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Key Facts about Mahanadi River

July 26, 2026

State-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) spudded the first deepwater appraisal well in the Mahanadi offshore basin recently.

About Mahanadi River:

  • It is one of the major east-flowing peninsular rivers located in the states of Chhattisgarh and Odisha.
  • It is the third-largest peninsular river after the Godavari and Krishna.
  • Course:
    • It originates from the Sihawa Hills in Dhamtari district, Chhattisgarh.
    • It begins as a collection of small streams in the Dandakaranya foothills and initially flows northward before turning eastward into the plains.
    • Before joining the Bay of Bengal at False Point through several channels near the major seaport town of Paradip, the river enters the plains of Odisha near Cuttack and forms a delta.
    • Close to one of its mouths is the famous pilgrimage site of Puri. Farther up the coast is Konark, the site of an ancient temple dedicated to the sun.
  • The river is bounded in the north by the Central India hills, in the south and east by the Eastern Ghats, and in the west by the Maikal hill range.
  • The Mahanadi basin extends over the states of Chhattisgarh and Odisha and comparatively smaller portions of Jharkhand, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh.
  • It passes through several major cities and towns, including Raipur, Sambalpur, and Cuttack.
  • It is considered to be one of the most active silt-depositing streams in India.
  • Tributaries: The main tributaries of Mahanadi are Seonath River, Jonk River, Hasdeo River, Mand River, Ib River, Ong River and Telen
  • Major Dams:
    • Hirakud Dam (Odisha)
    • Gangrel Dam (Chhattisgarh)
    • Tandula Dam (Chhattisgarh)
    • Kalma Barrage (Odisha)
    • Sondur Dam (Chhattisgarh)
    • Hasdeo Bango Dam (Chhattisgarh)
  • Chilika Lake: Chilika, named a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, gets 61% of its inland flow from the Mahanadi River system, mainly from its distributaries – Daya and Bhargabi.

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