INDIAN GEOGRAPHY

Detailed explanation-1: -Estimates of the sediment load are highly variable, ranging from 402 to 710 × 106 tonnes/year for the Brahmaputra River and from 403 to 660 × 106 tonnes/year for the Ganges River. Both these rivers carry predominantly coarse silt to sand-size particles.

Detailed explanation-2: -The Ganges River sediments are rich in smectite formed in the Indo-Gangetic flood plain. The Brahmaputra and Surma-Meghna rivers show similar clay mineral compositions. The Himalayas represent the main clay mineral source area.

Detailed explanation-3: -Suspended sediment concentrations are also used to calculate annual suspended sediment loads of the main river channels. These calculations show that the Ganges carries 262 million tons/year and the Brahmaputra carries 387 million tons/year.

Detailed explanation-4: -The rivers of the Ganga basin carry one of the largest sediment loads in the world. Today sediment loads in the Ganga are higher than in the past due to the complete deforestation of the Gangetic plains and the ongoing deforestation of the Himalayan foothills.