Kaveri 4

The Kaveri is a large Indian river. The origin of the river is at Talakaveri, Kodagu in Karnataka, flows generally south and east through Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and across the southern Deccan plateau through the southeastern lowlands, emptying into the Bay of Bengal through two principal mouths in Poompuhar, Tamil Nadu.The Kaveri basin is estimated to be 81155km2 with many tributaries including the Shimsha, Moyar River, the Hemavati, the Arkavati, Honnuhole, Lakshmana Tirtha, Kabini, Bhavani River, the Lokapavani, the Noyyal and the Amaravati River. The river's basin covers four states and Union Territories, as follows: Tamil Nadu, 43856km2; Karnataka, 34273km2; Kerala, 2866km2, and Puducherry, 160km2. Rising in southwestern Karnataka, it flows southeast some 800km to enter the Bay of Bengal. In Mandya district it forms the island of Shivanasamudra, on either side of which are the scenic Shivanasamudra Falls that descend about 100m. The river is the source for an extensive irrigation system and for hydroelectric power. The river has supported irrigated agriculture for centuries and served as the lifeblood of the ancient kingdoms and modern cities of South India.