What Are The Major Tributaries Of The Brahmaputra River?
The Brahmaputra River relies on key tributaries like the Dibang, Lohit, Subansiri, Kameng, Dhansiri, Manas, and Teesta. Flowing through Northeast India, these rivers carry vital water and sediment while serving essential roles in regional ecology and agriculture.
The rivers are the lifeblood of India, which run through the beautiful valleys and crowded cities of our nation. The rivers are not only sources of water, but they are actually the lifelines of our country. People in millions depend upon these rivers for their agricultural purposes, drinking and earning their livelihood from them and hence become an important part of the Indian culture and economy. There is something special about every small river as well as a large river. But among all these strong rivers, there is one strong river which makes a distinct identity for Northeast India. Have you ever wondered about these rivers that are the tributaries of this strong river?
What Are The Major Tributaries Of The Brahmaputra River In India?
One of the major rivers of Asia is the Brahmaputra, which has a total length of nearly 2,900 kilometres, out of which 916 kilometres are in India. This river is joined by many tributaries when it passes through the regions of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, thereby bringing large quantities of water and soil.
| River | Starts From | Flows Through | Meets | Order (From Source in India) |
| Dibang | Mishmi Hills, Arunachal Pradesh | Arunachal Pradesh, Assam | Brahmaputra near Sadia (Assam) | 1st Major Right Bank Tributary |
| Lohit | Kangri Karpo Range, Tibet | Tibet, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam | Brahmaputra near Sadia (Assam) | 2nd Major Right Bank Tributary |
| Subansiri | Mount Porom, Tibet Himalayas | Tibet, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam | Brahmaputra at Lakhimpur (Assam) | 1st Major Left Bank Tributary |
| Kameng (Jiabhareli) | Tawang District, Arunachal Pradesh | Arunachal Pradesh, Assam | Brahmaputra at Tezpur (Assam) | 2nd Major Left Bank Tributary |
| Dhansiri | Laisang Peak, Nagaland | Nagaland, Assam | Brahmaputra at Golaghat (Assam) | 3rd Major Right Bank Tributary |
| Manas | Tibetan Himalayas | Tibet, Bhutan, Assam | Brahmaputra at Jogighopa (Assam) | 3rd Major Left Bank Tributary |
| Teesta | Chho Lhamo Lake, Sikkim | Sikkim, West Bengal, Bangladesh | Brahmaputra (Jamuna) in Bangladesh | 4th Major Left Bank Tributary |
The knowledge of the Brahmaputra Basin will help you to understand the importance of its tributaries. According to the data given by the Central Water Commission, the Brahmaputra Basin contains an area of about 194,413 sq km in India which constitutes nearly 5.9 percent of the total geographical area of the country.
As there is a very high volume of water flow, various water resources development works have been taken up in the Basin ever since the formation of the Brahmaputra Board in 1980. It is necessary to maintain the tributaries due to their importance in flood control, hydroelectric power and livelihoods.
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