{{short description|River in southern India}} {{about|an Indian river|other uses|Krishna (disambiguation)}} {{Use Indian English|date=August 2019}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2023}} {{Infobox river | name = Krishna River | native_name = | native_name_lang = | name_other = | name_etymology = | image = Back Water View.jpg | image_size = | image_caption = Krishna River gorge by Srisailam, Andhra Pradesh, India | map = Krishna.png | map_size = 300px | map_caption = Path of the Krishna in the peninsular India ([http://u.osmfr.org/m/374058/]) | pushpin_map = | pushpin_map_size = 350px | pushpin_map_caption = | subdivision_type1 = Country | subdivision_name1 = India | subdivision_type2 = State | subdivision_name2 = Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh | subdivision_type3 = Region | subdivision_name3 = South India | subdivision_type4 = | subdivision_name4 = | subdivision_type5 = | subdivision_name5 = | length = {{cvt|1400|km|mi}} or {{cvt|1290|km|mi}}approx.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://knowindia.gov.in/general-information/length-of-some-important-indian-rivers.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170819103612/http://knowindia.gov.in/general-information/length-of-some-important-indian-rivers.php |url-status=dead |archive-date=19 August 2017 |title=Home &#124; Know India: National Portal of India}}</ref> | width_min = | width_avg = | width_max = | depth_min = | depth_avg = | depth_max = | discharge1_location = | discharge1_min = | discharge1_avg = {{cvt|2213|m3/s|cuft/s}} | discharge1_max = | discharge2_location = Vijayawada (1901–1979 average),<br /> max (2024), min (1997) | discharge2_min = {{cvt|13.52|m3/s|cuft/s}} | discharge2_avg = {{cvt|1641.74|m3/s|cuft/s}} | discharge2_max = {{cvt|33413.88|m3/s|cuft/s}}<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/for-krishna-river-its-always-october/article29099344.ece |title=For Krishna river, it's always October |newspaper=The Hindu |date=15 August 2019 |access-date=19 August 2019 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201107232422/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/for-krishna-river-its-always-october/article29099344.ece |archive-date=7 November 2020 |last1=Jonathan |first1=P. Samuel|url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/118-million-cusecs-of-water-released-from-barrage-inundates-parts-of-vijaywada-101725305061811.html|title=1.18 million cusecs of water released from barrage inundates parts of Vijaywada|last=Apparasu|first=Srinivasa Rao|date=3 September 2024|access-date=11 September 2024|website=Hindustan Times}}</ref> | source1 = Near Mahabaleshwar, Jor village, Dist- Satara | source1_location = Satara district, Maharashtra, India | source1_coordinates = {{coord|17|59|19|N|73|38|17|E|display=inline}} | source1_elevation = {{cvt|914|m}} Geographic headwaters | mouth = Bay Of Bengal | mouth_location = Hamsaladeevi, Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh, India | mouth_coordinates = {{coord|15|44|06|N|80|55|12|E|display=inline,title}}<ref>{{GEOnet2|32FA87A24CD53774E0440003BA962ED3|Krishna}}</ref> | mouth_elevation = {{cvt|0|m}} | progression = | river_system = | basin_size = {{cvt|258948|km2}} | tributaries_left = Yerla, Bhima, Dindi, Musi, Paleru, Munneru | tributaries_right = Kudali (Niranjna) Venna, Koyna, Panchganga, Dudhaganga, Ghataprabha, Malaprabha, Tungabhadra }}

The '''Krishna River''' in the Deccan Plateau is the third-longest in India, after the Ganga and Godavari. It is also the fourth-largest in terms of water inflows and river basin area in India, after the Ganga, Indus and Godavari.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://indiawris.gov.in/wiki/doku.php?id=river_basins |title=River Basins of India |access-date=7 May 2022 |archive-date=27 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220627204314/https://indiawris.gov.in/wiki/doku.php?id=river_basins |url-status=live }}</ref> The river, also called the Krishnaveni, is {{convert|1400|km}} long and flows for 282 kilometres in Maharashtra.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Havale |first=Professor Baliram |title=Lakshyawedha Samany dnyan/ G.K part – 1 |publisher=Sahyadri Publication |location=Aurangabad, India |pages=72 |language=mr}}</ref> It is a major source of irrigation in the Indian states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.<ref>{{cite web |title=Map of Krishna River basin |url=http://www.kgbo-cwc.ap.nic.in/About%20Basins/Krishna.pdf |access-date=27 March 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170806181213/http://www.kgbo-cwc.ap.nic.in/About%20Basins/Krishna.pdf |archive-date=6 August 2017 |url-status=live}}The Krishna is the second largest east flowing peninsular river. It originates near Mahabaleshwar, Jor village (Sahayadri), Maharastra. It flows through Karnataka before entering Telangana.</ref>

