Mahanadi river
Topic: Drainage System of India: Rivers, Basins and Patterns · NCERT: Class 11, Ch 2 "Structure and Physiography"; Class 11, Ch 3 "Drainage System"; Class 11, Ch 5 "Natural Vegetation"
Meaning
The Mahanadi river rises near Sihawa in Chhattisgarh (NCERT places this in Raipur district; it is now in Dhamtari district). It flows through Odisha to the Bay of Bengal. It is about 851 km long and drains a basin of 1.42 lakh sq km. About 53% of the basin lies in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh and 47% in Odisha. Boats can use parts of its lower course. Near the coast it builds a large, fertile delta.
Example
The Hirakud dam (1957) near Sambalpur, Odisha, holds back the Mahanadi for flood control, irrigation and power. Downstream, the river spreads into its delta near Cuttack. Odisha and Chhattisgarh have a water-sharing dispute over the river, and a Mahanadi tribunal was set up in 2018.
Don't confuse with
- Mahananda river: this is a Himalayan river from the Darjiling hills. It is the last left-bank tributary of the Ganga, in West Bengal. The Mahanadi is a Peninsular river that flows on its own into the sea.