Why in the news?
Floods hit Punjab villages due to heavy rain in Himachal, high dam discharges (Bhakra, Pong, Ranjit Sagar), and regulated headworks flow.
About the Rivers, Dams, and Headworks of Punjab:
| River | Origin & Entry into Punjab | Major Dam (Location & Key Facts) | Headworks & Functions |
| Sutlej | Origin: Rakshastal Lake (Tibet); enters India at Shipki La (HP); enters Punjab at Rupnagar; joins Beas at Harike, then Chenab in Pakistan. | Bhakra Dam (near Nangal, HP–Punjab border).
One of India’s highest gravity dams; reservoir = Gobind Sagar Lake; irrigation + hydropower. |
Ropar: Feeds Sirhind & BML canals (Punjab + Haryana).
Harike: Diverts Sutlej–Beas water to Rajasthan & Punjab canals. Hussainiwala: Feeds Bikaner & Eastern Canals (Punjab + Rajasthan). |
| Beas | Origin: Beas Kund (Rohtang Pass, HP); enters Punjab near Mukerian (Hoshiarpur); flows via Hoshiarpur, Gurdaspur, Tarn Taran, Amritsar. | Pong Dam (Maharana Pratap Sagar), HP (Kangra).
Major irrigation + power dam; supplies Harike. |
Harike: Regulates Beas + Sutlej water; feeds Rajasthan & Punjab canals. |
| Ravi | Origin: Bara Banghal (Rohtang Pass, HP); enters Punjab near Pathankot; flows via Pathankot, Gurdaspur;
Enters Pakistan and joins Chenab. |
Ranjit Sagar Dam (Thein Dam), Pathankot (Punjab–J&K border). Irrigation + hydropower. | Madhopur: Feeds UBDC canal (Punjab).
Madhopur–Beas Link: Transfers surplus Ravi to Beas before Pakistan. |
| [UPSC 2021] With reference to the Indus river system, among the following four rivers, one of them joins the Indus directly:
Options: (a) Chenab (b) Jhelum (c) Ravi (d) Sutlej* |
