Bhadar
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Overview
The Bhadar is the largest river of the Saurashtra peninsula in Gujarat. It rises in the central uplands near Rajkot district and flows west to the Arabian Sea near Navibandar, Porbandar district.
Like most Saurashtra rivers it is seasonal, and several dams on it store monsoon water for drinking and irrigation.
The Bhadar dam near Jetpur is one of the bigger storage reservoirs of Saurashtra, a region that faces recurring drought.
Geography and key facts
- Largest river of Saurashtra, Gujarat
- Rises in the Rajkot uplands
- Flows west to the Arabian Sea
- Seasonal; dammed for irrigation
Why it matters for UPSC
Saurashtra has a radial drainage pattern – rivers flow outwards from the central uplands. That is a frequently asked drainage concept.
Note for UPSC
A Saurashtra river flowing to the Arabian Sea.
Prelims asks about tributaries, the states a river flows through, its basin and the projects on it, so trace the course on the map.
Asked in PYQs
No question in our Prelims bank names Bhadar yet.
Key facts
- Type
- River
- State / UT
- Gujarat
- River system
- Peninsular
- Basin
- West-flowing (Gujarat & Rajasthan)
- Extent on map
- 21.7°–22.4°N, 70.2°–72.1°E
From the Map Explorer data; positions are for orientation.
In the lessons
- Physical Features and Drainage of India (map lesson)
- Drainage Systems of India: Himalayan and Peninsular Rivers (map lesson)