Courtesy:Sri.Gopala Krishnan
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Mahanadi (means Great River) is a river in East Central India. It drains an area of around 132,100 km2 and has a total course of 885 km.
Mahananadi River is the lifeline of Chattisgarh. Flowing from the Eastern Ghats to the Bay of Bengal through Cuttack, in the eastern Orissa State. Rising from the highlands of Chattisgarh, it flows through Orissa to reach The Bay Of Bengal.
Mahananadi River is the lifeline of Chattisgarh. Flowing from the Eastern Ghats to the Bay of Bengal through Cuttack, in the eastern Orissa State. Rising from the highlands of Chattisgarh, it flows through Orissa to reach The Bay Of Bengal.
2. Mythology- Mahanadi
Like all other rivers, the Mahanadi too is revered one. It plays a major role in peoples life and is part of all the major religious functions and festivals. The water of Mahananadi is considered to be auspicious for any occasion - be it good or bad. It is thought that the water of Mahananadi has the power of converting bad into good. (Limited mythology information only I could gather)
3. Geographic details
Mahanadi River is about 885 kms long, running through Central India. Rising from Central Chattisgarh, it passes through Eastern Ghats Mountains and ends at Bay of Bengal, near Cuttack, Orissa. It forms a Delta at the Bay of Bengal. In the rainy season it carries an immense amount of water, up to 51,000 cubic meters per second especially at the Naraj gorge.
The river current is very high, the Rivers Tel and Hasdo contribute as the main tributaries to the Mahanadi River.
4. Hirakud dam
The Hirakud Dam, the Worlds Highest Dam is constructed on Mahanadi. There is a high Gandhi Tower for the introspection of the Dam. As this Dam is the lifeline of Orissa, Mahanadi contributes a lot in fertilizing the chief crops – oilseed, rice and sugarcane.
The Hirakud Dam is also the main source of running Hydroelectric Plant at Sambalpur. Though the river flows at high speed, still in the months July to February, one can navigate the river on boat. (In any case one should not go very near Bay of Bengal, the point where Mahanadi merges in the Sea).
The Maharashtra, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand and Orissa share the drainage of the Mahanadi.
The Maharashtra, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand and Orissa share the drainage of the Mahanadi.
5. Source of Mahanadi
Like many other seasonal Indian rivers, the Mahanadi too is a combination of many mountain streams and thus its precise source is impossible to pinpoint. However its farthest headwaters lie 6 km from Pharisiya village 442 m above sea level south of Nagri town in Dhamtari district of Chhattisgarh. The hills here are an extension of the Eastern Ghats and are a source of many other streams which then go on to join the Mahanadi.
For the first 80 km of its course, the Mahanadi flows in a northerly direction and drains the eastern portions of Raipur district. It is a rather narrow river at this stage, the total length of its valley not exceeding 500-600 metres. It then enters the old Bilaspur district where it is joined by its first major tributary, the Seonath
6. Maha nadi Middle Course
After being joined by the Seonath, the river flows in an easterly direction through the remaining part of its journey. It is joined by the Jonk and Hasdeo rivers here before entering into Orissa after covering about half of its total length. Near the city of Sambalpur, it is dammed by the largest earthen dam in the world, the Hirakud Dam.
( About Hiirakud dam I have studied in my 7-8 th standards as Dams created under 1st/ 2nd five yer plan started our first PM Jawharlal Nehru. But still Mahanadi do not come to my remeberance to have studied… )
A composite structure of earth, concrete and masonry, the dam measures 2.4 km including dykes. It spans two hills; the Lamdungri on the left and the Chandili Dunguri on the right. It also forms the biggest artificial lake in Asia, with a reservoir holding 743 km² at full capacity, with a shoreline of over 640 km.
Before the construction of the dam in 1953, the Mahanadi was about a mile wide at Sambalpur and carried massive amounts of silt, especially during the monsoon. Today, it is a rather tame river after the dam and is joined by the Ib, Ong, Tel and other minor streams. It then skirts the boundaries of the Baudh district and forces a tortuous way between ridges and ledges in a series of rapids until it reaches Dholpur, Orissa. The rapids end here and the river rolls towards the Eastern Ghats, forcing its way through them via the 64 km long Satkosia Gorge. Dense forests cover the hills flanking the river here. The river enters the Orissa plains at Naraj, about 11 km from Cuttack, where it pours down between two hills a mile apart. A barrage has been constructed here to regulate the river's flow into Cuttack.
