Mahanadi River Delta

From Bharatpedia, an open encyclopedia

Mahanadi River Delta - NASA satellite view
Mahanadi delta with nearby reservoirs

Mahanadi River Delta in India is a basin of deposit that drains a large land mass of the Indian subcontinent into the Bay of Bengal. The alluvial valley is wide and relatively flat with a meandering river channel that changes its course.[1]

The Mahanadi River flows slowly for 900 kilometres (560 mi) and has an estimated drainage area of 132,100 square kilometres (51,000 sq mi).[2] It deposits more silt than almost any other river in the Indian subcontinent.[3]

The area of the drainage basin is 141,464 km2. The interior coastal plain has a relatively low elevation. The average elevation of the drainage basin is 426 m, with a maximum of 877 m and a minimum of 193 m.

Population density[edit]

The upper part of the delta plain is heavily populated. The population density exceeds 36 people per square kilometre, although moving toward the coast the population density falls.

The climate in the area is primarily sub-tropical.[4] Rainfall comes predominantly from the summer monsoon (June through September). The average annual rainfall in the basin is 1,463 mm. Rainfall is extremely low during the rest of the year, rarely exceeding 30 mm per month.[5]

Notes[edit]

  1. "Mahanadi River Delta on East Coast of India" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 October 2005. Retrieved 22 September 2006.
  2. "Mahanadi River (river, India)". britannica.com. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  3. "Mahanadi River". Archived from the original on 24 November 2006. Retrieved 22 September 2006.
  4. "WWD Continents". www.geol.lsu.edu. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
  5. "Mahanadi River Delta". Retrieved 22 September 2006.

External links[edit]

Coordinates: 20°26′26″N 85°55′43″E / 20.440685°N 85.928511°E / 20.440685; 85.928511


Information red.svg
Scan the QR code to donate via UPI
Dear reader, We kindly request your support in maintaining the independence of Bharatpedia. As a non-profit organization, we rely heavily on small donations to sustain our operations and provide free access to reliable information to the world. We would greatly appreciate it if you could take a moment to consider donating to our cause, as it would greatly aid us in our mission. Your contribution would demonstrate the importance of reliable and trustworthy knowledge to you and the world. Thank you.

Please select an option below or scan the QR code to donate
₹150 ₹500 ₹1,000 ₹2,000 ₹5,000 ₹10,000 Other