Key Facts about Mahanadi River

Mahanadi River Latest News

State-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) spudded the first deepwater appraisal well in the Mahanadi offshore basin recently.

About Mahanadi River

• It is one of the major east-flowing peninsular rivers located in the states of Chhattisgarh and Odisha.
• It is the third-largest peninsular river after the Godavari and Krishna.  
• Course:
  • It originates from the Sihawa Hills in Dhamtari district, Chhattisgarh, at an elevation of 442 meters. 
  • It begins as a collection of small streams in the Dandakaranya foothills and initially flows northward for about 100 km before turning eastward into the plains.
  • 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.
  • Close to one of its mouths is the famous pilgrimage site of Puri. Farther up the coast is Konark, the site of an ancient temple dedicated to the sun. 
• Total Length: 860 km 
• The river is bounded in the north by the 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.
• 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: The main tributaries of Mahanadi are Seonath River, Jonk River, Hasdeo River, Mand River, Ib River, Ong River and Telen River. 
• Major Dams:
  • Hirakud Dam (Odisha)
  • Gangrel Dam (Chhattisgarh)
  • Tandula Dam (Chhattisgarh)
  • Kalma Barrage (Odisha)
  • Sondur Dam (Chhattisgarh)
  • Hasdeo Bango Dam (Chhattisgarh)
• 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.

News: TOI

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