First warning issued as Godavari flood rises in Andhra Pradesh

The first warning signal has been issued at Dowleswaram Barrage near Rajamahendravaram in Andhra Pradesh as flood level in river Godavari raised to 12.10 lakh cusecs.

Dowleswaram Barrage:

• A barrage was built on the river at Dowleswaram by Sir Arthur Cotton in 1852.
• As it was damaged in 1987 floods, it was rebuilt as a barrage and roadway during 1987 and named after him.
• The roadway connects Dowleswaram in East Godavari and Vijjeswaram in West Godavari.
  
  

Godavari:

• The river Godavari, the largest of the peninsular rivers, and third largest in India, drains about 10% of India’s total geographical area.
• The catchment area of the river is 3,12,812 sq.km and is spread in the states of Maharashtra (48.6%), Andhra Pradesh (23.4%), Madhya Pradesh (10.0%), Chhattisgarh (10.9%), Orissa (5.7%) and Karnataka (1.4%).
• The river Godavari rises at an elevation of 1,067 m in the Western Ghats near Thriambak Hills in the Nasik district of Maharashtra.
• The largest tributary of the Godavari is the Pranhita with about 34.87% coverage of drainage area.
• The Pravara, Manjira and Maner are right bank tributaries covering about 16.14%, the Purna, Pranhita, Indravathi and Sabari are important left bank tributaries, covering nearly 59.7% of the total catchment area of the basin.