7. Mahanadi -Mouth
The river traverses Cuttack district in an east-west direction. Just before entering Cuttack city, it gives off a large distributary called the Kathjori. The city of Cuttack stands on the spit separating the two channels. The Kathjori then throws off many streams like the Kuakhai, Devi and Surua which fall into the Bay of Bengal after entering Puri district. The Kathjori itself falls into the sea as the Jotdar. Other distributaries of Mahanadi include the Paika, Birupa, Chitartala, Genguti and Nun. The Birupa then goes on to join the Brahmani River at Krushnanagar and enters the Bay of Bengal at Dhamra.
The Mahanadi proper enters the sea via several channels near Paradeep at False Point, Kendrapara district. The combined Delta of the Mahanadi's numerous distributaries and the Brahmani is one of the largest in India.[6]
8..Navigation
Prior to the construction of the Hirakud Dam, the Mahanadi was navigable from its mouth up to Arrang , about a 150 km from its source. However numerous barrages apart from the Hirakud have put an end to that. Today, boats are restricted to the delta region and the Hirakud reservoir.
9. Trade and Agriculture-reference by Ptolemy
The city of Sambalpur was a prominent trading place for diamonds in the ancient world and the river itself has been referred to as the Manada in Ptolemy's works. However today the Mahanadi valley is best known for its fertile soil and flourishing agriculture. Prior to the Hirakud dam, the river carried more silt than any other river in the Indian subcontinent As a result its delta had one of the highest yield per acre in the whole of India. Today agriculture primarily depends on a network of canals that arise from the river. Rice, oilseeds and sugarcane are the principal crops here. An equally fertile though smaller valley also exists near Raipurd in the river's early course.
10.Maha Nadi -Water
An average annual surface water potential of 66.9 km³ has been assessed in this basin. Out of this, 50.0 km³ is utilisable water. Culturable area in the basin is about 80,000 km², which is 4% of the total culturable area of the country.
At its peak during the monsoon, the Mahanadi has a discharge rate of 2 million cubic ft. per second almost as much as the much larger Ganges. However owing to its seasonal nature the river is mostly a narrow channel flanked by wide sand banks for most of the year.
11. Mahanadi Floods
The Mahanadi was notorious for its devastating floods for much of recorded history. However the construction of the Hirakud Dam has greatly altered the situation. Today a network of canals, barrages and check dams keep the river well in control.
However heavy rain can still cause large scale flooding as evidenced in September, 2008 when 16 people died as the river breached its banks.( My friend Hari har sethi, Divisional Engineer in Cuttack Telecom has narrated the incidents when communication itself was paralysed for months there. He had said people were totally helpless having all houses fully damaged in river floods …)
Like many other seasonal Indian rivers, the Mahanadi too is a combination of many mountain streams and thus its precise source is impossible to pinpoint. However its farthest headwaters lie 6 km from Pharisiya village 442 m above sea level south of Nagri town in Dhamtari district of Chhattisgarh. The hills here are an extension of the Eastern Ghats and are a source of many other streams which then go on to join the Mahanadi.
For the first 80 km of its course, the Mahanadi flows in a northerly direction and drains the eastern portions of Raipur district. It is a rather narrow river at this stage, the total length of its valley not exceeding 500-600 metres. It then enters the old Bilaspur district where it is joined by its first major tributary, the Seonath
6. Maha nadi Middle Course
After being joined by the Seonath, the river flows in an easterly direction through the remaining part of its journey. It is joined by the Jonk and Hasdeo rivers here before entering into Orissa after covering about half of its total length. Near the city of Sambalpur, it is dammed by the largest earthen dam in the world, the Hirakud Dam.
