Krishna River Flood Protection

January 18, 2025

Recently, the Andhra Pradesh State Cabinet approved the construction of a flood protection wall along the Krishna River. This initiative aims to mitigate recurring flooding issues affecting local communities. The decision follows previous efforts to address soil erosion and flooding on the river’s banks, particularly in Vijayawada and surrounding areas.

Krishna River System

The Krishna River is one of India’s major river systems, flowing approximately 1,400 km through several states.
It is vital for agriculture and industry, supporting millions of people.
This river is the second-largest east-flowing river in Peninsular India.
It originates from Mahabaleshwar near Jor village in Satara district, Maharashtra.
It is bounded by the Balaghat range (north), Eastern Ghats (south/east), and Western Ghats (west).

Tributaries of Krisha River

Right Bank Tributaries:
- Major Rivers: Venna, Koyna, Panchganga, Dudhganga, Ghataprabha, Malaprabha, and Tungabhadra.
- Key Features:
  - Koyna: Koyna Dam (largest hydroelectric project in Maharashtra).
  - Ghataprabha: Gokak Waterfall, Ghataprabha Project (hydroelectric and irrigation).
  - Malaprabha: Navilatirtha Dam, UNESCO heritage sites (Aihole, Pattadakal, Badami).
  - Tungabhadra: Raichur Doab region, historical significance as Pampa.
Left Bank Tributaries:
- Major Rivers: Bhima, Dindi, Peddavagu, Halia, Musi, Paleru, and Munneru.
- Key Features:
  - Bhima: Originates in Bhimashankar hills, flows through Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh.
  - Musi: Osmansagar and Himayatsagar dams; supports water supply for Hyderabad.

Drought and Flood Prone Areas:

Drought-Prone:
- Rayalaseema (Andhra Pradesh), Bellary, Raichur, Dharwad, Bijapur (Karnataka), Pune, Solapur, Osmanabad, Ahmednagar (Maharashtra).
Flood-Prone:
- Delta region due to silt deposition and coastal cyclones.

Major Projects

Tungabhadra Project: Hydroelectricity, irrigation, and flood control.
Srisailam Project: Large dam with the Srisailam Sagar reservoir.
Nagarjuna Sagar Dam: Crosses the borders of Nalgonda and Guntur districts.
Prakasam Barrage: Conceptualized by Major Cotton, built near Vijayawada.
Bhima Project: Across the Bhima River in Solapur district.

Flood Protection Wall

A flood protection wall will be built from 0.9 km to 2.61 km downstream of the Prakasam Barrage. The project is located in Tadepalli village, Guntur district. The estimated cost is ₹294.20 crore. This wall aims to protect Sundarayya Nagar and Mahanadu Colony from future floods.

Mini Hydel Plants Approval

The Cabinet approved the establishment of two mini hydel plants by M/s May Encans (P) Limited. One will have a capacity of 1 MW, and the other will be 2.7 MW. Both plants will be located near the Sardar Gouthu Latchanna Thotapalli Barrage on the Nagavali River.

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