Dhauliganga River

This article is about the tributary of the Alaknanda River. For the tributary of the Kali River (also in Uttarakhand), see Darma River.

The Dhauliganga is a turbulent Himalayan river which rises in the border regions of India and China and flows south into the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand, India. It joins the Alaknanda, the major source stream of the Ganges river.

The Dhauliganga river tumbling in to meet the Alaknanda River at Vishnuprayag in the Garhwal Himalayas.

A map of the headwaters of the Ganges river, showing the Dhauliganga at the top right.

The Dhauliganga river valley shown in a high-resolution map based on detailed surveys

The confluence with the Alaknanda

Course

Dhauliganga rises in the vicinity of the Niti Pass in the border regions between Garhwal and southwestern Tibet.^[1] It flows 50 km (30 mi) southwards until it meets the Rishiganga on its left bank at Rini, in the vicinity of Tapovan in Chamoli district. It then flows 20 km (10 mi) westwards until it meets the Alaknanda at Vishnuprayag and terminates—the confluence just upstream of the city of Joshimath.^[1] The upper Dhauliganga valley parts the East-West Himalayan axis, with Nanda Devi and its subsidiary peaks to its left and Kamet and its subsidiary peaks to its right.^[1]

Nanda Devi glacier flood

Main article: 2021 Uttarakhand flood

On 7 February 2021, part of Nanda Devi Glacier, a Himalayan glacier in the Nanda Devi National Park, broke away and caused water levels in the Rishiganga and Dhauliganga rivers to rise. The Dhauliganga Dam at the Dhauliganga hydropower project at Reni village (30.485°N 79.691°E / 30.485; 79.691) was destroyed and another suffered partial collapse. Initial reports said nine people were killed and 140 missing. Water levels on the Alaknanda also rose.^[2][3]

References

1. Chatterjee, Bishwa B. (1983), "Geo-Economic syndromal determination of cultural Similarity—The case of the Bhotias of the Indo-Tibetan border of Uttarakhand", Indian Anthropologist, 13 (1): 13–30, JSTOR 41919464, retrieved 9 February 2021, From the Mana pass, about 50 km eastwards as a crow flies, is located Niti pass. The Dhauli Ganga rises here, and flowing first southwards, then westwards, joins the Alaknanda at Vishnu Prayag, just upstream from the township of Joshimath. Three large settlements. Bampa, Gamshali, and Niti, are situated on the upper reaches of Dhauli, and are inhabited by a group of Bhotias who are also Marchhas, though culturally and linguistically they are not identical to the Marchhas of Mana
2. "Uttarakhand glacier burst brings back memory of 2013 flash floods". The Hindu. PTI. 7 February 2021. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
3. Ellis-Petersen, Hannah (7 February 2021). "Scores feared dead as glacier causes dams to burst in north India". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 8 February 2021.

External links

• Dhauliganga mapped on OpenStreetMap

30.562°N 79.576°E / 30.562; 79.576