Question

 Write a short note on the Krishna basin.

Answer 1

Hint:A river basin is a portion of land which is supplied by water from a river along with all its tributaries and distributaries. River Krishna originates from the springs near Mahabaleshwar Hills, Maharashtra. Major tributaries of River Krishna are Tungabhadra, Koyna, Ghatprabha, Musi and Bhima.


Complete answer:
A river basin is a portion of land which is supplied by water from a river along with all its tributaries and distributaries. They often have a common outlet into the ocean, sea or bay. They form a delta while emptying into the water body.
River Krishna originates from the springs near Mahabaleshwar Hills, Maharashtra and flows eastward. It then flows through Karnataka and Andhra. Major tributaries of River Krishna are Tungabhadra, Koyna, Ghatprabha, Musi and Bhima. Tungabhadra and Ghatprabha join Krishna from the south. Koyna, Musi and Bhima merge with Krishna from the north.
Its Tributaries
1. Bhima originates on the western side of the Western Ghats in Maharashtra. It flows through Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra. It is the longest tributary of river Krishna.
2. Tungabhadra is the largest (in terms of volume) tributary of river Krishna. Tungabhadra is formed by the merging of rivers Tunga and Bhadra. It flows down the eastern slope of Western Ghats.
3. The Koyna River flows in the southward direction. It is famous for Koyna Dam. It is a small, slow-flowing river.
4. Musi originates in the Ananthagiri Hills. Hyderabad is located on the banks of this river.
5. Ghatprabha originates in the Western Ghats and flows eastwards across Karnataka and Maharashtra before meeting Krishna. The Gokak waterfall in Belgaum district is a famous attraction for the tourists. Ghatprabha Project is a hydroelectric and irrigation dam present on this river.
Other minor tributaries of River Krishna are
1. Dudhganga – it is an important river of the Kolhapur District.
2. Panchganga – is formed by receiving water from four streams; Kesari, Kumbhi, Tulsi and Bhogawati.

Note:
1. Since Krishna is a rain-fed river, it’s flow fluctuates a lot throughout the year.
2. The volume of the water depends mostly on the monsoon season.
3. River Krishna flows over a distance of 1400km and drains into the Bay of Bengal, where it also forms a Krishna delta.