Facts about River Periyar- For KAS
March 1, 2022 2022-03-01 11:45Facts about River Periyar- For KAS
- Periyar is the longest and largest river in Kerala
- It has a length of about 244 Km
- It is known as Choorni in Artha Sasthra of Kaudilyan
- It drains an area of 5,398 sq km.
- It rises at Sivagiri peak of Sundara mala of Tamil Nadu
- Periyar flows through: Idukki and Ernakulam
- Periyar drains through Idukki, Ernakulam and Kottayam
- It rises at an elevation of 2,438m above MSL.
- At Aluva river divides itself into two branches. Such as Mangalam Puzha and Marthandam Puzha
- The upper branch Mangalam Puzha joins with Chalakudi River at Punthenvelikara
- Then it expands into a broadsheet of water at Munambham.
- Marthandam Puzha takes a southernly course is broken up into a number of small channels which fall into the Vembanad Lake as Varapuzha
- There are two Hydrological Observation Stations maintained by CWC on this river are Neeleswaram and Vandiperiyar
- The Periyar is known as ‘The lifeline of Kerala’
- The Idukki Dam on the Periyar generates a significant proportion of Kerala’s electrical power.
- Mullaperiyar dam was constructed across the river in 1895
- Water is diverted from the Mullaperiyar dam into Vaigai River in Tamil Nadu
- Its largest tributaries are:
Muthirapuzha River
Mullayar River
Cheruthoni River
Perinjankutti River
Edamala River
- Through Mullaperiyar dam, the river serves as the major water source for five drought-prone districts in the state of Tamil Nadu, including Theni, Madurai and Ramanathapuram
- Aluva, Malayatur, Thekkady, Thatekadu etc are on the banks of the river Periyar
- Idukki dam is the largest hydroelectric power project in Kerala
- Other major hydroelectric power projects across Periyar are Pallivasal, Chenkulam, Panniyar, Neriyamangalam and Lower Periyar
- The river in Kerala with the highest number of tributaries is Periyar
- The port that was destroyed due to the flood in 1341 is Kodungaloor
- The port that was formed due to the flood in 1341 is Kochi
- ‘Great flood of 99’ or ‘Thonnootti Onbathile Vellapokkam’ happened in 1924
- The first monorail system in India was completely destroyed due to the Great flood of 99 was Kundala Valley Railway
- Various remnants of the old Kundala Valley Railway systems still exist at Munnar
- The first hydroelectric power project of Kerala is Pallivasal (1940)
- Pallivasall is in the river Muthirapuzha
- The first unit of the Pallivasal power station was commissioned on 19 March 1940
- The inauguration of Pallivasal power house was done by C.P Ramaswami Iyer
- The diverting wier constructed across Mudirapuzha river at Munnar called ‘Ramaswamy Iyer Head Works’
- Sethuparvathipuram dam in Muthirampuzha river basin is also known as Kundala Dam
- Sethuparvathipuram dam was completed in 1947
- Aluva Advaitha Ashramam and Kalady is in the banks of Periyar
Idukki Hydro Electric Project (IHEP)
- The largest hydroelectric project in Kerala is Idukki Hydro Electric Project
- The installed capacity of this project is 780 MW
- The project was completed with aid from Government of Canada
- The technical consultancy of IHEP was M/s Surveyor, Nenniger and Chenevert
- The project was dedicated to the nation on12th February 1976
- The project was dedicated to country by Indira Gandhi
- The three Dams associated with this project are:
Idukki Arch Dam
Cheruthoni Dam
Kulamavu Dam
- The first arch dam constructed in India Idukki Arch Dam
- The height of dam is 168.91 meters
- The largest Straight gravity concrete dam in Kerala is Cheruthonni Dam
- Cheruthonni dam is constructed across the river Cheruthoni
- Kulamavu dam is constructed at Kulamavu across the river Kilivallithodu