( About Hiirakud dam I have studied in my 7-8 th standards as Dams created under 1st/ 2nd five yer plan started our first PM Jawharlal Nehru. But still Mahanadi do not come to my remeberance to have studied… )
A composite structure of earth, concrete and masonry, the dam measures 2.4 km including dykes. It spans two hills; the Lamdungri on the left and the Chandili Dunguri on the right. It also forms the biggest artificial lake in Asia, with a reservoir holding 743 km² at full capacity, with a shoreline of over 640 km.
Before the construction of the dam in 1953, the Mahanadi was about a mile wide at Sambalpur and carried massive amounts of silt, especially during the monsoon. Today, it is a rather tame river after the dam and is joined by the Ib, Ong, Tel and other minor streams. It then skirts the boundaries of the Baudh district and forces a tortuous way between ridges and ledges in a series of rapids until it reaches Dholpur, Orissa. The rapids end here and the river rolls towards the Eastern Ghats, forcing its way through them via the 64 km long Satkosia Gorge. Dense forests cover the hills flanking the river here. The river enters the Orissa plains at Naraj, about 11 km from Cuttack, where it pours down between two hills a mile apart. A barrage has been constructed here to regulate the river's flow into Cuttack.
7. Mahanadi -Mouth
The river traverses Cuttack district in an east-west direction. Just before entering Cuttack city, it gives off a large distributary called the Kathjori. The city of Cuttack stands on the spit separating the two channels. The Kathjori then throws off many streams like the Kuakhai, Devi and Surua which fall into the Bay of Bengal after entering Puri district. The Kathjori itself falls into the sea as the Jotdar. Other distributaries of Mahanadi include the Paika, Birupa, Chitartala, Genguti and Nun. The Birupa then goes on to join the Brahmani River at Krushnanagar and enters the Bay of Bengal at Dhamra.
The Mahanadi proper enters the sea via several channels near Paradeep at False Point, Kendrapara district. The combined Delta of the Mahanadi's numerous distributaries and the Brahmani is one of the largest in India.[6]
8..Navigation
Prior to the construction of the Hirakud Dam, the Mahanadi was navigable from its mouth up to Arrang , about a 150 km from its source. However numerous barrages apart from the Hirakud have put an end to that. Today, boats are restricted to the delta region and the Hirakud reservoir.
9. Trade and Agriculture-reference by Ptolemy
The city of Sambalpur was a prominent trading place for diamonds in the ancient world and the river itself has been referred to as the Manada in Ptolemy's works. However today the Mahanadi valley is best known for its fertile soil and flourishing agriculture. Prior to the Hirakud dam, the river carried more silt than any other river in the Indian subcontinent As a result its delta had one of the highest yield per acre in the whole of India. Today agriculture primarily depends on a network of canals that arise from the river. Rice, oilseeds and sugarcane are the principal crops here. An equally fertile though smaller valley also exists near Raipurd in the river's early course.
10.Maha Nadi -Water
An average annual surface water potential of 66.9 km³ has been assessed in this basin. Out of this, 50.0 km³ is utilisable water. Culturable area in the basin is about 80,000 km², which is 4% of the total culturable area of the country.
At its peak during the monsoon, the Mahanadi has a discharge rate of 2 million cubic ft. per second almost as much as the much larger Ganges. However owing to its seasonal nature the river is mostly a narrow channel flanked by wide sand banks for most of the year.
11. Mahanadi Floods
The Mahanadi was notorious for its devastating floods for much of recorded history. However the construction of the Hirakud Dam has greatly altered the situation. Today a network of canals, barrages and check dams keep the river well in control.
However heavy rain can still cause large scale flooding as evidenced in September, 2008 when 16 people died as the river breached its banks.( My friend Hari har sethi, Divisional Engineer in Cuttack Telecom has narrated the incidents when communication itself was paralysed for months there. He had said people were totally helpless having all houses fully damaged in river floods …)
knr
--
If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.
Happy moments, praise God.
Difficult moments, seek God.
Quiet moments, worship God.
Painful moments, trust God.
Every moment, thank God
--
If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.
Happy moments, praise God.
Difficult moments, seek God.
Quiet moments, worship God.
Painful moments, trust God.
Every moment, thank God
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