Penna River
Penna River, river in southern India that flows through the states of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. It has a total length of about 370 miles (597 km).
Origin and path
The Penna River rises in the Nandi Hills, an upland region on the Deccan plateau, in Karnataka’s Chikkaballapur district. It flows north into Andhra Pradesh state and turns east and then southeast. After passage through a gap in the Eastern Ghats range, it again bends east toward the Coromandel Coast, emptying into the Bay of Bengal near Nellore district. The river is seasonal, becoming a torrent after the rains and a thin stream during dry periods.
Tributaries
The Penna River has several tributaries, most of which are seasonal. Major ones include the Chitravati, Papagni, Cheyyeru, and Kunderu rivers. These tributaries contribute to the Penna’s flow during the monsoon season but often run dry during summer months.
- Also called:
- Penner River, Penneru, Pennar, or Northern Penner River
Significance
The Penna River is crucial to agriculture in parts of Andhra Pradesh, particularly the drought-stricken Rayalaseema region. Several irrigation projects, such as the Somasila, Mylavaram, and Gandikota projects, have been constructed to use the river’s waters for farming and drinking purposes. As a non-perennial river that flows through the rain shadow region of the Eastern Ghats, water management has been a challenge. Water-sharing projects, such as the Godavari-Penna rivers interlinking project, are being developed to increase the availability of water.