==Course== The Krishna River originates in the Western Ghats near Mahabaleshwar, at an elevation of about {{convert|1,300|m}}, in the state of Maharashtra in central India. From Mahabaleshwar, it flows to the town of Wai, and continues east until it empties into the Bay of Bengal.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Singh |first=Dhruv Sen |title=The Indian rivers : scientific and socio-economic aspects |publisher=Springer |year=2018 |location=Singapore |pages=340}}</ref> The Krishna River passes through the Indian states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Harini |first1=P. |last2=Sahadevan |first2=Dinesh Kumar |last3=Das |first3=I. C. |last4=Manikyamba |first4=C. |last5=Durgaprasad |first5=M. |last6=Nandan |first6=M. J. |date=2018 |title=Regional Groundwater Assessment of Krishna River Basin Using Integrated GIS Approach |journal=Journal of the Indian Society of Remote Sensing |volume=46 |issue=9 |pages=1365–1377 |doi=10.1007/s12524-018-0780-4 |bibcode=2018JISRS..46.1365H |s2cid=134500302}}</ref> Over its {{convert|1400|km}} length, it flows for {{cvt|305|km|mi}} in Maharashtra, {{cvt|483|km|mi}} in Karnataka, and {{cvt|612|km|mi}} in Andhra Pradesh.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last1=Jain |first1=S. K. |title=Hydrology and water resources of India |last2=Agarwal |first2=Pushpendra K. |last3=Singh |first3=V. P. |publisher=Springer |year=2007 |location=Dordrecht |pages=641–643 |bibcode=2007hwri.book.....J}}</ref>

==Tributaries== The Krishna River has 13 major tributaries.<ref name=":0" /> Its principal tributaries include the Ghataprabha River, Malaprabha River, Bhima River, Tungabhadra River, and Musi River.<ref name=":0" /> The Tungabhadra River has a catchment area of {{cvt|71,417|km2|sqmi}} and a length of {{cvt|531|km|mi}}.<ref name=":0" /> The Bhima River is the longest tributary of the Krishna River.<ref name=":1" /> It has a total length of {{cvt|861|km|mi}} and a catchment area of {{cvt|70,614|km2|sqmi}}.<ref name=":0" />

Three tributaries, Panchganga, Warana, and Yerla, meet the Krishna River near Sangli. Hindus consider these places holy. It is said that Dattatreya, one of the Hindu deities, spent some of his days at Audumber on the banks of the Krishna.{{Citation needed|date=September 2024}}

[[File:Kudalasangama 7.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Kudalasangama, North Karnataka]] Kudalasangama<ref>{{cite web |url=http://vishwagurubasavanna.com/KudalaSangama.aspx |title=Kudala Sangama |access-date=8 September 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100323024231/http://vishwagurubasavanna.com/KudalaSangama.aspx |archive-date=23 March 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref> (also spelled as Kudala Sangama) is located about {{convert|15|km}} from the Almatti Dam in Bagalkote district of Karnataka state. It is situated at the confluence of the Krishna and Malaprabha rivers. The ''Aikya Mantapa'' or the holy ''Samādhi'' of Basavanna, the founder of the Lingayat Hindu sect along with the Linga, which is believed to be self-born (''Swayambhu''), is here and the river flows east towards Srisailam (another pilgrim center) Andhra Pradesh.

==Krishna Basin== {{Pie chart |thumb = right |caption = '''Drainage Basin of Krishna''' |label1 = Bhima Upper |color1 = #FF6600 |value1 = 17.58 |label2 = Bhima Lower |color2 = #FFFF00 |value2 = 9.29 |label3 = Krishna Upper |color3 = DodgerBlue |value3 = 21.39 |label4 = Krishna Middle |color4 = Green |value4 = 8.73 |label5 = Krishna Lower |color5 = Gold |value5 = 15.50 |label6 = Tungabhadra Upper |color6 = Pink |value6 = 11.20 |label7 = Tungabhadra Lower |color7 = Black |value7 = 16.31 }} thumb|alt=Refer to caption|Map of watershed The Krishna Basin extends over an area of {{cvt|258948|km2|sqmi}}, which is nearly 8% of the total geographical area of the country. This large basin lies in the states of Karnataka (113,271&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>), Telangana, Andhra Pradesh (76,252&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>), and Maharashtra (69,425&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>).<ref>{{cite web |title=Krishna basin status report, March 2014 |url=http://india-wris.nrsc.gov.in/Publications/BasinReports/Krishna%20Basin.pdf |access-date=27 March 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117020435/http://india-wris.nrsc.gov.in/Publications/BasinReports/Krishna%20Basin.pdf |archive-date=17 November 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> It is the fifth-largest basin in India.<ref name=":1" />

