
  • Rapids
Middle Course

Gentle slope, lateral erosion, transportation dominant

  • Meanders
  • Oxbow lakes
  • River terraces
Lower Course

Very gentle slope, deposition dominant

  • Floodplains
  • Deltas
  • Distributaries

Importance of River-formed Landforms

  • Fertile soil supports agriculture (floodplains and deltas)
  • Source of freshwater and irrigation
  • Supports biodiversity and aquatic ecosystems
  • Attracts human settlements and trade (e.g., Nile, Ganga)
  • Hydroelectric power generation (e.g., waterfalls)

Diagrammatic Representation

Upper Course

Waterfalls, V-shaped Valleys, Rapids

Middle Course

Meanders, Oxbow Lakes

Lower Course

Floodplains, Deltas

Previous Year Questions

  • SSC CGL 2019: The Sunderban Delta is formed by which rivers?
  • Ganga and Brahmaputra
  • RRB NTPC 2020: Which landform is formed when a river cuts off a meander?
  • Oxbow lake
  • HSSC CET 2022: What is the typical landform of a river's lower course?
  • Delta and Floodplain
  • SSC MTS 2018: Which of the following is a depositional feature?
  • Delta
  • RRB Group D 2019: Which landform is created by river erosion?
  • V-shaped Valley
  • SSC CHSL 2021: Meanders are formed in which course of river?
  • Middle Course
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