Facts about River Periyar- For KAS

Facts about River Periyar- For KAS
Kerala Administrative Service

Facts 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 

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