Damodar River facts for kids
The Damodar River is an important river in India. It flows through two states: Jharkhand and West Bengal. This river is sometimes called "the Sorrow of Bengal" because it used to cause big floods in the plains of West Bengal. But don't worry, efforts have been made to control these floods!
Contents
What are Tributaries?
A tributary is a smaller river or stream that flows into a larger river. The Damodar River has many tributaries that join it along its journey.
- Barakar River
- Konar River
- Bokaro River
- Haharo River
- Jamunia River
- Ghari River
- Guaia River
- Khadia River
- Bhera River
Why the Damodar River was Called "Sorrow of Bengal"
The Damodar River got its nickname "the Sorrow of Bengal" because of the serious floods it caused. The Chota Nagpur Plateau, where the river starts, gets a lot of rain every year. About 1,400 millimeters (or 55 inches) of rain falls there during the monsoon season.
This huge amount of monsoon rain would make the Damodar River swell up and overflow its banks. This led to big floods in the low-lying plains of West Bengal. These floods destroyed homes, farms, and caused a lot of trouble for people living near the river. Some of the major floods happened in the years 1700, 1855, 1866, 1926, 1935, and 1943.
Controlling the Floods
To stop these damaging floods, the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) was set up in 1948. This organization built several dams and barrages along the river. These structures help to control the flow of water, store it, and release it in a controlled way. This has greatly reduced the problem of floods and helped the region.
Images for kids
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Krishak Setu over the Damodar River, near Bardhaman
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Damodar River between Dhanbad and Bokaro
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The Damodar in its upper reaches
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Randihaweir on lower Damodar
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Damodar River Beach Burdwan