Most of this basin comprises a rolling and undulating country, except for the western border, which is formed by an unbroken line of the Western Ghats. The important soil types found in the basin are black soils, red soils, laterite and lateritic soils, alluvium, mixed soils, red and black soils, and saline and alkaline soils.

An average annual surface water potential of 78.1&nbsp;km<sup>3</sup> has been assessed in this basin. Out of this, 58.0&nbsp;km<sup>3</sup> is utilizable water.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.iwmi.cgiar.org/Publications/IWMI_Research_Reports/PDF/pub083/RR83.pdf |title=Spatial variation in water supply and demand across river basins of India |author=IWMI Research Report 83 |access-date=23 June 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304110834/http://www.iwmi.cgiar.org/Publications/IWMI_Research_Reports/PDF/pub083/RR83.pdf |archive-date=4 March 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> The culturable area in the basin is about {{cvt|203,000|km2|sqmi}}, which is 10.4% of the total cultivable area of the country. As the water availability in the Krishna River was becoming inadequate to meet the water demand, the Godavari River was linked to the Krishna River by commissioning the Polavaram right bank canal with the help of the Pattiseema lift scheme in the year 2015 to augment water availability to the Prakasam Barrage in Andhra Pradesh.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Vijayawada/how-the-krishna-went-dry/article22398807.ece#comments |title=How the Krishna went dry? |website=The Hindu |access-date=13 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304110834/http://www.iwmi.cgiar.org/Publications/IWMI_Research_Reports/PDF/pub083/RR83.pdf |archive-date=4 March 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> The irrigation canals of Prakasam Barrage form part of National Waterway 4. The Krishna-Godavari delta is known as "Rice Granary of India'''.'''"<ref>{{Cite journal |title=Holocene environmental changes of the Godavari Delta, east coast of India, inferred from sediment core analyses and AMS 14C dating |url=https://www.academia.edu/2554303 |journal=Geomorphology |volume=175–176 |pages=163–175 |last1=Nageswara Rao |first1=Kakani |last2=Rao |first2=Kakani Nageswara |last3=Saito |first3=Yoshiki |last4=Nagakumar |first4=K. Ch V. |last5=Demudu |first5=G. |last6=Basavaiah |first6=N. |last7=Rajawat |first7=A. S. |last8=Tokanai |first8=Fuyuki |last9=Kato |first9=Kazuhiro |last10=Nakashima |first10=Rei |year=2012 |doi=10.1016/j.geomorph.2012.07.007 |bibcode=2012Geomo.175..163N |access-date=18 December 2020 |archive-date=7 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211207111709/https://www.academia.edu/2554303 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Mineral deposits== {{See also |List of mines in India}} The Krishna River basin is endowed with rich mineral deposits such as oil and gas, coal, iron, limestone, dolomite, gold, granite, laterite, uranium, diamonds, etc. The following are the few noted deposits: {{Div col|colwidth=20em}} * Krishna Godavari Basin, oil and gas * Yellandu, coal * Bayyaram Mines, iron * Kudremukh, iron * Donimalai, iron * Jaggayapeta mines, dolomite * Nalgonda uranium deposits * Kollur Mine, diamonds * Hatti Gold Mines {{div col end}}

==Flora and fauna== {{See also|Wildlife sanctuaries of India|Tiger reserves of India|List of national parks of India}} A widespread area near the Krishna River holds rich flora and fauna. The last surviving Mangrove forests in the Krishna estuary have been designated as the Krishna Wildlife Sanctuary. The sanctuary is the home to a large number of resident and migratory birds. Fishing cats, otters, Estuarine crocodiles, spotted deer, sambar deer, blackbucks, snakes, lizards and jackals can also be spotted in the sanctuary. The sanctuary also supports rich vegetation with plants like ''Rhizophora'', ''Avicennia'', and ''Aegiceros''. The following are a few other wildlife sanctuaries located in the Krishna Basin.

