Rivers in Madhya Pradesh, List of Main Rivers, Important Facts
Rivers in Madhya Pradesh are an important source of information for competitive exam preparation. Get details of Rivers in Madhya Pradesh and the important facts.
Priyanka Gupta5 Jul, 2024
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Rivers in Madhya Pradesh: The state of Madhya Pradesh is situated in northcentral India and has a total size of about 3,08,245 square kilometers. It is a state where the weather is subtropical. The Rivers in Madhya Pradesh are of utter importance. It is a significant river basin in India. One of India's principal rivers, the Narmada, also passes through Madhya Pradesh.
Madhya Pradesh's principal river basins are the Narmada, Godavari, Mahi, Ganga, and Tapti. Madhya Pradesh's three EastWest rivers are the Narmada, Mahi, and Tapti. The rivers that pour into the Ganga basin from south to north are the Kali Sindh, Chambal, Parbati, Dhasan, Ken, Sind, Kuno, Shipra, and Betwa.Wildlife Sanctuaries of Madhya Pradesh
Rivers in Madhya Pradesh
Water resources abound in the state of Madhya Pradesh. With over 150 major and minor Rivers in Madhya Pradesh, it is known as The House of Rivers (Nadiyo ka Maika). The Vindhyan and Satpura Mountain Ranges function as a water divide in Madhya Pradesh's drainage system. It offers a fundamental grasp of the state's agriculture, irrigation, hydrology, and economics. In Madhya Pradesh exams of all kinds include topics like Rivers in Madhya Pradesh, including their origins, confluences, length, drainage area, important cities located along its banks, waterfalls, and development projects on its banks, which has been covered in this article.Rivers in Madhya Pradesh Drainage System
The details of the Rivers in Madhya Pradesh have been discussed here in this article. Along with the river systems, the candidates preparing for competitive examinations can also go through the drainage systems in MP. There are a total of six major drainage systems in Madhya Pradesh which are as follows:- Ganga Drainage System
- Narmada Drainage System
- Tapti Drainage System
- Godawari Drainage System
- Mahi Drainage System
- Mahanadi Drainage System
List of Rivers in Madhya Pradesh
The List of Rivers in Madhya Pradesh has been mentioned in the table given below. Many rivers flow across Madhya Pradesh, but some of the most significant ones are the Narmada, Chambal, Betwa, Shipra, Sone, Mahanadi, Indrawati, and Tapti. Whether it is the towns, the culture, or the ravines, all of these rivers have contributed significantly to the development of Madhya Pradesh.| List of Rivers in Madhya Pradesh | |
| River | Length (km) |
| Narmada | 1,312 |
| Tapti | 724 |
| Chambal | 960 |
| Betwa | 590 |
| Sone | 784 |
| Mahanadi | 858 |
| Ken | 427 |
| Shipra | 290 |
| Wainganga | 579 |
| Tawa | 172 |
| Parbati | 482 |
| Banjar | 512 |
Rivers in Madhya Pradesh Importance
The importance of the Rivers in Madhya Pradesh has been mentioned. Five main river basins include Madhya Pradesh. The Betwa, Chambal, and Son flow through the northern portion of the state, which is contained within the Ganges Basin. The Narmada Basin, which is the second biggest by surface area, is located south of the Ganges Basin. The Mahi Basin to the west, the Tapi Basin to the south, and the Godavari Basin to the west are the other three basins that encompass tiny areas of Madhya Pradesh.Neighboring States of Madhya Pradesh
- Narmada River
- Length: 1,312 km
- Origin: Amarkantak Plateau in Madhya Pradesh
- Tributaries: Tawa, Ganjal, Sher, Shakkar, Dudhi, Barna
- Cities on its banks: Jabalpur, Hoshangabad, Mandla
- Importance: Known as "Life Line of Madhya Pradesh", provides water for irrigation, hydroelectric power generation, and drinking water supply.
- Tapti River
- Length: 724 km
- Origin: Betul district, Madhya Pradesh
- Tributaries: Purna, Girna
- Cities on its banks: Burhanpur
- Importance: Flows through the Satpura range, provides water for agriculture and other uses.
- Chambal River
- Length: 960 km
- Origin: Janapav near Mhow, Madhya Pradesh
- Tributaries: Banas, Parbati, Kali Sindh
- Cities on its banks: Kota, Dholpur
- Importance: Known for its ravines and wildlife, a major tributary of the Yamuna River.
- Betwa River
- Length: 590 km
- Origin: Vindhya Range, Madhya Pradesh
- Tributaries: Dhasan, Jamni, Bina
- Cities on its banks: Orchha, Jhansi
- Importance: Important for irrigation, historical significance due to its association with Bundelkhand region.
- Sone River
- Length: 784 km
- Origin: Amarkantak Plateau, Madhya Pradesh
- Tributaries: Rihand, North Koel, South Koel
- Cities on its banks: Sidhi, DehrionSone
- Importance: Flows through central India, tributary of the Ganges River.
- Mahanadi River
- Length: 858 km (flows through Madhya Pradesh briefly)
- Origin: Dhamtari district, Chhattisgarh (near the border with Madhya Pradesh)
- Tributaries: Seonath, Hasdeo, Mand, Jonk, Telen
- Cities on its banks: Cuttack, Sambalpur
- Importance: Significant river in eastern India, known for its delta and importance in irrigation and hydroelectric power generation.
- Ken River
- Length: 427 km
- Origin: Jabalpur district, Madhya Pradesh
- Tributaries: Khuddar, Urmil
- Cities on its banks: Panna
- Importance: Flows through the Panna Tiger Reserve, and provides water for wildlife and human consumption.
- Shipra River
- Length: 290 km
- Origin: Brahmagiri Hills, Madhya Pradesh
- Tributaries: Kshipra, Khan
- Cities on its banks: Ujjain
- Importance: Considered sacred by Hindus, hosts the Kumbh Mela in Ujjain every 12 years.
- Wainganga River
- Length: 579 km
- Origin: Satpura Range, Madhya Pradesh
- Tributaries: Wardha, Pench, Kanhan
- Cities on its banks: Seoni
- Importance: Flows through Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, significant for irrigation and wildlife.
- Tawa River
- Length: 172 km
- Origin: Betul district, Madhya Pradesh
- Tributaries: None major
- Cities on its banks: Hoshangabad
- Importance: Provides water for irrigation and forms the Tawa Reservoir.
- Parbati River
- Length: 482 km
- Origin: Satpura Range, Madhya Pradesh
- Tributaries: Banjar, Tawa
- Cities on its banks: Itarsi, Harda
- Importance: Tributary of the Narmada River, significant for irrigation.
- Banjar River
- Length: 512 km
- Origin: Satpura Range, Madhya Pradesh
- Tributaries: None major
- Cities on its banks: None major
- Importance: Flows through Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, provide water for irrigation.
Rivers in Madhya Pradesh FAQs
Q1. Which city is surrounded by the Narmada River?
Ans. Mandala district of Madhya Pradesh is surrounded by the Narmada river.
Q2. How many rivers are there in Madhya Pradesh?
Ans. The rivers in Madhya Pradesh are monitored by CPCB at 96 locations on 41 rivers.
Q3. Which is the cleanest river in MP?
Ans. Chambal River is considered among the cleanest rivers of India and home to amazing fauna like gharials, muggers, dolphins etc.
Q4. Which is the second largest river in Madhya Pradesh?
Ans. Chambal river is the 2nd longest river in Madhya Pradesh which has 965 km of the total length of which 320 km flows in Madhya Pradesh.
Q5. Which river is known as the lifeline of MP?
Ans. Narmada is the largest west-flowing river in India.
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