Tungabhadra River

About Tungabhadra River

• Origin: The Tungabhadra River originates at Koodli near Shivamogga district in Karnataka, where the Tunga and Bhadra rivers meet after rising from the eastern slopes of the Western Ghats.
• Hindu Mythology: Hindus consider the river sacred and the Ramayana refers to it as Pampa.
• Course: It  flows through Karnataka, forms the boundary between Karnataka and Telangana, enters Andhra Pradesh, and joins the Krishna River at Sangamaleshwaram.
• Final Drainage: After the Tungabhadra joins the Krishna River at Sangamaleshwaram, the Krishna River finally drains into the Bay of Bengal.
• Major Tributaries: The Varada, Vedavathi, and Handri rivers are the major tributaries of the Tungabhadra River.
• Raichur Doab: The Raichur Doab is a highly fertile triangular tract between the Krishna and Tungabhadra rivers.
  • • Continuous silt deposition makes it suitable for intensive cultivation of crops such as rice, cotton, and sugarcane
• Ecological Corridor: The river basin extends from the evergreen Western Ghats to the dry Deccan plains and supports species such as the smooth-coated otter and Mugger crocodile.
• Hampi: The historic city of Hampi, the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire, is located on the river’s banks.
  • Dams & Irrigation: The river has several dams, including the Tungabhadra Dam, Tunga Anicut Dam, Bhadra Dam, and Hemavathy Dam, which support irrigation.