{{Div col|colwidth=20em}} * Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve * Rollapadu Wildlife Sanctuary * Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary * Ghataprabha Bird Sanctuary * Gudavi Bird Sanctuary * Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary * Radhanagari Wildlife Sanctuary * Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary * Chandoli National Park * Kudremukh National Park * Kasu Brahmananda Reddy National Park * Mahavir Harina Vanasthali National Park * Mrugavani National Park * Pakhal Wildlife Sanctuary * Ranibennur Blackbuck Sanctuary * Shettihalli Wildlife Sanctuary * Daroji Sloth Bear Sanctuary, Bellary {{div col end}}

==Waterfalls== {{See also|List of waterfalls of India}} A few waterfalls are located in the river basin, including: {{Div col|colwidth=20em}} * Ethipothala on Chandravanka River which is the tributary of Krishna River * Godchinamalaki on Markandeya River a tributary of Ghataprabha * Gokak on Ghataprabha * Mallela Theertham {{div col end}}

==Water outflows to the sea== The average annual water availability (precipitation minus natural evapotranspiration) is 86.32 billion cubic meters (3047 tmcft).<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 2024 |title=Assessment of water resources of India |url=https://cwc.gov.in/sites/default/files/reportwaterresourcesassessmentofindia2024_1.pdf |access-date=6 February 2026}}</ref> The yearly water outflows to the sea in a water year from 1 June 2003 to 31 May 2022 (19 years) are given below {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right; margin:left" |+Waterflow to the sea<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.renewablesindia.in/ |title=Reservoir Storage Monitoring System |access-date=23 June 2022 |archive-date=21 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210421153814/https://renewablesindia.in/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> |- ! Water year ! 03-04!!04-05!!05-06!! 06-07 !! 07-08 !! 08-09 !! 09-10 !! 10–11 !! 11–12 !! 12–13 !! 13–14 !! 14–15 !! 15–16 !! 16–17!! 17–18!!18–19!!19–20!!20–21!!21–22!!22-23 |- ! Water availability (tmcft) | 2096||2250||5523||2117||3297||2011||2652||3162||4753||5319||4495||4809||1930||1906||2396||1818||3381||4067||2693||2854 |- ! Water outflows (tmcft) | 5||14 ||113 ||968||885 || 296 || 437 || 407 ||215 || 56 || 394 || 73 || 9 ||55||0||39||798||1252||485||na |}

==Interstate water sharing== {{Main|Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal}} thumb|Gokak Falls on Ghataprabha River At present, the award of the Bachawat tribunal dated 31 May 1976 is applicable for sharing the water available in the river among the riparian states. The Brijesh Kumar tribunal award given on 29 November 2013 was challenged by Andhra Pradesh in the Supreme Court and the case has been pending since then.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/court-do-not-publish-kwdtii-decision/article2460983.ece |title=Court: do not publish KWDT-II decision |author=Hindu daily dated |newspaper=The Hindu |date=17 September 2011 |access-date=5 November 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210118211612/https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/court-do-not-publish-kwdtii-decision/article2460983.ece |archive-date=18 January 2021}}</ref> The newly created state of Telangana also approached the Supreme Court demanding a fresh tribunal hearing to secure its water needs on an equitable basis.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/tstate-wants-tribunal-to-adjudicate-water-disputes/article6194030.ece |title=T-State wants tribunal to adjudicate water disputes |newspaper=The Hindu |date=10 July 2014 |access-date=12 July 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210406173604/https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/tstate-wants-tribunal-to-adjudicate-water-disputes/article6194030.ece |archive-date=6 April 2021}}</ref>

Even though the river does not flow through Tamil Nadu, the Telugu Ganga Project is a canal system that brings Krishna River water to that state's capital city of Chennai with the agreement of all basin states.

==Places and temples== [[File:Pre Historic Mid Krishna-Tungabhadra Valley sites.jpg|thumb|Pre Historic sites of Middle Krishna-Tungabhadra Valley in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh]]

This river is revered by Hindus as sacred. The river is also believed to remove all the sins of those who bathe in it. The centre of attraction is the Krishna Pushkaram fair which is held once in twelve years on the banks of the Krishna River. There are many pilgrimage places in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh on the course of the river.{{citation needed|date=April 2018}} The first holy place on the river Krishna is at Wai, known for the Mahaganpati Mandir and Kashivishweshwar temple. It has seven ghats along the river. Temples like Dattadeva temple, which is revered by the people of Maharashtra, are located on the banks of Krishna at Narsobawadi, ankalkhop Audumbar near Sangli. Yadur is one of the important holy places in Karnataka which is located on the bank of Krishna. Veerabhadra temple is a famous temple. Many devotees visit this place from Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. Also, located on the banks of the river Krishna is the Sangameshwar Shiva temple at Haripur. Some of the other temples are the Kanaka Durga Temple in Vijayawada, Ramling temple near Sangli, Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga (Srisailam), Amareshwara Swamy Temple, Vedadri Narasimha Temple, Vadapalli temple in Nalgonda, Dattadeva temple, and Sangameshwara Shiva temples at Alampur and Gadwal in Telangana.{{citation needed|date=April 2018}}

