---
title: "Barbed Drainage Pattern: Definition & Causes"
description: "A barbed drainage pattern features tributaries joining the main river upstream, indicating river capture, and is crucial for UPSC geomorphology studies."
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/barbed-drainage-pattern"
---

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Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026

TL;DR

- A barbed drainage pattern is one in which tributaries join the main river in a direction opposite to the normal downstream flow, forming acute upstream-pointing angles.
- What does a barbed drainage pattern indicate about a river's history?
- How is a barbed pattern different from a trellis pattern?
- What supporting features confirm a true barbed pattern rather than local deflection?
- Why is the barbed pattern important for UPSC General Studies Paper I?

[Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services/glossary)Updated June 22, 2026

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In standard Himalayan geomorphology, the Arun River—a trans-Himalayan tributary of the Kosi—is cited as exhibiting barbed tributary junctions attributed to antecedent drainage and successive river captures across the rising Himalaya.

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