Krishna
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Overview
The Krishna rises near Mahabaleshwar and flows east through Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to the Bay of Bengal, where, like the Godavari, Mahanadi and Kaveri, it builds a delta. Nagarjuna Sagar and Srisailam are on it, and the Alamatti dam is also on the Krishna.
In medieval history, the fertile Raichur doab between the Krishna and its tributary the Tungabhadra was the main prize in the long rivalry between Vijayanagara and the Bahmanis. Krishna water disputes tribunals were set up in 1969 and again in 2004.
Geography and key facts
- Source: near Mahabaleshwar (Maharashtra)
- East-flowing; forms a delta on the Bay of Bengal
- Dams: Nagarjuna Sagar, Srisailam, Alamatti
- Raichur doab: between the Krishna and the Tungabhadra
- Water disputes tribunals: 1969 and 2004
Why it matters for UPSC
Prelims asks for the dams on it (Alamatti, 1997; dam–river pairs, 2010), the north-to-south order of east-flowing rivers (2002) and river linking (2016).
Note for UPSC
Rises near Mahabaleshwar and flows through Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh; Nagarjuna Sagar and Srisailam are on it.
Prelims asks about tributaries, the states a river flows through, its basin and the projects on it, so trace the course on the map.
Asked in PYQs
- UPSC Prelims 2023 · Q1Consider the following statements : How many of the statements given above are correct?…
- UPSC Prelims 2016 · Q85Recently, linking of which of the following rivers was undertaken?…
- UPSC Prelims 2015 · Q47Who of the following founded a new city on the south bank of a tributary to river Krishna and undertook to rule his new kingdom as the agent of a deity to whom all the la…
- UPSC Prelims 2010 · Q95Which one of the following pairs is not correctly matched? Dam/Lake — River…
- UPSC Prelims 2002 · Q89The correct sequence of the eastward flowing rivers of the peninsular India from north to south is…
- UPSC Prelims 1999 · Q91Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the Lists: List I (Rivers) I. Cauvery II. Krishna III. Narmada IV. Chambal List II (Da…
- UPSC Prelims 1997 · Q23The Alamatti Dam is on the river…
- UPSC Prelims 1996 · Q19Which one of the following rivers thrice forks into two streams and reunites a few miles farther on, thus forming the islands of Srirangapattnam, Sivasamudram and Srirang…
Questions from our Prelims bank whose text names Krishna.
Key facts
- Type
- River
- States / UTs on its course
- Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana
- River system
- Peninsular
- Basin
- Krishna
- Extent on map
- 15.7°–18.0°N, 73.6°–81.1°E
- Asked in Prelims
- 8 questions · 2023, 2016, 2015, 2010, 2002, 1999, 1997, 1996
From the Map Explorer data; positions are for orientation.