Bhilawadi town in Maharashtra has a large stone structure constructed across the Krishna River bank, also known as Krishna Ghat. This structure also includes one large and one small temple constructed in the middle of the river. This structure is believed to have been constructed in 1779.<ref>{{Cite web |title=पलूस तालुका |url=http://www.zpsangli.com/mr/PSInfo/3.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200719231404/http://www.zpsangli.com/mr/PSInfo/3.pdf |archive-date=2020-07-19 |access-date=2023-10-02 |website=www.zpsangli.com}}</ref>

The Krishna River annually submerges the Sangameswaram temple<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2025-01-13 |title=Sangameswaram Shiva temple re-emerges |url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/southern-states/andhra-pradesh/sangameswaram-shiva-temple-re-emerges-1854008 |access-date=2025-12-06 |website=www.deccanchronicle.com |language=en}}</ref> and is visible to devotees only during the summer when the reservoir's water level falls.<ref>Srisailam project manual</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Kumar |first=Narendra |date=1 August 2021 |title=Sangameshwara Swamy temple rarely visible |url=https://www.thehansindia.com/karnataka/sangameshwara-swamy-temple-rarely-visible-699192 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230218124427/https://www.thehansindia.com/karnataka/sangameshwara-swamy-temple-rarely-visible-699192 |archive-date=18 February 2023 |access-date=18 February 2023 |website=www.thehansindia.com |language=en}}</ref>

==Bridges== thumb|Panorama of Prakasam Barrage and Railway bridges on Krishna near Vijayawada

The Krishna River is spanned by several bridges along its course, some of which are listed below. * Krishna Bridge, Wai, Maharashtra – This bridge was demolished in 2021 which was located in the Dharmpuri Peth area of the town of Wai, and was one of the oldest bridges that were built by the British in India. It spans the Krishna over nine ''kamans'' (arches) and is made of black rock. The bridge serves as a flood mark (when the water rises to the level of the road on the bridge) for the "Waikar" people. * Irwin Bridge, Sangli – This is one of the oldest, historic and largest bridges over the Krishna that were built by the British. The Irwin Bridge, which is built of reddish stone, has two passages where one can climb down to the river in the middle of its span to view the water. * Ankali Bridge, Sangli Maharashtra – This bridge is a major link between Sangli and Kolhapur districts. At this point, there are three bridges, one for railway and two for roadways. Out of two roadway bridges, one bridge in the direction towards Miraj was built in the Nineteenth century under the British Administration. It is still in operation. The railway bridge was constructed at the time of the laying of the Kolhapur to Pune rail link. The contractor for the rail bridge was V. R. Ranade & Sons from Pune. The construction of this railway bridge and culverts on railway routes in nearby regions were constructed by them in 1882–1884. * Kudachi – Ugar Railway bridge was built by the British in 1891. * B. Soundatti Bridge, Raibag – This is also one of the oldest bridges built during the British rule. This bridge connects Maharashtra to Karnataka state. * Tangadagi Bridge, This is one of the oldest bridges that connects the Bijapur and the Bagalkot districts of Karnataka. God Neelambika Temple is there at the bank of the Krishna River. * Chikkapadasalagi bridge, is one of the oldest bridges, built in the British era it connects Jamakhandi and Vijayapur. * Jambagi Bridge, Jamkhandi : Recently built bridge connects Athani, Bijapur and Jamkhandi. * Galagali Bridge of Galagali village, Bagalkot: very important bridge that connects many towns and villages of Bagalkot and Vijayapur districts. thumb|left|200px|Railway bridge across Krishna near Vijayawada * Krishna Bridge near Shakti Nagar, Raichur district was built in memory of the travel undertaken by Nawab Javvadjaha Bahadur, the prince of Hyderabad, to Raichur in the early 20th-century. The bridge was named after the prince as Sirat-e-joodi. The construction began in 1933 and completed in 1943<ref>{{Cite web |last=Angadi |first=Jagadish |date=11 May 2019 |title=Exploring past marvels along the passage |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/spectrum/spectrum-statescan/exploring-past-marvels-along-the-passage-733144.html |access-date=18 February 2023 |website=Deccan Herald |language=en |archive-date=18 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230218125751/https://www.deccanherald.com/spectrum/spectrum-statescan/exploring-past-marvels-along-the-passage-733144.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

