the Mahanadi valley is best known for its fertile soil and flourishing agriculture. Water Average annual surface water potential of 66.9 km³ has been assessed in this basin. Out of this, 50.0 km³ is usable water. Culturable area in the basin is about , which is 4% of the total culturable area of the country. Present use of surface water in the basin is 17.0 km³. Live storage capacity in the basin has increased significantly since independence. From just about 0.8 km³ in the pre-plan period, the total live storage capacity of the completed projects has increased to 8.5 km³. In addition, a substantial storage quantity of over 5.4 km³ would be created on completion of projects under construction. Additional storage to the tune of over 11.0 km³ would become available on execution of projects under consideration. The hydropower potential of the basin has been assessed as 627 MW at 60% load factor. At its peak during the monsoon, the Mahanadi has a discharge rate of per second, almost as much as the much larger Ganges. However owing to its seasonal nature the river is mostly a narrow channel flanked by wide sand banks for most of the year. Floods The Mahanadi was notorious for its devastating floods for much of recorded history. Thus it was called 'the sorrow of Orissa'. However the construction of the Hirakud Dam has greatly altered the situation. Today a network of canals, barrages and check dams keep the river well in control. However heavy rain can still cause large scale flooding as evidenced in September, 2008 when 16 people died as the river breached its banks. In 2011, September heavy down pour of rain caused flash flood and many mud dwellings in more than 25 villages above Hirakud Dam which were never affected before, both in Chhattisgarh and Odisha, have melted down due to back water that could not pass through the river. References Further reading The Imperial Gazetteer of India-William Hunter, 1901 The Encyclopædia Britannica-1911 Ed. The Columbus Encyclopedia the river in central India the 1994 Tamil film Mahanadi (film) External links Rivers Network – Mahanadi river watersheds webmap Mahanadi River Kayaking on River Mahanadi Rivers of Odisha Rivers of Chhattisgarh Rivers of India Rivers in Buddhism