Satluj River

The Sutlej river rises near Rakastal which is fed by the lake Mansrover in the Tibetan Plateau at an elevation level (EL) of about 4,572 M. The river Sutlej is known as Langqen Zagbo inside Tibet/China. The River Sutlej travels about 322 Kms inside the Tibetan Province and then enters India near Shipkilla (Tashigang-village) and further Sutlej River travels about 300 Kms upto Bhakra Dam. This large river has varying climatic and topographic conditions. The total catchment area is about 56,860 Sq. Kms; out of which only about 20,000 sq. kms lie in India . In the Indian region an area of about 9,000 sq. kms. gets only snowfall, an area of about 5,500 Sq. Kms gets both snow and rain and an area of about 5,500 sq. kms only rainfall.

The above catchment as described indicates that perennial supplies in the river Sutlej are due to large areas of catchment contributing snowmelt. It is estimated that more than 50 percent of the run-off in the Sutlej Rivers is from the snowmelt. The average annual total run-off of river Sutlej is about 16,000 MCM.

The main tributary in India are Ravi and Beas