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Mahanadi River Water Dispute

03 Aug 2025 GS 1 Geography
Mahanadi River Water Dispute Click to view full image

Context:

  • Long-standing inter-State dispute between Odisha and Chhattisgarh over Mahanadi river water sharing.

  • Dispute referred to the Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal (MWDT), chaired by Justice Bela M. Trivedi, a former Supreme Court judge.

Recent developments:

  • Odisha and Chhattisgarh have shown willingness to resolve the dispute amicably.

  • Both States informed the Tribunal about their intent to settle the matter mutually outside litigation.

Proposed Mechanism for Settlement:

  • Formation of a Joint Committee of both States.

  • The committee to be formed under the guidance of the Union Jal Shakti Ministry.

  • Committee to be led by the Central Water Commission (CWC).

Significance:

  • Marks a shift from litigation to cooperative federalism.

  • Could serve as a model for inter-State water dispute resolution.

  • Highlights the role of the Union government as a facilitator.


Mahanadi River: 

Introduction

  • The Mahanadi is a major river of East Central India.

  • Total Length: 900 km

  • Drainage Basin Area: 1,32,100 sq km

  • States Covered: Chhattisgarh, Odisha

  • Empties into: Bay of Bengal

  • Notable Project: Hirakud Dam – India’s first post-independence multipurpose river valley project

Etymology

  • Derived from Sanskrit:

    • Maha = Great

    • Nadi = River
      → “Great River”

Course of the River

1. Source and Upper Course

  • Origin: Forests near Pharsiya village, Nagri Sihawa in Dhamtari district, Chhattisgarh (Elevation: 442 m)

  • Formed by multiple streams from Eastern Ghats

  • Initial Flow: Northward for ~100 km through Raipur district

  • Valley width: Narrow (500–600 m)

2. Middle Course

  • Major Tributaries: Shivnath, Jonk, Hasdeo

  • Flow direction: Eastward after merging with Shivnath

  • Entry into Odisha after covering ~half its length

  • Major Structure: Hirakud Dam near Sambalpur

    • Longest earthen dam globally (26 km including dykes)

    • Formed on Lamdungri and Chandili Dunguri hills

    • Reservoir: Largest artificial lake in Asia

      • Area: 784 sq km

      • Shoreline: 675 km

  • Before dam: Wide (~1 mile), heavy silt load in monsoon

  • After dam: Controlled flow, regulated silt load

  • Other Tributaries: Ib, Ong, Tel

  • Flows through: Baudh district → Satkosia Gorge (64 km) → Naraj (near Cuttack)

3. Lower Course

  • Flow through: Cuttack district

  • Major Distributary: Kathjori

    • Further splits into: Kuakhai, Devi, Surua

    • Enters: Puri district

    • Kathjori → Jotdar (into Bay of Bengal)

  • Other Distributaries: Paika, Birupa, Chitroptala, Genguti, Lun

    • Birupa joins Brahmani River → Empties at Dhamra

  • Main mouth: Multiple distributaries near Paradeep (False Point), Jagatsinghpur

  • Delta: Combined Mahanadi-Brahmani Delta
    → Among the largest deltas in India



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