Directions: Read the passage and answer the questions that follow. The drainage systems of India are mainly controlled by the broad relief features of the subcontinent. Accordingly, the Indian rivers are divided into two major groups: the Himalayan rivers; and the Peninsular rivers. Apart from originating from the two major physiographic regions of India, the Himalayan and the Peninsular rivers are different from each other in many ways. Most of the Himalayan rivers are perennial. It means that they have water throughout the year. These rivers receive water from rain as well as from melted snow from the lofty mountains. The major Himalayan rivers are the Indus, the Ganga and the Brahmaputra. These rivers are long and are joined by many large and important tributaries. A river along with its tributaries may be called a river system. The two major Himalayan rivers, the Indus and the Brahmaputra originate from the north of the mountain ranges. They cut through the mountains making gorges in the upper course. The perennial Himalayan rivers have long courses from their source to the sea. They perform an intensive erosional activity in their upper courses and carry huge loads of silt and sand with their swift current. In the middle and the lower courses, these rivers form meanders, oxbow lakes, levees and many other depositional features in their floodplains as their speed slackens. They also have well-developed deltas. A large number of the Peninsular rivers like the Godavari, Kaveri and Krishna are seasonal, as their flow is dependent on rainfall. During the dry season when it doesn’t rain, even the large rivers have reduced flow of water in their channels. The Peninsular rivers have shorter and shallower courses as compared to their Himalayan counterparts. However, some of them originate in the central highlands and flow towards the west. Most of the rivers of peninsular India originate in the Western Ghats and flow towards the Bay of Bengal.
Which of these is NOT a depositional feature found in the lower course of a river?
Gorge
Identifying River Features: Depositional vs. Erosional
This question asks us to identify which feature from the given options is NOT a depositional feature typically found in the lower course of a river, according to the provided passage about India's drainage systems.
Understanding River Courses and Features
Rivers create various landforms as they flow from their source to the sea. These landforms can be classified as either erosional (formed by the river wearing away the land) or depositional (formed by the river depositing sediment). The passage distinguishes between the upper, middle, and lower courses of a river, noting that the types of features formed depend on the river's speed and gradient.
- Upper Course: Characterized by steep gradients and fast-flowing water, leading to erosion, often forming deep valleys and gorges.
- Middle and Lower Courses: Characterized by gentler gradients and slower-moving water, leading to deposition of sediment and the formation of features like meanders, oxbow lakes, and levees.
Analysis of Options Based on the Passage
Let's examine each option in the context of the passage:
- Meander: The passage explicitly states, "In the middle and the lower courses, these rivers form meanders... as their speed slackens." This indicates that meanders are depositional features found in the lower course.
- Oxbow lake: The passage mentions that rivers form "...oxbow lakes, levees and many other depositional features in their floodplains...". This confirms oxbow lakes are depositional features of the lower course.
- Levee: Similarly, the passage lists levees as depositional features formed in the middle and lower courses.
- Gorge: The passage describes the upper course of Himalayan rivers: "They cut through the mountains making gorges in the upper course." This clearly identifies a gorge as a feature formed by erosion in the upper course, not deposition in the lower course.
Summary Table of River Features
| Feature | Course | Formation Process |
|---|---|---|
| Meander | Middle and Lower | Depositional |
| Oxbow lake | Middle and Lower | Depositional |
| Levee | Middle and Lower | Depositional |
| Gorge | Upper | Erosional |
Conclusion
Based on the analysis of the passage, a gorge is an erosional feature created in the upper course of a river as it cuts through mountains. The other options—meander, oxbow lake, and levee—are all described as depositional features found in the middle and lower courses where the river's speed decreases.
Therefore, the feature that is NOT a depositional feature found in the lower course of a river is a gorge.
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