In October 2009, heavy floods occurred, isolating 350 villages and leaving millions homeless,<ref> {{cite web |url=http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/view.php?id=40601 |title=Flooding along the Krishna River: Natural Hazards |date=5 October 2009 |publisher=earthobservatory.nasa.gov |access-date=11 October 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170221052839/http://m.earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/view.php?id=40601 |archive-date=21 February 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> which is believed to be the first occurrence in 1000 years. The flood resulted in heavy damage to Kurnool, Mahabubnagar, Guntur, Krishna and Nalagonda Districts. The entire city of Kurnool was immersed in approximately {{cvt|10|ft|m|0}} water for nearly 3 days.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.atree.org/sites/default/files/book-chapters/p09%20killada%20et%20al%202012.pdf |title=Agony of Floods: Flood Induced Water Conflicts in {{sic |nolink=y|ln|dia}} |access-date=8 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170703204756/http://www.atree.org/sites/default/files/book-chapters/p09%20killada%20et%20al%202012.pdf |archive-date=3 July 2017 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Water inflow of {{cvt|1110000|cuft/s|m3/s}} was recorded at the Prakasam Barrage, which surpassed the previous record of {{cvt|1080000|cuft/s|m3/s}} recorded in the year 1903.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.indiawaterportal.org/node/12731 |title=Managing historic flood in the Krishna river basin in the year 2009 |access-date=11 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171026213927/http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/managing-historic-flood-krishna-river-basin-experience-averting-catastrophe-apwrdc |archive-date=26 October 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> Krishna River is the second largest east-flowing river of the peninsula. The flood waters of Krishna and Godavari rivers can be fully utilized by exporting water to other east-flowing peninsular rivers up to the Vaigai River in Tamil Nadu by constructing a coastal reservoir on the Bay of Bengal sea area.

==Dams==

thumb|NSRS Srisailam Dam

thumb|Nagarjuna Sagar Dam Gates view There are many dams constructed across the Krishna River.<ref>{{cite web |title=Headworks (Dam, Barrage, Weir, Anicut, Lift) |url=http://www.india-wris.nrsc.gov.in/wrpinfo/index.php?title=Headworks_(Dam,_Barrage,Weir,_Anicut,_Lift) |access-date=27 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170921052447/http://www.india-wris.nrsc.gov.in/wrpinfo/index.php?title=Headworks_(Dam,_Barrage,Weir,_Anicut,_Lift) |archive-date=21 September 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> {{Div col|colwidth=20em}} * Dhom Dam * Hippargi barrage * Almatti Dam * Narayanpur Dam * Bhima Dam * Jurala Dam * Srisailam Dam * Nagarjuna Sagar Dam * Nagarjuna Sagar tail pond * Pulichinthala Dam * Prakasam Barrage * Tungabhadra Dam * Rajolibanda barrage * Sunkesula barrage {{div col end}}

==Hydroelectric power stations== The Krishna River is one of the rivers whose water energy is harnessed to a large extent by various hydroelectric power stations in India.<ref>{{cite web |title=Power Houses in Krishna Basin |url=http://www.india-wris.nrsc.gov.in/wrpinfo/index.php?title=Power_Houses_in_Krishna_Basin |access-date=27 March 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160818001000/http://www.india-wris.nrsc.gov.in/wrpinfo/index.php?title=Power_Houses_in_Krishna_Basin |archive-date=18 August 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> The following is the list of hydroelectric power stations excluding small and medium installations. thumb|300px|right|Almatti Dam with its right bank power house

{| class="wikitable sortable"|+ Hydroelectric power stations on Krishna River

! Name of the project !! data-sort-type="number"|Rated Power <small>(in MW)</small> !! Comments |- | Koyna Hydroelectric Project || align="right"|1,920 || |- | Mulshi Dam || align="right"|300 || <small>Power station with Pumped-storage hydroelectricity units</small> |- | Thokarwadi Dam || align="right"|72 || |- | Ujjani Dam || align="right"|12 || <small>Power station with Pumped-storage hydroelectricity units</small> |- | Almatti Dam || align="right"|290 || |- | Bhadra Dam || align="right"|39 || |- | Tungabhadra Dam || align="right"|127 || |- | Jurala Hydroelectric Project || align="right"|240 || |- | Lower Jurala Hydro Electric Project || align="right"|240 || |- | Srisailam Dam || align="right"|1,670 || <small>Power station with Pumped-storage hydroelectricity units</small> |- | Nagarjuna Sagar Dam || align="right"|960 || <small>Power station with Pumped-storage hydroelectricity units</small> |- | Nagarjuna Sagar tail pond || align="right"|50 || |- | Pulichinthala Dam || align="right"|120 || |}

