Previous Year Question

In a Dendritic drainage pattern, the network of the main river and its tributaries resembles the trunk and branches of a tree. Smaller streams join larger streams, which eventually merge into the main river.

This pattern generally develops well in areas having comparatively homogeneous lithology, where the courses of streams are not strongly controlled by folds, faults or other geological structures. Consequently, streams develop branches broadly according to the natural slope of the terrain.

The Peninsular region of South India is very old and is composed over large areas of hard crystalline rocks. Many river basins of this region develop dendritic to sub-dendritic drainage networks. Scientific studies of several Western Ghats and Peninsular basins of South India also record this type of drainage pattern.