RIVERS OF ORISSA

Major Rivers :

There are four groups of rivers which flow through Orissa into the Bay of Bengal. They are :

1. Rivers that have a source outside the State (The Subarnarekha, The Brahmani and The Mahanadi).
2. Rivers having a source inside the State(The Budhabalanga, The Baitarini, The Salandi, and The Rushikulya).
3. Rivers having a source inside the Orissa, but flow through other states (The Bahudu, The Vansadhara, and The Nagavali).
4. Rivers having a source inside Orissa, but tributary to rivers which flow through other states (The Machkund, The Sileru, The Kolab, and The Indravati).

River Mahanadi

It is the major river of Orissa and the sixth largest river in India. It originates from the Amarkantak hills of the Bastar Plateau in Raipur district of Madhya Pradesh. It is about 857 kms long (494 kms. In Orissa) and its catchment area spreads over 141,600 sq.kms. (65,580sq.kms.) in Orissa). The river carries on an average about 92,600 million m of water.

The Brahmani

It is the second largest river in Orissa. It originates as two major rivers like the Sankh and the Koel from the Chhotanagpur Plateau of Bihar and both join at Veda Vyasa near Rourkela of Sundargarh district of Orissa forming the major River Brahmani. It flows through the Easter Ghats in Sundargarh, Kendujhar, Dhenkanal, Cuttack and Jajpur districts into the Coastal Plains and enters into the Bay of Bengal along with a combined mouth with the Mahanadi known as the Dhamra. The Brahmani is 799 kms. Long (541 kms. In Orissa) and its catchment area spreads over 39,033 sq.kms. in Orissa).

The Baitarani

It originates from the Gonasika hills of the Kendujhar districts. It is 365 kms long and its catchment area spread over 12,790 sq. kms . It enters into the Bay of Bengal after joining of the Brahmani at Dharma mouth near Chandabali Subarnrekha.

The Subarnarekha

It originates from the Chhotnagpur plateau of Bihar. It is 433kms (70kms in Orissa ) and has a catchment area of 19,500 kms (3,200kms in Orissa ) with a mean annual flow of 7,900 million n.

The Budhabalanga

It originates from the eastern slops of the Similipala massif. It is about 175 kms long having a total catchment area of 4840 sq. kms with an annual flow of 2177 million m . It is major tributaries are the Sone, the Gangadhar, the Catra etc.

The Rushikulya

It originates from the Rushyamala hills of the eastern ghats in Phulbani district. It is 165 kms long with 8900 sq. kms of catchment areas. It's tributaries are the Baghua the Dhanei Badanadi etc. It has no delta at its mouth.

The Bahuda

It originates from the Ramgiri hills of the eastern ghats in Gajapati districts and joins the bay of Bengal in Andhra Pradesh . Its length 73 kms having a catchment area of 1250 sq. kms .

The Bansadhara

It originates from the Flanks of the Durgakangar hills (Lingaraj hills) of the eastern ghats in Kalahandi districts. It is 230 kms long out of which only 150 kms in Orissa. It entres in to the Bay of Bengal at Kalingapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. It has a catchment area of 11500 sq. kms .

The Nagabali

It originates from the Bijipur Hills of the eastern ghats near Lanji garah . It is 210 kms long out of which 100 kms is in Orissa. It has a total catchment area of about 9410 sq. kms.

The Salandi

It originates from the Meghasani Hills of the Similipal massif in Kendujhar district. It is 144 kms long with a catchment areas of 1793 sq. kms .

The Indirabati

It originates from the eastern ghats in Kalahandi districts. It is 530 kms long with a catchment area of 41700 sq. kms as a tributary it flows into the Godabari river.

The Kolab

It originates from the Sinkaran hills of the eastern Ghats in Koraput districts. It has catchment areas of 20400 sq. kms