==Pollution and Ecology affect== Most of the years, the river water does not join the sea due to the full utilisation of water mainly in agriculture.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://irrisoft.org/cms/fileadmin/content/zfb/1998_02/keller_keller_davids_1998_river_basin_development_phases_implications_closure.pdf |title=River basin development phases and implications of closure |author=J. Keller, A. Keller and G. Davids |access-date=25 August 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131019161418/http://irrisoft.org/cms/fileadmin/content/zfb/1998_02/keller_keller_davids_1998_river_basin_development_phases_implications_closure.pdf |archive-date=19 October 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.iwmi.cgiar.org/Publications/IWMI_Research_Reports/index.aspx |title=IWMI Research report nos # 1, 3, 14, 56, 72, 83, 107, 111, 121, 123, 125 etc. |access-date=25 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170606033624/http://www.iwmi.cgiar.org/publications/iwmi-research-reports/ |archive-date=6 June 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> The closed river basin of Krishna means that the river ecosystem is on the verge of death.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://transformativetechnologies.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Technology-Breakthroughs-for-Global-Water-Security_September18.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181030170411/http://transformativetechnologies.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Technology-Breakthroughs-for-Global-Water-Security_September18.pdf |archive-date=30 October 2018 |url-status=live |title=Technology Breakthroughs for Global water security |access-date=20 October 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-do-not-kill-a-river-2201895 |title=Do not kill a river |date=14 April 2016 |access-date=20 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170813173204/http://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-do-not-kill-a-river-2201895 |archive-date=13 August 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> The river receives waste from a large number of cities and the river basin population has increased to 80 million, increasing pollution load many fold into the river. Adequate average and minimum continuous environmental flows to the sea are not taking place in most of the years constricting salt export and leading to the formation of saline and sodic alkaline soils in the lower reaches of the river basin.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://extension.oregonstate.edu/umatilla/mf/sites/default/files/pnw597-e.pdf |title=Managing irrigation water quality |author=Oregon State University, USA |access-date=28 August 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170703092217/http://extension.oregonstate.edu/umatilla/mf/sites/default/files/pnw597-e.pdf |archive-date=3 July 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/Alkalinity-and-salinity-bane-of-soil-in-T-state/articleshow/48383411.cms |title=Alkalinity and salinity bane of soil in T state |website=The Times of India |date=7 August 2015 |access-date=23 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170102180323/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com//city/hyderabad/Alkalinity-and-salinity-bane-of-soil-in-T-state/articleshow/48383411.cms |archive-date=2 January 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> High alkalinity water is discharged from the ash dump areas of many coal-fired power stations into the river which further increases the alkalinity of the river water whose water is naturally of high alkalinity since the river basin is draining vast areas of basalt rock formations.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://dspace.library.iitb.ac.in/jspui/bitstream/10054/1531/1/5806.pdf |title=Chemical weathering in the Krishna Basin and Western Ghats of the Deccan Traps, India |access-date=30 October 2015 |archive-date=21 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721150024/http://dspace.library.iitb.ac.in/jspui/bitstream/10054/1531/1/5806.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> The following are the few coal-fired power stations located in the river basin.

{| class="wikitable sortable" |+ Thermal power stations in Krishna River basin ! Name of Power Station !! data-sort-type="number"|Rated Power <small>(in MW)</small> |- | Vijayawada Thermal Power Station || align="right"|1,760 |- | Raichur Thermal Power Station || align="right"|1,470 |- | Bellary Thermal Power station || align="right"|1,700 |- | Yermarus Thermal Power Station || align="right"|1,600 |- | Solapur Super Thermal Power Station || align="right"|1,320 |- | Kudgi Super Thermal Power Project || align="right"|2,400 |- | Yadadri Thermal Power Plant<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.eenadu.net/videos/playvideo/drinking-water-stopped-to-113-villages-in-suryapet-fby-krishan-river-pollution/1/75031 |title=Drinking water stopped to 113 villages in Suryapet district due to Krishan River water pollution |access-date=13 March 2026}}</ref> || align="right"|4000 |}

