South Indian Rivers and Its Tributaries

Rivers play crucial role in the development of the country. Water source from rivers is basic natural resource which is essential for human day to day activities. A river is natural waterway of fresh water which flows into an ocean, or sea.

What are River Tributaries

A river or stream that empties into a bigger lake or river is called a tributary. Another name for it is an affluent. The confluence is the location where a tributary and the mainstem converge. The ocean is not the immediate destination of tributaries They supply freshwater to the main river or lake and are crucial to the ecology. The Ganga river has several left bank tributaries, such as the Ramganag, Gomati, Ghaggar, Gandak, Kosi, and Mahananda rivers.

Indian river system is classified into two parts – Himalayan rivers and the peninsular rivers.

The major Himalayan rivers are the Indus, the Ganga, the Yamuna and the Brahmaputra. Since we are talking about south Indian rivers let’s see about peninsular rivers.

The peninsular rivers drains either into Bay of Bengal (Eastern side) or in the Arabian Sea (Western Side). South Indian rivers are those rivers that are flowing in the peninsular India.

Rivers of south India

1. Krishna River: It is approximately 1400 km long and flows through the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh before emptying into the Bay of Bengal .

2. Periyar River: It is approximately 244 km long and originates from the Sivagiri Hills in Tamil Nadu before emptying into the Bay of Bengal .

3. Godavari River: It is approximately 1465 km long and originates from the Nasik Hills in Maharashtra before emptying into the Bay of Bengal ´.

4. Bhima River: It is approximately 861 km long and originates from the Bhimashankar Temple in Maharashtra before emptying into the Krishna River .

5. Tungabhadra River: It is approximately 531 km long and originates from the Bhadra River and Tunga River in

The main peninsular systems include the Narmada, Tapti, Godavari (south India longest river/biggest river in south India), Mahanadi, Krishna, Kaveri and their tributaries.

Let’s see some information of these South Indian rivers and its tributaries.

Narmada

• The Narmada or Nerbudda, also called the Reva is a river in central India. It is located in Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat of India.
• This river is also known as ‘Life line of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat’, for its huge contribution to both the states in many ways.
• This river forms the traditional boundary between North India and South India. If we look at the length, it is a total of 1312 km long.
• The Narmada rive originates near Amarkantak in Madhya Pradesh. It runs through Madhya Pradesh86%, Gujarat 14% and Maharashtra 2%.
• It is only one of three major rivers in south India that run from east to west.
• It is the longest west flowing river of peni.
• Narmada is older river then Ganges.
• In history Chalukya dynasy ruler Pulakeshin II defeated Harshavardhana of Kannauj n the bank of river Narmada

Tributaries

Left Tributaries:

Burhner River, Banjar River, Sher River, Shakkar River, Dudhi River, Tawa River (Largest Tributary of India), Ganjal River, Chhota Tawa River, Kaveri River, Kundi River, Goi River, Karjan River.

Right Tributaries:

Hiran River, Tendoni River, Choral River, Kolar River, Man River, Uri River, Hatni River, Orsang River.

Tapti

• River Tapti (or Tapi), It is also known as “The Handmaid” or “The Twin” of Narmada river.
• The Tapti River is in central India between the Godavari and Narmada rivers, which flows westwards before draining into the Arabian Sea.
• Flowing westwards through Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat over a length of 724km.
• This river originates from Gawilgarh hills in Satpura range of central Deccan plateau.
• It drains into Arabian Sea through Gulf of Khambhat.

Tributaries

The three major tributaries of Tapti river are the Purna, Girna and Panjhra flow from the south in Maharashtra state.

Godavari

• Godavari River is the second longest river of India after the Ganga River with the length of about 1,465 km long.
• This river originates in Trimbakeshwar near Nashik.
• It flows through the state of Andhra Pradesh, divide as two rivers before getting into Bay of Bengal by making one of the larger river deltas in India.
• It is also called by the other names such as Vridh Ganga or Dakshin Ganga of India or Ganga of South India.
• Godavari river water is brownish.
• Its source in Trimbakeshwar, Maharashtra.
• It flows through several states of India including Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Odisha before emptying into the Bay of Bengal.
• South India longest/ biggest river in south India.

Tributaries

The river is tributary to many rivers. The Godavari River has several significant tributaries, including the Wainganga River, Sabari River, Indravati River, Pranhita River, and Wardha River. With a total length of 1127 km, the Pranhita River is the Godavari River’s greatest tributary. With a total length of 535 km, the Indravati River is the Godavari River’s second-largest tributary. With a total length of 418 km 2, the Sabari River is a tributary of the Godavari River. The Godavari River receives a tributary, the Wardha River, which is 528 km long overall. The Wainganga River is a 579-kilometer-long tributary of the Godavari River.

Mahanadi

• Mahanadi River originates in Sihawa Range in Raipur district of Chhattisgarh. It drains into Bay of Bengal near False Point in Odisha.
• It has a length of about 860 km in length.
• This river flows through Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra.
• Most importantly this river was also known as ‘The Ruin of Odisha.
• (Famous as devastating flood over the years later which was resolved after the construction of Hirakud dam.

Tributaries of Mahanadi(A south Indian River)

The principal tributaries of the river are Sheonath, Jonk, Hasdeo, Mand, Ib, Ong and Tel.

Krishna– A south Indian River along with its tributaries

• Krishna river originates from Mahabaleshwar in the Western Ghats of Maharashtra. This river flows into the Bay of Bengal in Andhra Pradesh.
• This river flows through the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
• It is the fourth biggest river in terms of water inflows and river basin area, after the Ganga, Godavari and Brahmaputra.
• Krishna river joins Bay of Bengal at Hamsaladeevi in Andhra Pradesh.
• It has a length of about 1300 km.
• In other words this river is also called as Krishnaveni.

Tributaries

There are 13 main tributaries of the river. The Ghataprabha, Malaprabha, Bhima, Tungabhadra, and Musi rivers 123 are some of its main tributaries. At 861 km in length, the Bhima River is the Krishna River’s longest tributary. The Tungabhadra River is 531 kilometers long and has a catchment area of 71,417 km. The Koyna, Dindi, Peddavagu, Halia, Paleru, Munneru, Venna, Panchganga, Dudhganga, and Yerla rivers are some of the other tributaries of the Krishna River.

LEFT- Bhima, Dindi, Peddavagu, Musi, Paleru, Munneru.

RIGHT- Kudali (Niranjna) Venna, Koyna, Panchganga, Dudhaganga, Ghataprabha, Malaprabha, Tungabhadra

Kaveri– A south Indian River along with its tributaries

• The Kaveri river (or Cauvery River) is one of the great rivers of India and is considered as sacred by the Hindus.
• It is also called as Dakshin Ganga.
• Talacauvery( or Talakaveri) located about 5000 ft above sea level is considered the source of the Cauvery river.
• Talacauvery is located in Coorg district of Karnataka
• This river covers a distance of about 765 km and flows through the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

Tributaries

The important tributaries joining the Cauvery are Harangi, the Hemavati, the Shimsha and the Arkavati whereas the Lakshmantirtha, the Kabbani, the Suvarnavati, the Bhavani, the Noyil and the Amaravati joins from right. The river drains into the Bay of Bengal

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