UPSC Prelims 2010 Q95: Geography – Indian Rivers & Water Resources
Which one of the following pairs is not correctly matched? Dam/Lake - River
- (a) Govind Sagar : Satluj
- (b) Kolleru Lake : Krishna
- (c) Ukai Reservoir : Tapi
- (d) Wular Lake : Jhelum
Answer: (b) Kolleru Lake : Krishna
Explanation
Finding the incorrectly matched dam/lake-river pair
Several major Indian dams and lakes are tied to specific rivers; one pairing here is wrong.
| Pair | Verdict | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| (a) Govind Sagar : Satluj | Correctly matched | Govind Sagar (Bhakra Dam reservoir) is indeed on the Satluj river |
| (b) Kolleru Lake : Krishna | NOT correctly matched | Kolleru Lake (Andhra Pradesh) is actually associated with the Krishna-Godavari delta region, fed mainly by streams between these two rivers — it is not specifically 'on' the Krishna river in the direct way other pairs are matched, making this pairing the odd one out |
| (c) Ukai Reservoir : Tapi | Correctly matched | Ukai Reservoir is indeed built on the Tapi river |
| (d) Wular Lake : Jhelum | Correctly matched | Wular Lake (Jammu & Kashmir) is indeed connected to the Jhelum river |
Correctly matched dam/lake-river pairs:
| Dam/Lake | River |
|---|---|
| Govind Sagar | Satluj |
| Ukai Reservoir | Tapi |
| Wular Lake | Jhelum |
| Kolleru Lake | NOT directly 'on' the Krishna in the same way — the odd one out |
Answer: (b) Kolleru Lake : Krishna.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Govind Sagar-Satluj is correctly matched, so it's not the answer to this 'incorrectly matched' question.
- (b) CORRECT. Kolleru Lake's association with the Krishna river is not a direct, standard pairing like the others, making it the incorrectly matched pair.
- (c) Incorrect. Ukai Reservoir-Tapi is correctly matched.
- (d) Incorrect. Wular Lake-Jhelum is correctly matched.
Key point
Govind Sagar-Satluj, Ukai Reservoir-Tapi, and Wular Lake-Jhelum are all correctly matched pairs — Kolleru Lake's pairing with the Krishna river is the incorrectly matched one among these four.
Remember
Among the four dam/lake-river pairs, Kolleru Lake : Krishna is the incorrectly matched one.
Common mistakes
- Assuming all four dam/lake-river pairs listed are automatically correct without checking each individually.
- Not knowing Kolleru Lake's actual geographic positioning relative to the Krishna-Godavari delta.
- Confusing a lake's broad regional association with a direct, standard river pairing.
Exam tip
Govind Sagar=Satluj, Ukai=Tapi, Wular=Jhelum are standard correct pairs. Kolleru Lake's Krishna pairing is the mismatch to watch for.
Sources
- NCERT Class XI Geography — India: Physical Environment — Drainage System
- Central Water Commission — Reservoir Storage Statistics of Reservoirs in India