• The Godavari river is the largest river in Peninsular India, also known as Dakshin Ganga or Vridha Ganga.
• It rises from Trimbak in the Western Ghats in Nashik district, Maharashtra.
• It drains into the Bay of Bengal, forming a large delta below Rajahmundry.
• The Godavari basin extends over states of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha, as well as smaller parts in Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, and the Union Territory of Puducherry (Yanam), covering an area of approximately 3 lakh sq. km.
• The basin is bounded by Satmala hills, the Ajanta range, and the Mahadeo hills on the north, by the Eastern Ghats on the south and east, and by the Western Ghats on the west.
• The total length of Godavari river from its origin to outfall into the Bay of Bengal is 1,465 km.
• Rajahmundry is the largest city on the banks of Godavari.
• The Sri Ram Sagar project, constructed on the Godavari river from 1964-69, serves the irrigation needs of Adilabad, Nizamabad, Karimnagar, and Warangal districts.

• The Pravara, Indravati, Wainganga, Wardha, Pench, Kanhan, Penganga, Manjira, Bindusara and sabari rivers are its important tributaries.
• Nashik, Trimbakeshwar, Nanded, Aurangabad, Nagpur, Bhadrachalam, Nizamabad, Rajamundry, Balaghat, Yanam, and Kovvur are the important urban centers on its bank.

Tributaries of Godavari River

• The Godavari river has more left bank tributaries in number and larger in size compared to right bank tributaries.
• The Manjra, which is 724 km long, is the only important right-bank tributary, and it joins the Godavari after passing through the Nizam Sagar.
• Some of the left bank tributaries of the Godavari river include Dharna, Penganga, Wainganga, Wardha, Pranahita (which conveys the combined waters of Penganga, Wardha, and Wainganga), Pench, Kanhan, Sabari, Indravati, etc.
• Some of the right bank tributaries of the Godavari river include Pravara, Mula, Manjra, Peddavagu, Maner, etc.
• Below Rajahmundry, the river divides itself into two main streams, the Gautami Godavari on the east and the Vashishta Godavari on the west, forming a large delta with lobate type morphology characterized by a round bulge and many distributaries, before it pours into the Bay of Bengal.
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Manjra:

• Manjra is a right-bank tributary of the Godavari River.
• It originates in the Balaghat range, near Ahmednagar, at an altitude of 823 m.
• It flows through Latur District of Maharashtra and Bidar District of Karnataka before entering Medak District in Andhra Pradesh.
• It flows for about 96 km in Medak District through Narayankhed, Jahirabad, Sangareddy, and Narsapur Talukas.
• It ultimately drains into the Godavari River at Basara near Nizamabad.
• The Nizam Sagar dam was constructed across the Manjra River between Achampeta and Banjapalle villages in Nizamabad district in Andhra Pradesh, and it is known for its gigantic masonry dam sprawling across the river for 3 km with a motorable road of 14 feet width.

Painganga (Penganga or Panuganga):

• Painganga originates in the Ajantha ranges in the Aurangabad district of Maharashtra.
• It flows through Buldhana and Washim districts, and acts as a boundary between Yavatmal and Nanded districts.
• It then flows along the state border between Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.
• It joins the Wardha River near a small village called Wadha in Wani Tehsil of Yavatmal district.
• It is deeply entrenched and not navigable, but provides irrigation to Washim and Yavatmal districts in Maharashtra.
• There are two dams being constructed on the river, namely Upper Painganga and Lower Painganga, also known as the “Isapur Dam”.
• Adan river is a major tributary of Painganga.
• It passes through the Painganga Wildlife Sanctuary and has Sahastrakund waterfalls situated on it.

Wardha:

• Wardha is one of the biggest rivers in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra.
• It originates at an altitude of 777 meters in the Satpura Range near Multai in Betul District of Madhya Pradesh, about 70 miles northwest of Nagpur.
• From the origin, it flows 32 km in Madhya Pradesh and then enters Maharashtra.
• After traversing 528 km, it joins Wainganga and together they are called Pranhita, which ultimately flows into the Godavari River.
• Kar, Wena, Jam, and Erai are the left tributaries, while Madu, Bembla, and Penganga are the right tributaries.
• There is a huge dam called Upper Wardha Dam built on Wardha River near Morshi, which is considered a lifeline for Amravati city.

WAINGANGA:

• Originates from Mundara village in Sconi district, Madhya Pradesh
• Flows through Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra in a winding course of approximately 4,360 miles
• Joins the Wardha River and ultimately falls into the Godavari River
• Drains the Chandrapur, Gadchiroli, Bhandara, Gondia, and Nagpur districts of Maharashtra
• Major tributaries include Thel, Thanwar, Bagh, Chulband, Garhavi, Khobragadi, Kathani, Hirri, Chandan, Bawanthari, Kanhan, and Mul
• Major urban and industrial centers along the river include Kamptee, Bhandara, Tumsar, Balaghat, and Pauna

NAG RIVER:

• Originates from Ambazari Lake in west Nagpur
• Major tributaries include Pili River
• Confluence with Kanhan River, forming the Kanhan-Pench river system
• Important right-bank tributary of the Wainganga River draining a large area south of the Satpura range in central India
• Passes through Nagpur city

INDRAVATI:

• Originates from Thuamul Rampur in Kalahandi, Orissa
• Flows through Bastar District in Chhattisgarh for about 380km
• Largest and most significant river in Bastar
• Forms the boundary between Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh states at places
• Merges with the Godavari River at Bhadrakali in Dantewada District
• Sometimes known as the lifeline of the Bastar district
• Rocky bedded river not good for navigation except near its confluence with the Godavari
• Largest tributary is Pamer Chinta
• Indravati and her tributaries never dry up in summer
• Chitrakoot Falls located on the Indravati River, some 40km from Jagdalpur
• Indravati National Park and Tiger Reserves located in the adjoining region of Chhattisgarh

Completed Projects on Godavari River:

• Srirama Sagar
• Godavari barrage
• Upper Penganga
• Jaikwadi
• Upper Wainganga
• Upper Indravati
• Upper Wardha

Ongoing Projects on Godavari River:

• Pranhita-Chevella
• Polavaram

Major Urban Centers in the Godavari Basin:

• Nagpur
• Aurangabad
• Nashik
• Rajhmundry

Industries in the Godavari Basin:

• Automobiles in Nashik and Aurangabad
• Rice milling, cotton spinning and weaving, sugar, and oil extraction based industries
• Cement and some small engineering industries

Floods and Droughts in Godavari Basin:

• Flooding in lower reaches
• Cyclone-prone coastal areas
• Drainage congestion in delta areas due to flat topography
• Drought-prone Marathwada region in Maharashtra

Godavari and Cauvery River Interlinking Project:

• Diverting 247 thousand million cubic feet (tmcft) of water from Indravati sub-basin of Godavari to Cauvery River
• Diversion through Nagarjuna Sagar dam and lifting
• Three components: Godavari-Krishna, Krishna-Pennar, and Pennar-Cauvery links
• Will provide irrigation facilities to 3.45 to 5.04 lakh hectares in Andhra Pradesh districts of Prakasam, Nellore, Krishna, Guntur, and Chittoor.