- Origin: It originates at Talakaveri in the Brahmagiri Hills of the Western Ghats in Kodagu (Coorg) district, Karnataka.
- Mouth: It drains into the Bay of Bengal, forming a fertile Cauvery Delta in Tamil Nadu.
- Length: Approximately 800 km.
- States covered: Flows through Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, and forms parts of the boundary with Kerala. Its basin also extends into the Union Territory of Puducherry (Karaikal region).
- Major tributaries:
- Left-bank: Harangi, Hemavathi, Shimsha, Arkavathi
- Right-bank: Kabini, Bhavani, Noyyal, Amaravati
- Major dams/projects:
- Krishna Raja Sagara (KRS) Dam – Karnataka
- Mettur Dam (Stanley Reservoir) – Tamil Nadu
- Inter-State issue: The Cauvery River is the subject of a long-standing water-sharing dispute among Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry.
- Tribunal: The Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) was constituted in 1990 under the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956.
- Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA): Constituted in 2018 to implement the Supreme Court’s water-sharing order.
UPSC Prelims Practice Question
Q. With reference to the Cauvery River, consider the following statements:
- It originates in the Brahmagiri Hills of the Western Ghats.
- The Kabini and Bhavani are tributaries of the Cauvery River.
- The Cauvery River drains into the Arabian Sea.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 2 and 3 only
C. 1 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
Answer: A. 1 and 2 only
Explanation
- Statement 1: Correct. The Cauvery originates at Talakaveri in the Brahmagiri Hills of the Western Ghats in Karnataka.
- Statement 2: Correct. Kabini and Bhavani are important tributaries of the Cauvery.
- Statement 3: Incorrect. The Cauvery flows eastward and empties into the Bay of Bengal, not the Arabian Sea.
