Question

Which of the following river basin has maximum utilizable surface water resources?

• A. Godavari
• B. Krishna
• C. Narmada
• D. Mahanadi

Hint:

Godavari is also known as the Dakshin Ganga (Ganges of the South).
It is the second-longest river in India and has the largest peninsular basin, naturally leading to the highest utilizable water resources among Southern Indian rivers.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The utilizable surface water resources in a river basin refer to the portion of the average annual flow that can be withdrawn and utilized after accounting for evaporation, environmental flows, and physiological limitations.
This varies significantly across the major river basins of India depending on their geographic location, rainfall patterns, and catchment size.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
While the Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna basin has the absolute highest water potential and utilizable resources in India, we must compare the peninsular rivers provided in the options:
- Godavari River Basin: It is the largest peninsular river basin in India.
The average annual water potential of the Godavari is around \(110 \text{ BCM}\), and its utilizable surface water resources are estimated to be approximately \(76.3 \text{ BCM}\).
- Krishna River Basin: It has an average annual water potential of about \(78 \text{ BCM}\), with utilizable surface water resources estimated at approximately \(58 \text{ BCM}\).
- Mahanadi River Basin: Its utilizable surface water resource is approximately \(50 \text{ BCM}\).
- Narmada River Basin: It is a smaller west-flowing river basin with utilizable surface water resources of around \(34.5 \text{ BCM}\).
Comparing these values, the Godavari basin has the highest utilizable surface water resources among the given choices.

Step 3: Final Answer:
Among the options, the Godavari river basin has the maximum utilizable surface water resources.