Krishna River System

The Krishna River, also known as Krishnaveni, is the third-longest in the country, following the Ganges and Godavari. Additionally, it is the fourth-largest river system in India in terms of water inflows and river basin area, ranking after the Ganges, Indus, and Godavari rivers.

• Originates near Mahabaleshwar in the Western Ghats of Maharashtra, at an elevation of about 1,337 meters (4,386 feet).

• Flows through the Indian states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh before emptying into the Bay of Bengal.

• Bounded by the Balaghat range on the north, by the Eastern Ghats on the south and the east, and by the Western Ghats on the west.

• The total length of the river from its origin to its outfall into the Bay of Bengal is 1,400 km.

Right Bank Tributaries of Krishna River:

• Venna

• Koyna

  • Origin: Mahabaleshwar, Satara district of Maharashtra

  • Koyna River flows north-south, unlike most other rivers which flow east-west in Maharashtra.

  • Famous for the Koyna Dam - largest Hydroelectric project in Maharashtra.

  • Meets the Krishna River at Karad

  • This dam was perhaps the leading cause of the devastating Earthquake (6.4 on the Richter scale) in 1967 that killed 150 people.

  • The reservoir – Shivasagar Lake

• Panchganga

  • Flows through the borders of Kolhapur.

  • The Panchganga is formed by four streams:

    • The Kasari

    • The Kumbhi

    • The Tulsi

    • The Bhogawati

  • Drains into Krishna at Kurundvad

• Dudhganga

  • It is an important river in the Kolhapur district.

  • The Kallammawadi Dam - built in collaboration with the Karnataka State.

• Ghataprabha

  • Origin: Western Ghats

  • Flows eastward across Karnataka and Maharashtra states before its confluence with the Krishna River at Almatti.

  • Gokak Waterfall - Belgaum, Karnataka.

  • Ghataprabha Project - Hydroelectric and Irrigational Dam is across the river.

• Malaprabha

  • Origin: Kanakumbi, Belgaum District of Karnataka, at an altitude of 792 meters in the Sahyadris.

  • Navilatirtha Dam, with its reservoir known as Renukasagara, is constructed near Munavalli in Belgaum District.

  • UNESCO World Heritage Sites - Temples of Aihole, Pattadakal, and Badami are situated along the banks of this river.

• Tungabhadra

  • Formed by the confluence of the Tunga and Bhadra rivers in Karnataka.

  • Historically, the river was known as Pampa.

  • Raichur Doab - Wedge of land between the Tungabhadra and Krishna rivers

Left Bank Tributaries of Krishna River:

• Bhima

  • Origin: Bhimashankar hills near Karjat on the western side of the Western Ghats (Sahyadri) in Maharashtra.

  • Flows through Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

• Dindi

• Peddavagu

• Halia

• Musi

  • Also known as Muchukunda River

  • Origin: Anantagiri Hills, Rangareddi district of Hyderabad.

  • 1920 - Osmansagar Reservoir was constructed across the river at Gandipet village.

  • Other important dams - Himayat Sagar & Hussain Sagar Lake

  • Musi River is also the bowl for water festivals

• Paleru

• Munneru

  • Flows through Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

Here are the key cities situated along its banks:

• Satara (Maharashtra)

• Karad (Maharashtra): Located at the confluence of the Krishna and Koyna rivers.

• Sangli (Maharashtra): It is often referred to as the "Turmeric City" due to its large turmeric trade.

• Bagalkot (Karnataka)

• Srisailam (Andhra Pradesh)

• Amaravati (Capital city of Andhra Pradesh)

• Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh)

Dams and Reservoirs:

• Nagarjuna Sagar Dam: One of the largest masonry dams in the world, located on the border of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

• Almatti Dam: Located in Karnataka, it's a major source of irrigation and power generation.

• Srisailam Dam: Located in Andhra Pradesh, it is another major dam on the river used for hydroelectric power and irrigation.