Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna & Kaveri river system

MAHANADI RIVER SYSTEM

• Originates in Chhattisgarh, south of Amarkantak.
• Basin states: Chhattisgarh and Odisha and comparatively smaller portions of Jharkhand, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, draining an area of 1,41,589 Sq.km.
• Bounded by the Central India hills on the north, by the Eastern Ghats on the south and east and by the Maikala range on the west.

GODAVARI RIVER SYSTEM

• Longest river of Peninsula and third largest in India
• Also known as Dakshin Ganga or Vridha Ganga because of its size, age and length.
• Originates from Trimbak in Western Ghats in Nashik district, Maharashtra.

KRISHNA RIVER SYSTEM

• Second longest river of Peninsula that flows towards east.
• Originates near Mahabaleshwar in Western Ghats
• Basin states: Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka having a total area of 2,58,948 Sq.km

KAVERI RIVER SYSTEM

• Originates from Brahmagiri hills in Coorg, Karnataka
• Basin states: Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Union Territory of Puducherry draining an area of 81,155 Sq.km
• It is bounded by Western Ghats on west, by Eastern Ghats on east and south and by ridges separating it from Krishna basin and Pennar basin on the north.
• Shivsamudram (in Karnataka) & Hogenakkal (in Tamil Nadu) waterfalls are most important on this river.
• Shivsamudram waterfall has twin waterfalls: (i) Gaganachukki (ii) Bharachukki.

There are mainly 7 distributaries from the river Cauvery in delta region that contribute the flow for the Karaikal area which are as follows:

1. Nandalar

2. Nattar

3. Vanjiyar

4. Noolar

5. Arasalar

6. Thirumalairajanar

7. Puravadaiyanar