THE INDUS PLAIN

The Indus Plain gets its name because it has been formed
due to the action of the River Indus and its tributaries.
The Indus Plain can be divided into two parts:
Upper Indus Plain: Includes most of Punjab and some parts of
KPK. However, the Potwar Plateau, the Salt Range are not a
part of the Upper Indus Plain.
Lower Indus Plain: Includes the central part of Sindh and
some part of Balochistan. The Thar desert is not a part of the
Lower Indus Plain, neither is the Kohistan Area of Sind
The word Indus is derived from Sanskrit word Sindhu which
means ocean. The words Sindh, India and Hindu also come
from the same word. River Indus is one of the worlds great
rivers. Almost all of the major rivers of Pakistan flows into
Indus. River Indus Basin is a large and very fertile plain
formed from the River Indus silt. This area has a 5,000 years
old civilization with agriculture as the main source of income.
The main parts of the Indus Plain includes Upper Indus and
Lower Indus Plain.
http://pakistan360degrees.com/tag/lower-indus-plain

Upper Indus Plain

Plain

Lower Indus

TOPOGRAPHICAL
FEATURES/PHYSIOGRAPHIC
DIVISIONS/PHYSICAL FEATURES OF THE
INDUS PLAIN
ACTIVE FLOOD PLAIN-----present in both parts
OLD FLOOD PLAIN------ present in both
ALLUVIAL TERRACES----- only in Upper Indus Plain
PIEDMONT PLAINS----- present in both
ROLLING SAND PLAINS ( DESERTS)-----present in both

CUESTAS------ only in Lower Indus Plain

TIDAL DELTA -------present only in Lower Indus Plain

SOME KEY VOCABULARY

DOAB land between two rivers which meet at a confluence
SCARP incline/slope dividing the floodplain from the alluvial
terrace
LEVEES raised banks of a river
EMBANKMENTS walls constructed on levees to stop floods
MEANDERS bends in the course of a river
OX-BOW LAKES when a bend in a meander gets cut off due
to excessive river erosion to form a horse shoe shaped lake.

Active flood plain

Narrow strip of land found on both sides of the river. Present
in both upper and lower Indus Plain. Called betor khaddar
in the local language.
PHYSICAL FEATURES:
Floods every year
New alluvium is deposited
Oxbow lakes, meanders and levees are important
features
Dry, braided channels full of alluvium visible after the
flood

Old flood plain:

Located right next to the active flood plain. Found in both
parts of the Indus plain. It can be further divided into the
cover flood plain and the meander flood plain.
Physical Features:

 Floods every 7-8 years since it is further away from the

river
Old alluvium
Old levees, meander scars(abandoned channels) and
dried oxbow lakes(dhands)

Alluvial Terraces:
Areas of higher ground between rivers, on a doab. Less
fertile area. Suitable for human features like houses as it is
unlikely to be flooded.
Physical Features:
It is made up of old alluvium
Flat surface
Has a south west slope

Piedmont Plain:
Located on the foothills of the mountains. Found in both
parts of the Indus Plain. In the Upper Indus plain are the
Sulaiman and Siwaliks piedmont plain. In the Lower Indus
Plain is the Kirthar Piedmont Plain.
These are created because of the repeated braiding of the
river until it disappears, due to the deposition of silt.
Physical Features:
Alluvial fans or cones made of gravel, sand and
alluvium

Cuesta:
A Spanish word meaning a ridge or hill
Located in the lower Indus Plain (Sindh)
It is a limestone ridge with a steep slope one one side and a
gentle dip slope on the other side.
There are two cuestas

Rohri Cuesta located near Sukkur ( 80 metres high, 48 km

long)
Gango takar Cuesta located near Hyderabad( 24 km long)
Importance:
Adds to the scenic beauty of a generally flat area
Provide raw material for cement industry
Provide a firm foundation for the construction of
barrages.

Tidal Delta:
Locatedin Thatta at the mouth of the River Indus. A
delta is a triangular feature at the mouth of a river
created due to deposition of silt.
Physical features:
Distributaries
Marshes
Swamps
Levees
Meanders
Mangroves
Alluvium

Rolling sand plains ( Deserts)

Pakistan has 3 main deserts:
Kharan desert located in Balochistan
Thal desert also called the Sind Sagar Doab, located in

Upper Indus Plain.

Thar desert located in both upper and Lower Indus
Plain. It is a part of the Rajasthan Desert. It has three
parts:
Cholistan in the Upper Indus Plain ( Punjab)
Nara in the Lower Indus Plain( Sindh)
Tharparkar in the Lower Indus Plain( Sindh)
Topographical Features:
Rolling sand plains
Sand dunes, either longitudinal or latitudinal
Weathering of rocks
Low water table
Scanty vegetation
Flat land between dunes, called pattis