Sone River Water System

•   Origin: The Sone River originates near Amarkantak in Madhya Pradesh, close to the Narmada’s source region.

• Course: It flows mainly east/northeastwards through Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Bihar.
• Tributary of: Sone is an important right-bank tributary of the Ganga.
• Confluence: It joins the Ganga near Maner, west of Patna, Bihar.
• Drainage Basin: Its basin extends across parts of Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Bihar.
• Important Tributaries: Rihand, North Koel and Kanhar are among the important tributaries associated with the Sone system.
• Rihand River: The Rihand is a major tributary of the Sone and is associated with the Rihand Reservoir/Govind Ballabh Pant Sagar in Uttar Pradesh.
• Dehri-on-Sone: The Indrapuri Barrage is located on the Sone near Dehri-on-Sone in Bihar and is important for irrigation.
• Sone Canal System: The Sone Canal System is one of the important irrigation systems of Bihar, drawing water from the Sone.
• River Character: The Sone has a wide, shallow channel in parts of its lower course and experiences substantial seasonal variation in discharge.
• Ganga System: The Sone contributes to the Ganga river system and is significant for irrigation and water-resource management in eastern India.

UPSC Prelims Question

Q1. Consider the following statements regarding the Sone River:

1. It is a right-bank tributary of the Ganga.
2. It originates in the Amarkantak region.
3. The Rihand is an important tributary of the Sone.
4. The Indrapuri Barrage is located on the Sone River.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 1, 2 and 3 only
(c) 1, 2, 3 and 4
(d) 2 and 4 only

Answer: (c) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Explanation: The Sone originates in the Amarkantak region of Madhya Pradesh, flows eastwards and joins the Ganga in Bihar. It is a right-bank tributary of the Ganga. Rihand is a major tributary of the Sone, while the Indrapuri Barrage is an important irrigation structure constructed across the Sone in Bihar.