There are four main catchment areas in the state, mainly Mahanadi, Ganga, Godavari, and Narmada. Under this, the Mahanadi, Shivnath, Arpa, Indravati, Sabari, Leelagar, Hasdo, Pairi, and Sondur are main rivers. The Mahanadi is the lifeline of Chhattisgarh. Except the rivers of Bastar, other major rivers like the Shivnath, Arpa, Hasdo, Sondur and Jonk become a part of the Mahanadi River. The Mahanadi and its tributaries hold 58.48% of the state’s water.

Mahanadi Catchment area-

         

Famous as the Ganga of Chhattisgarh, the Mahanadi flows through the Sihava ranges in Dhamtari. It goes from south to north towards Bilaspur district and then from west to east into the state of Orissa and falls into the abyss of Bengal. The total length of the Mahanadi River is 851 km, of which 286 km is in Chhattisgarh. In the state, its flow is through Dhamtari, Mahasamund, Durg, Raipur, Bilaspur, Janjgir - Chanpa, Raigarh and Jashpur district.

Shivnath River-

         

The origin of this river is in the 642m high Panabaras hill of Rajnandgaon district’s Ambagarh Tehsil. This river flows a distance of 40km northwards from its origin towards east to the border of the district in Shivrinarayan and finally meets the Mahanadi River. The Shivnath river creates a drainage area of 384 sq km in Durg district, and 22484 sq km in Rajnandgaon district. The major tributaries of the river are Haaf, Agar, Maniari, Arpa, Leelagar, Kharkhara, Kharun, and Jamuniya.

Tandula River-

         

This is Shivnath’s main tributary. Its origin is in the hills of Kanker district’s Bhanupratappur tehsil.

Hasdon River-

         

This originates in Ramgarh which is near the Koriya Hills of Manendra Tehsil. Flowing through Champa, 8 miles from Shivrinarayan, it joins the Mahanadi. Here, 10-12km from Katghora, the state’s largest and highest multipurpose project ‘Hasdo Bango’ has been created.

Kharun River-

         

Flowing from the south-east of Durg district, 80 km northwards to a place named Somnath near Simga, the river falls into Shivnath. This river forms a drainage area of 180 sq km in Durg district and 2700 sq km in Raipur district.

Jonk River-

         

Flowing via the mountainous areas of the Mahasamund through Raipur district, the river goes eastwards to join the Mahanadi from Shivrinarayan. Its drainage area is 2480 square km in Raipur district.

Pairi River-

         

Originating in the Bhatigarh hills (493m) located near Bindravagarh of Raipur district, the river flows southwards and meets the Mahandi near Rajim. The river forms a catchment area of 3000 sq km in Raipur district.

Mand River-

         

The river originates from the northern part of the plateau Mainpat of Surguja district. It then flows through Gharghoda of the Raigarh district. It then reaches the Chandrapur which is in the eastern part of Janjir-Champa and joins the Mahanadi river. Kurkut and Koiraj are its distributaries. Its flow field is full of forest cover, trees, sand and natural bounty. 14km of this river is in the Raigarh district. It forms a catchment area of 3233 sq km in Raigarh district and 800 sq km in Surguja district.

Eeb River-

         

This stems from the Khurja hills of the Pandrapata place located in Jashpur district. It is a major tributary of the Mahanadi river. Just like a shield it flows from north to south through the Jashpur district. It then enters the state of Orissa and joins the Mahanadi just 10 km from before Hirakund. Maina and Donki are its main tributaries. The river’s catchment area in the Surguja district is 250 sq km and Raigarh district is 3546 sq km.

Kelo River-

         

This river originates in the Gharghoda tehsil’s Ludega hills located in the Raigarh district. Flowing from north to south from the Gharghoda and Raigarh districts, it reaches a place named Mahadev Pali in the state of Orissa and joins the Mahanadi river.

Borai River-

         

The Borai River stems from the Korba plateau. Flowing southwards from its origin, it joins the Mahanadi River. It is one of the major tributaries of the Shivnath river.

Doodh River-

         

15km from Kanker district are the Malajkundam hills, the source of this river have been located here. From here it flows eastward and joins the Mahanadi River.

Ganga Catchment System-

         

The Ganges catchment system is spread for about 15% of the state. Under this flow field, 5% is in Bilaspur district, 14% is in Raigarh district and 8% is in Surguja district. In the state, Son is the principal river. This river flows from the barren mountain lands of Pandra Road tehsil. Taking an east-west course, it flows through Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, joining the Ganges thereafter. Kanhar, Rihand, Gopad, Banas, Bijal are its other tributaries.

Kanhar River-

         

Flowing from the North-West of Bilaspur district, through the Khudiya plateau, it finally falls from a mountainous region named Bakhona. The origination point of this river is 1012m high. From here it takes a northern course to the Samari Tehsil, where it falls into a 60m high waterfall called Kothri. After which, it joins the Son river on the borders of Satna and Son district. The Kanhar river forms a catchment area of 3030sq km in the Surguja district. Sindur Galphula, Datram, Pengn, ect are its major tributaries.

Rihand River-

         

This river stems from the 1088m high Matringa hills located in Mainpat plateau of the Surguja district. Flowing towards north from its point of origin, the river creates the Surguja basin. That's why it is called the lifeline of Surguja district. It has the largest catchment area of 145km. A dam called the Rihand has been constructed over it in the Mirzapur region. After reaching the Rihand basin, it finally enters Uttar Pradesh and joins the Son river. Ghunghuta, Morni, Mahan, Surya, Gobri, etc are its main tributaries. The Rhand river’s principal subsidiary is Naida.

Godavari Catchment Area-

         

The Godavari river originates in the Nasik district of Maharashtra state, in a 1067m high point called Trymbak. Thereafter it flows into Chhattisgarh, forming its southern border. Popular as the ‘Ganges of south’ the river creates a catchment area of 4240 sq km in Bastar and 2558 sq km in Rajnandgaon district – it flows at a length of 40km.Indravati, Shabari, Chinta, Kotri Bagh, Narangi, Mari, Gudra, Kobhra, Dankani and Shankhi are its main tributaries.

Indravati River-

         

The Indravati river is the principal subsidiary of the Godavari river and the largest river in Bastar district. Its origin is in the Kalahandi plateau of Orissa. After completing a distance of about 370km in Bastar, and flowing from east to west, it joins the Godavari river. This river creates the spectacular Chitrakote waterfall, about 35 miles west from Jagdalpur.

Kotri River-

         

The river emerges in the high grounds of Durg district, and joins the Indravati river in Kanker district. Its largest catchment area is in the Rajnandgaon district.

Shabari River-

         

The origin of this river is in the Bailadila hill near Dantewada. It then flows through the south-eastern boundary of Bastar into Andhra Pradesh and joins the Godavari river in Kunavaram. In Bastar district the Shabari river flows at a length of 150km, in which it forms a catchment area of 5680 km.

Dankini and Shankini River-

         

These two rivers are the main tributaries of the Indravati. The Dankini River originates in the Dangri-Dongri and the Shankhini river originates in the Bailadila mountains. The Dankini and Shankini River blend into each other at Dantewada.

Bagh River-

         

This river originates from a plateau located in the Rajnandgaon district. This river forms the border of Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra.

Narangi River-

         

This river emerges from the Kondagaon tehsil of Bastar district. It then merges into the Indravati river near Chitrakote waterfall.

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