Tag: Kaveri River

The Kaveri is a large Indian river, whose origin is at Talakaveri, Kodagu in Karnataka. It flows generally south and east through Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and across the southern Deccan plateau through the southeastern lowlands, emptying into the Bay of Bengal through two principal mouths in Poompuhar, Tamilnadu.The Kaveri basin is estimated to be 81,155 square kilometres with many tributaries including the Shimsha, the Hemavati, the Arkavati, Honnuhole, Lakshmana Tirtha, Kabini, Bhavani River, the Lokapavani, the Noyyal and the Amaravati River. The river’s basin covers four states and Union Territories, as follows: Tamil Nadu, 43,856 square kilometres ; Karnataka, 34,273 square kilometres ; Kerala, 2,866 square kilometres , and Puducherry, 160 square kilometres .Rising in southwestern Karnataka, it flows south-east some 800 kilometres to enter the Bay of Bengal. East of Mysore it forms the island of Shivanasamudra, on either side of which are the scenic Shivanasamudra Falls that descend about 100 metres . The river is the source for an extensive irrigation system and for hydroelectric power. The river has supported irrigated agriculture for centuries and served as the lifeblood of the ancient kingdoms and modern cities of South India.