Arkavathi River
Arkavathi River | |
---|---|
Bengaluru Urban, Ramanagara | |
Physical characteristics | |
Source | Nandi Hills |
• location | Chikkaballapur, Karnataka, India |
• coordinates | 13°22′07″N 77°40′53″E / 13.368689°N 77.681335°E |
• elevation | 1,478 m (4,849 ft) approx. |
Kaveri River | |
• location | Sangama River Point, Ramanagara, India |
• coordinates | 12°17′17″N 77°25′56″E / 12.287986°N 77.432141°E |
• elevation | 440 m (1,440 ft) approx. |
Length | 190 km (120 mi)approx. |
Basin features | |
Tributaries | |
• left | |
• right | Kumudvathi |
The Arkavati is an important mountain river in
Course
The river originates in the Nandi Hills in the Chikkaballapura district and flows through Ramanagara and Kanakapura before it eventually drains into the Chikkarayappanahalli Lake near Kanivenarayanapura. The Arkavati joins the Kaveri river around 34 km south of
History
The river has historically been used as a source of drinking water in Banglore and the surrounding regions.
Kingdom of Mysore Period
In 1891, when Bangalore had a population of just 180,000 people, the then
Decline in 1980s
It has been widely agreed upon that the destruction of the Arkavathi came about in the 1980s. This was a time when Bengaluru was urbanizing rapidly, which not only increased the demand for drinking water but also created scarcity for manual labor in the peripheral areas. As a result, the cost of labor went up. Added to this, the demand for firewood went up and as part of social forestry, the forest department distributed free eucalyptus seedlings to farmers. Eucalyptus is a water-intensive tree that uses up a large quantity of groundwater. This, in turn, reduced the groundwater levels in the catchment areas of the river and severely affected the water flow.[2]
Efforts at Rejuvenation
In 2005, the Arkavathy-Kumudvati River Rejuvenation Committee was formed to rejuvenate the river. But there were no further steps taken except forming the committee.[3] The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) attempted to purify the river through aerator systems to increase dissolved oxygen and a series of plants that remove pollutants and also to reduce the inflow of sewage into T.G. Halli. [4] [5]
See also
References
- ^ "Arkavati revival work begins".
- ^ a b "A River runs through it: Long lost Arkavathi is born again". Retrieved 25 June 2020.
- ^ "Funds for city rivers' revival, but no concrete plan". Retrieved 25 June 2020.
- ^ "Despite rain, where is river Arkavathi?". Retrieved 25 June 2020.
- ^ "Flood in Arkavathy River". Retrieved 8 August 2022.