Key Facts about Damodar River

About Damodar River:

• It is a major river of eastern India and an important part of the Ganges River System.
• It flows through the states of Jharkhand and West Bengal.
• This river is sometimes called "the Sorrow of Bengal" because it used to cause big floods in the plains of West Bengal.
• Course:
  • It originates from the Palamau hills of Chota Nagpur Plateau in Jharkhand.
  • From its source, the river flows in a southeastern direction, passing through the Chota Nagpur Plateau, a region known for its rich mineral deposits.
  • In its lower course, it flows through West Bengal’s plains and is joined by several tributaries.
  • It meets the Hooghly River at Shayampur, which is 48 km from Kolkata.
• Total Length: 592 km
• The Damodar basin is the industrial and mineral heartland of India.
  • It traverses the Gondwana coalfields — Jharia, Raniganj, Bokaro, Karanpura and Giridih — which contain the bulk of India's high-grade coking coal reserves, making the valley the foundation of the country's iron, steel and thermal-power industries.
• Tributaries: Barakar River, Konar River, Jamunia River, Bokaro River, Sali River, Ghari River, Guaia River, Khadia River, Bhera River.
• Damodar Valley Project:
  • It is a multipurpose river valley project in eastern India, developed on the Damodar River and its tributaries with objectives including flood control, irrigation and power generation.
  • The project is operated by the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC), an undertaking of the Indian Government established in July 1948.
  • It was one of the first major multipurpose river valley projects undertaken in independent India.
  • The DVC constructed dams at Tilaiya and Maithon on the Barakar, Konar on the Konar, and Panchet on the Damodar, together with the Durgapur barrage that feeds the Damodar Valley Canal system.