Key Facts about Mahanadi River

Mahanadi River Latest News

After a prolonged legal battle over sharing Mahanadi River water in a designated tribunal, Odisha and Chhattisgarh have now expressed willingness to resolve the dispute amicably between themselves.

About Mahanadi River

• It is one of the major east-flowing peninsular rivers located in the states of Chhattisgarh and Odisha.
• It ranks second to the Godavari River among the peninsular rivers in respect of water potential.
• Course:
  • Origin: The river originates from the Sihawa range of hills in the Dhamtari district of Chhattisgarh.
  • It then flows in the eastward direction, cutting a ravine in the Eastern Ghat. 
  • Before joining the Bay of Bengal at False Point through several channels near the major seaport town of Paradip, the river enters the plains of Odisha near Cuttack and forms a delta.
• Length: 860 km 
• The river is bounded in the north by Central India hills, in the south and east by the Eastern Ghats, and in the west by the Maikal hill range.
• The Mahanadi basin extends over the states of Chhattisgarh and Odisha and comparatively smaller portions of Jharkhand, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh, draining an area of 1,41,589 sq.km., which is nearly 4.3% of the total geographical area of the country. 
• It passes through several major cities and towns, including Raipur, Sambalpur, and Cuttack.
• It is considered to be one of the most active silt-depositing streams in India.
• Tributaries: Its main tributaries are Seonath, Jonk, Hasdeo, Mand, Ib, Ong, and Tel. 
• Hirakud Dam:
  • The Hirakud Dam, the world’s longest earthen dam (26 km), is constructed across the Mahanadi River, about 15 km from Sambalpur in Odisha.
  • The dam is used for irrigation, flood control, and power generation.
• Chilika Lake: Chilika, named a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, gets 61% of its inland flow from the Mahanadi River system, mainly from its distributaries – Daya and Bhargabi.

Source: TH

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