Sileru River

Sileru River is a tributary of Sabari River. It originates in Andhra Pradesh and also flows through Odisha before merging with Sabari. Sabari river crosses the border into Andhra Pradesh to merge with Godavari river.^[1] Sileru (known as Machkund in its upper reaches) river joins Sabari river at tri-junction boundary point of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Odisha.

Hydro power potential

Sileru river has huge potential of hydro electricity generation which has been substantially harnessed by constructing Machkund (120 MW), Balimela (510 MW), Upper Sileru (240 MW), Donkarayi (25 MW) and Lower Sileru hydro (460 MW) power projects.^[2] Chitrakonda (60 MW) hydro project located at the toe of Balimela earth dam is planned to utilise the head available across the earth dam.^[3]

Irrigation potential

The water released from the Balimela power station is used for irrigation in the Potteru tributary basin of Sabari in Odisha. At present the water released from the other power stations is not useful to irrigation needs except during lean flow period in main Godavari river for the requirements of Godavari delta. Uttarandhra region can create huge irrigation potential with the perennial water supply from the available water storages in Seleru river basin. The mid lands of East Godavari district can get augmented water supply by diverting Sileru river water from Donkarayi reservoir (310 m MSL) towards east of Eastern Ghats by constructing 35 km long tunnel with enhanced power potential.^[4] Similarly, mid lands of Vishakhapatnam District, Vizianagaram district and Srikakulam district can get augmented water supply by diverting Sileru river water from Guntawada weir (head works of Upper Sileru power station) at 410 m MSL towards east by constructing 30 km long tunnel with enhanced power potential.^[5] The diverted water of Sileru river to the east can also be used to supply water to the Polavaram left bank canal and Visakhapatnam city's continuous drinking water needs when water level is not adequate in Polavaram reservoir during non monsoon months.

The water released from the Lower Sileru power station can be diverted to Yeleru reservoir by gravity with a 70 km long tunnel to create additional irrigation in East Godavari district. Part of the water released by Lower Sileru power station can also be used for the planned Lower Sileru irrigation scheme located in Sileru and Sabari basins.

See also

• Kanithi Balancing Reservoir
• Jalaput Dam

References

Coordinates: 17°47′N 81°24′E / 17.783°N 81.400°E / 17.783; 81.400

Godavari basin
Rivers	Major tributaries Godavari Pranhita Indravati Sabari Manjira Manair Wardha Wainganga Penganga Minor tributaries Pravara Kinnerasani Purna Sileru Sindphana Taliperu Sub-tributaries Adan Banganga Bindusara Darna Kadva Kanhan Kolar Nasardi Pench Purna Shivana
Dams, barrages	Jayakwadi Dam Majalgaon Dam Sriram Sagar Project Nizam Sagar Upper Wardha Dam Singur Reservoir Neher water system Dowleswaram Barrage Balimela Reservoir Devadula lift irrigation scheme Upper Dudhana Dam Godavari River Basin Irrigation Projects
Geographical features / regions	Marathwada Vidarbha Coastal Andhra Konaseema Deccan Plateau Western Ghats Eastern Ghats
Riparian districts	Maharashtra Nashik Ahmednagar Aurangabad Parbhani Nanded Gadchiroli Beed Amravati Bhandara Gondia Chandrapur Wardha Nagpur Yavatmal Washim Buldhana Hingoli Madhya Pradesh Balaghat Seoni Betul Chhindwara Odisha Kalahandi Koraput Malkangiri Chhattisgarh Bastar Bijapur Karnataka Bidar Telangana Medak Nizamabad Adilabad Karimnagar Warangal Khammam Andhra Pradesh West Godavari East Godavari Vishakapatnam
Cities	Nashik Nagpur Nanded Rajahmundry Warangal Koraput Bastar Bidar
Languages / people	Indo-Aryan languages Marathi Bhili Khandeshi Andh Banjari Odia Bhunjia Hindi Dravidian languages Kolami Goni Telugu Kannadiga Duruwa Multani Urdu
Coalfields	Godavari Valley Coalfield Wardha Valley Coalfield Kamptee Coalfield Pench Kanhan Coalfield
Oil / gas fields	Krishna Godavari Basin Ravva oil field
Industries	Khaparkheda Thermal Power Station Koradi Thermal Power Station Chandrapur Super Thermal Power Station Wardha Warora Power Plant Lanco Vidarbha Power Plant Nashik Thermal Power Station Dhariwal Power Station RattanIndia Nashik Thermal Power Station Kothagudem Thermal Power Station Kakatiya Thermal Power Station Parli Thermal Power Station NTPC Ramagundam NTPC Mauda Super Thermal Power Station Ramagundam B Thermal Power Station Tiroda Thermal Power Station Butibori Power Project Heavy Water Plant at Manuguru Waluj MIDC Shendra MIDC Shendra – Bidkin Industrial Park Ballarpur Industries HAL Sunabeda NALCO Damanjodi
Transport	NH 5 National Highway 6 (India)(old numbering) NH 7 Godavari Bridge Old Godavari Bridge Godavari Arch Bridge Hyderabad-Godavari Valley Railways Visakhapatnam–Vijayawada section Bilaspur–Nagpur section Nagpur–Hyderabad line
Pollution concerns, River basin's sustainable productivity & ecology	Algal bloom in reservoirs High alkalinity of river water in the river basin upstream of Pochampadu dam Frequent floods in tail end area of the river basin Alkali salts / high pH water run off from ash / red mud dumps of coal fired power stations / bauxite ore enrichment Excessive silting of reservoirs due to deforestation and mining activities
Related topics	Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal
Other basins	Mahanadi–Brahmani–Baitarani Damodar Kosi Narmada Son Krishna Penna

Eastern Ghats
Rivers	Champavathi River Godavari Gosthani River Gundlakamma River Kaveri Krishna Kundu River Mahanadi Nagavali River Palar Penner River Ponnaiyar Rushikulya Sabari River Sarada River Sileru River Sweata Nadi Vasishta Nadi Vellar Vamsadhara River
Regions	Deccan Plateau Kolar Plateau
Hills	Bilgiri (Biligirirangan) Chitteri Erramala Kalrayan Karanthamalai Kolli Lankamalla Mahendragiri Mettur Nallamalla Pachaimalai Palamalai Palkonda Shevaroy Sirumalai Vada Chennimalai Velikonda
Waterfalls	Agaya Gangai Kiliyur Mayil Uthu Mangalam Periyar Pudur Megan Talakona Falls Ubbalamadugu Falls
States	Andhra Pradesh Karnataka Odisha Tamil Nadu Telangana West Bengal
Parks & Reserves	Badrama Wildlife Sanctuary Chilika Bird Sanctuary Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary Gundla Brahmeswaram Wildlife Sanctuary Kambalakonda Wildlife Sanctuary Kanger Ghati National Park Kinnerasani Wildlife Sanctuary Kolleru Lake Bird Sanctuary Krishna Wildlife Sanctuary Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary Lakhari Valley Wildlife Sanctuary Sri Lankamalleswara Wildlife Sanctuary Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve Nalbana Bird Sanctuary Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary Papikonda Wildlife Sanctuary Pulicat Lake Bird Sanctuary Rollapadu Wildlife Sanctuary Simlipal National Park Sri Venkateswara National Park Telineelapuram and Telukunchi Bird Sanctuaries Sunabeda Wildlife Sanctuary Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary