UpdateBot at 17:55, 24 October 2021

2021-10-24T17:55:44Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2019}}
[[File:Buddhist sites Map of Andhra Pradesh.png|thumb|300px|Gundlakamma River served as an important water way transport along Buddhist sites like [[Chandavaram Buddhist site|Chandavaram]], Dupadu, Chejarla, Grandhasiri, Kanuparti, Uppugundur and Motupalli of Andhra Pradesh]]
The '''Gundlakamma River''' ({{lang-te|గుండ్లకమ్మ నది}}) is a seasonal waterway that flows through the east-central part of the state of [[Andhra Pradesh]], India. It arises in the [[Nallamala Hills]], an offshoot of the [[Eastern Ghats]]. Its main headwaters lie some 6 kilometers from the village of [[Ardhaveedu]], [[Prakasam district]] at an altitude of 425 m. above MSL.<ref>Google Earth</ref> Numerous mountain streams join it as it descends down the thickly forested hills through a series of curves and tight bends. It follows a north-easterly direction and enters the plains near [[Cumbum, Andhra Pradesh|Cumbum]], after flowing through a town named after it. Gundlakamma is the largest of all the rivers that originate from the Nallamalla Hills.

A 15th-century dam built by the Gajapati kings<ref name="bl.uk">{{cite web|url=http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/onlineex/apac/other/019wdz000000600u00000000.html |title=The great tank and embankment at Cumbum on the Gundlakamma River. March 1794 |publisher=Bl.uk |date=2003-11-30 |access-date=2016-12-01}}</ref> straddles the river on its entry into the plains. It is an earthen dam that plugs the river flows through. Called the Cumbum Dam, it is {{convert|57|ft|m|0}} high, has a drainage area of {{convert|430|sqmi|km2|sigfig=2}} and a capacity of {{convert|3696000000|cuft|m3|sigfig=3}}.<ref name="bl.uk"/> The river then flows past the town of [[Markapur]] and towards the [[Coromandel Coast]] through [[Addanki]] town. It finally enters the [[Bay of Bengal]], some 19 km east of [[Ongole]] after having covered a distance of 225 km.

==Dams==

Apart from the ancient dam at [[Cumbum, Andhra Pradesh|Cumbum]] mentioned above, a modern dam called [[Gundlakamma Reservoir Project]] too has been constructed across the river at Mallavaram, Prakasam District. Some {{convert|80|ft|m|0}} high, this dam has a capacity of {{convert|3800000000|cuft|m3|sigfig=2}} and can irrigate {{convert|80600|acre|km2|sigfig=2}} of land. It will also provide drinking water for the 250,000 people living in Ongole and its surrounding hamlets.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hindu.com/2007/02/05/stories/2007020513940400.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070210083225/http://www.hindu.com/2007/02/05/stories/2007020513940400.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2007-02-10 |work=[[The Hindu]] |title=Archive News |date=2007-02-05 |access-date=2016-12-01}}</ref> The lower part of the river basin is irrigated by Krishna river water through [[Nagarjuna Sagar Dam|Nagarjuna Sagar]] right bank canal.

[[Veligonda Project]] is under construction to connect the river basin with the adjacent [[Krishna River]] basin by a 20 km long tunnel from the [[Srisailam Dam|Srisailam reservoir]]. Construction of a 40 [[Tmcft]] capacity storage reservoir is also part of this project. Once this project is completed, the reliability of water supply to all the irrigation projects in the river basin would enhance vastly.

==Bridges==
The [[Guntur]]–[[Guntakal]] railway track of the [[Guntur railway division]] crosses the river over the embankment at [[Cumbum, Andhra Pradesh|Cumbum]] as well as at two other places before it. The [[Vijayawada]]–[[Chennai]] mainline of the same railway crosses the river a few kilometres before its mouth(Karavadi Village). Near the same place, [[National Highway 5 (India)|National Highway 5]] also spans the river at Vellampalli village. This is a seasonal river.

==Floods==
Though a tamed river generally, the heavy monsoonal rains in 2001 caused the river to burst its banks and flood areas along its course. About 15 people were washed away by its gushing waters in the month of October, 2001.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/2001/10/20/stories/0420201f.htm |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130125143201/http://www.hinduonnet.com/2001/10/20/stories/0420201f.htm |url-status=usurped |archive-date=25 January 2013 |title=The Hindu : Eight bodies fished out of Gundlakamma |publisher=Hinduonnet.com |date=2001-10-20 |access-date=2016-12-01}}</ref>

==Nature tourism==
Gundla Brahmeswara Sanctuary is located in the river basin.<ref>{{cite web|title=Gundla Brahmeswara Sanctuary|url=http://www.nandyalonline.in/city-guide/gundla-brahmeswaram-wildlife-sanctuary|access-date=17 January 2016}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/325255703#map=10/15.7776/79.6712&layers=C Gundlakamma river on the OpenStreetMap]

{{Hydrography of Andhra Pradesh}}
{{Eastern Ghats |state=collapsed}}

{{coord|15|32|N|80|14|E|display=title|region:IN_type:river_source:GNS-enwiki}}

[[Category:Rivers of Andhra Pradesh]]
[[Category:Geography of Prakasam district]]
[[Category:Rivers of India]]

Gundlakamma River - Revision history

UpdateBot at 17:55, 24 October 2021