Key Facts about Barak River

About Barak River:

• It is a transboundary river in India and Bangladesh.
• It is the second largest river in Northeast India, after the Brahmaputra.
• Course:
  • It rises from the Manipur hills, south of Mao in the Senapati district of Manipur.
  • It flows through the hilly regions of Manipur, along parts of the Manipur–Nagaland and Manipur–Mizoram boundaries, and through Assam before entering Bangladesh.
  • In Bangladesh, the Barak divides into the Surma and Kushiyara rivers, which eventually form the Meghna River and drain into the Bay of Bengal.
• The 121-km stretch of the river between Lakhipur and Bhanga in Assam was declared by the Government of India as National Waterway 16.
• Basin:
  • The Barak River basin, formed by the Barak and its tributaries, drains India, Bangladesh, and Myanmar.
  • In India the basin spreads over states of Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Assam, Tripura, and Nagaland.
  • It is bounded by the Barail range separating it from the Brahmaputra basin on the north, by the Naga and Lushai hills on the east, and by the Mizo hills and the territory of Bangladesh on the south and west.
  • The entire basin falls in the Eastern Himalayan region of the Agro Climatic Zone.
  • The major part of the basin is covered by forest.
  • Due to the hilly topography, terrace farming is common in this region.
• In Assam, the Barak Valley gets its name from the river and includes the districts of Cachar, Hailakandi, and Karimganj, forming the southernmost part of the state.
  • The valley is home to many tribal and linguistic groups, including Dimasa, Manipuri, Rongmei Naga, and Hmar people and a large proportion of Bengali-speaking people.
• Tributaries: The principal tributaries of the Barak are Jiri, Chiri, Modhura, Jatinga, Harang, Dhaleswari, Singla, Longai, Sonai, and Katakhal.
• There are four major dams, namely Khoupum Dam, Mawphlang Dam, Gumti Hydro Dam, and Myntdu-Leshka Dam.