== Floods == In 2009, the river experienced flooding due to heavy rainfall in Karnataka, which forced the opening of the Almatti and Narayanpur dam gates on the Krishna River.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-09-16 |title=Lack of river management a key reason for floods in Krishna: Expert |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/lack-of-river-management-a-key-reason-for-floods-in-krishna-expert-101726426821992.html |access-date=2025-09-03 |website=Hindustan Times |language=en}}</ref>

=== 2024 floods === In early September 2024, Vijayawada, a city in Andhra Pradesh, India, experienced severe flooding triggered by exceptionally heavy rainfall that began on 31 August 2024. The floods resulted in at least 35 deaths in NTR district and significantly impacted approximately 270,000 people in Vijayawada alone.<ref>{{Cite web |last=IANS |date=2024-09-09 |title=Death toll in Andhra Pradesh floods mounts to 45 |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/andhra-pradesh/death-toll-in-andhra-pradesh-floods-mounts-to-45 |access-date=2024-09-09 |website=The News Minute |language=en}}</ref> During this time, the Krishna River also experienced unprecedented flooding, and due to continuous heavy rainfall, the river saw record inflows, with the Prakasam Barrage discharging {{convert|1180000|cuft|m3|order=flip}} per second of water, the highest in its 70-year history. This massive release was necessary as the barrage reached its capacity, and all 70 gates were opened to manage the excess water. The inflows were intensified by torrential rains in the upstream regions, including the Pulichintala and Nagarjuna Sagar projects. The barrage's total capacity of {{convert|1190000|cuft|m3|order=flip}} per second was overwhelmed, leading to the temporary suspension of vehicle and pedestrian movement across the structure for safety reasons. The floods inundated low-lying residential areas in Vijayawada and several villages downstream, causing significant damage to infrastructure, homes and agricultural land.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Apparasu |first=Srinivasa Rao |date=3 September 2024 |title=1.18 million cusecs of water released from barrage inundates parts of Vijaywada |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/118-million-cusecs-of-water-released-from-barrage-inundates-parts-of-vijaywada-101725305061811.html |access-date=10 September 2024 |work=Hindustan Times}}</ref>

=== 2025 floods === In August 2025, the Krishna River basin in Karnataka faced renewed flood threats following continuous heavy rainfall. The Almatti Dam released 2.5 lakh cusecs of water, and the Krishna River at Rajapur Barrage recorded inflows of 1.4 lakh cusecs. Authorities issued flood alerts, evacuated residents from vulnerable areas, and established relief centres to manage the situation.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2025-08-21 |title=Karnataka rains: Flood-like situation at Krishna River basin; relief centres set up, affected people shifted |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hubballi/flood-like-situation-at-krishna-river-basin/articleshow/123415923.cms |access-date=2025-08-28 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>

==Gallery== <gallery> Krishna River near Vijayawada Andhra Pradesh India.jpg|Down stream view of Prakasam Barrage Krishna River.jpg|Krishna River near Vijayawada Full doownstream view of the Bhima or Ujjani Dam.jpg|Panoramic view of Ujjani or Bhima Dam TungabhadraRiver Dam.jpg|Tungabhadra Dam near Hosapete Menavali pan.jpg|Krishna close to its origin at Menawali, near Wai, Satara district, Maharashtra.18th century, Maratha statesman, Nana Fadnavis built the Ghat and a palace here. This location has been used in many Hindi movies.{{citation needed|date=September 2024}} </gallery>

==See also== {{div col}} * List of rivers of India * Godavari River * Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal * Upper Krishna Project * Krishna Pushkaralu * Sacred waters * Other rivers originating at Mahabaleshwar (Panchganga) Gayatri River, Koyna River, Savitri River and Venna River {{div col end}}

==References== {{reflist}}

== External links == {{commons category}} {{EB1911 poster|Kistna (river)|Kistna}}

{{Krishna basin}} {{Navboxes | list = {{Hydrography of Maharashtra}} {{Hydrography of Telangana}} {{Hydrology of Karnataka}} {{Hydrography of Andhra Pradesh}} {{Sangli district topics}} {{Western Ghats}} {{Waters of South Asia}} }} {{Authority control}}

Category:Krishna River Category:Rivers of Andhra Pradesh Category:Rivers of Karnataka Category:Rivers of Maharashtra Category:Rivers of Telangana Category:Coromandel Coast Category:Rivers of the Western Ghats Category:Sacred rivers