SP-08: Water Resources of Odisha: Status, Issues and Strategies

Abstract

Odisha is a state rich in natural resources. Spanning 1,55, 707 sq. kms it is marked by widely varying meteorological, geomorphological, geological, hydrological, pedological and landuse characteristics which control runoff and infiltration. Its picturesque landscape presents rugged and hilly terrain, and plateaus in the west and southwest, vast undulating and flat erosional plains, narrow linear coastal belt bordering the Bay of Bengal with nine major river basins. Southwest monsoon is the principal source of water with an annual precipitation of 1500 to 900 mm, which is highly variable in space and time. Monsoon floods are common phenomenon. Droughts are chronic (occurring in 3 out of 10 years) causing water distress in different parts of the State.