Vamsadhara

River

River Vamsadhara is an
important east flowing river
between Rushikulya and
Godavari, in Odisha and Andhra
Pradesh states in India.
 Vamsadhara
River

Vamsadhara River as seen from

Salihundam in Srikakulam
district

Country India

Source Thuamul
Rampur

Discharge for Bay of

Bengal

-average 25m3/s
(883cuft/s)
The river originates in the
border of Thuamul Rampur in
the Kalahandi district and
Kalyansinghpur in Rayagada
district of Odisha and runs for a
distance of about 254
kilometers, where it joins the
Bay of Bengal at
Kalingapatnam, Andhra
Pradesh. The total catchement
area of the river basin is about
10,830 square kilometers.

Tourist attractions of
Mukhalingam and
Kalingapatnam in Srikakulam
district are located on the
banks of this river.

Mahendra Tanaya[1]is a major

tributary river of Vamsadhara
originating in Gajapati district
of Odisha and it joins
Vamsadhara in Andhra Pradesh
upstream of Gotta barrage.
Regulapadu barrage in Andhra
Pradesh is under construction
to divert the river water for
irrigation use.[2]

Interstate aspects
Vamsadhara river basin
occupies 8015 square
kilometers in Odisha and the
remaining 2815km2 flows in
Andhra Pradesh. The river basin
receives high annual average
rainfall of magnitude 1400mm.
The portion lying in Rayagada
district of Odisha is
predominantly hilly and tribal
populated area. Andhra
Pradesh and Odisha roughly
estimated that 115 thousand
million cubic feet (TMC) water
is available for use in the river.
They entered into agreements[3]
to use the available river water
in 50:50 ratio. Andhra Pradesh
has taken up Gotta barrage and
Neredi barrage projects to put
its share of water for use.
However Odisha has not taken
up new projects in the basin
area to utilize its share of water.
In fact it is diverting
Vamsadhara river waters to
adjacent Rushikulya river basin
by constructing Harabhangi
dam without taking prior
consent from Andhra
Pradesh.[4] Also, Orissa has
raised objections to Neredi
barrage project on the grounds
of land submergence in its
territory.

Approximately 25% of the

available water in this basin is
being utilized during the
monsoon season by
constructing barrages across
the river. Reservoirs up to 100
thousand million cubic feet
water storage capacity are to
be constructed for the non-
monsoon period irrigation
requirements, by which 100%
water utilization can be
achieved. Peculiar situation of
this river is that most of the
land to be irrigated is located in
Andhra Pradesh while the
possible storage reservoirs are
located in Odisha. Recently, the
Vamsadhara River water
disputes tribunal was
constituted under Interstate
River Water Disputes Act[5] to
resolve river water sharing
issues between the two states.
Justice Mukundakam Sharma
is the chairman of Vamsadhara
Water Dispute Tribunal.[6]

The Vamsadhara
Project
Boddepalli Rajagopala Rao
Project was constructed on
Vamsadhara river.[7]

Vamsadhara is the main river of

North Eastern Andhra. The
North Eastern Andhra region
consists of three North Eastern
Coastal districts in Andhra
Pradesh state in India.
Vamsadhara project is
designed to meet the irrigation
needs of North Eastern Coastal
Andhra.[8]
The Vamsadhara project has
two canals viz., the left main
canal (LMC), irrigating about
148,000 acres (600km2), and
the right main canal (RMC)
covering an ayacut of 62,280
acres (252km2). The left main
canal was completed long
back. The right main canal was
delayed due to various reasons.
Gotta Reservoir feeds the right
main canal. About 166 villages
in seven mandals viz., L.N.
Peta, Hiramandalam, Burja,
Amadalavalasa, Gara,
Sarubujjili and Srikakulam will
be benefited from the RMC.

Lower Vamsadhara
Project
The Lower Vamsadhara project
envisages construction of 58m
high & 1700m long dam across
the vamsadhara river near
Minajhola village (near
193100N 834430E ) in
Rayagada district creating
hydraulic head of nearly 62
meters.[9] This project would be
a multipurpose project serving
power generation, irrigation and
flood control.

Vamsadhara and
Nagavali link canal
A 30 km long gravity canal is
planned to link the Vamsadhara
and Nagavali Rivers.[10] It will
run from Hiramandalam
reservoir to Narayanapuram
barrage near Amudalavalasa
and bring an additional 50,000
acres of ayacut under irrigation
using 10 Tmcft of water from
Vamsadhara basin.[11][12]
Lanjigarh alumina
refinery
Alumina refinery owned by
Vedanta Resources is located
in the Lanjigarh town which is
in the Vamsadhara river basin
area. The rain water run off
from the red mud dump area of
the Alumina refinery would
pollute the river water by
increasing the water
alkalinity.[13]

See also
 Nagavali River
Sileru River
Krishna Water Disputes
Tribunal
Jalaput Dam
Polavaram Project
Sriram Sagar Project
Nizam Sagar
Balimela Reservoir
Penner River
Palar River

References
1. [1] ]
2. Four years after laying stone
river projects fail to take off -
The Hindu August 19, 2012
3. Agreements with Odisha on
Vamsadhara river waters
sharing - pages 256 to 263
4. "Harabhangi Dam D02980" .
Retrieved 20 April 2015.
5. Interstate river water
disputes act - 1956 and its
legal provisions
6. "Vamsadhara project okayed
with conditions" . 2013.
Retrieved 20 April 2014.
7. The Hindu on Vamsadhara
project
8. Vamsadhara - Voice of
Uttarandhra
9. "Lower Vamsadhara project,
Odisha state" . Retrieved 23 July
2013.
10. "AP plans to link
Vamsadhara, Nagavali" .
Retrieved 5 September 2016.
11. "Hiramandalam Dam
D03520" . Retrieved
5 September 2016.
12. "Narayanapuram Anicut
Medium Irrigation Project
JI00114" . Retrieved
5 September 2016.
13. "Vedanta commissions red
mud powder plant in Odisha" .
Business Line. 19 November
2013.

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