Forum Pakistan

Beas (also Bias)
(Old Greek: Chyphasis; Sanskrit: Wipasa) One of *Punjab's five rivers, it is the largest tributary of the *Sutlej. It is 460 km. long and has its source in the *Himalayas, from the southern extremity of Pir-Panjal Range near the Rokhtang pass, at an altitude of 4,000 metres. It flows into the Sutlej River 25 kID. from the north near the Pakistani border. In the upper reaches the Beas is fed by glaciers and in the plain by rain and underground water. Flooding mainly occurs in summer. Beas waters are used extensively for irrigation. Water available for irrigation from the surface flow is 15.8 cu. metres per second and from the underground flow, 3.3 cusecs. There is a hydro-electric power station near Pong. The use of the Bea flow was, for a long time, a source of conflict between India and Pakistan, because the Beas is one of the main water supplies for the Sutiej. Historically, the Beas is believed to be the farthest point reached by the armies of Alexander of Macedonia in 326 Be.