Meenachil River, Kerala

The Meenachil River is one of the major source of water in Kottayam district of Kerala and flows through the heart of this place. The Meenachil River is 78 kilometres and it flows through places such as Poonjar, Teekoy, Erattupetta, Palai, Ettumanoor and Kottayam. The river merges into the Vembanad Lake at Kumarakom, which is one of the most popular travel destinations in Kerala.

This river in Kerala is a result of various streams of water that originates from the Western Ghats. With an annual yield of 2349 million cubic meter and an annual utilizable yield of 1110 million cubic metre, the river is indeed the backbone of agriculture in the areas through which it passes through.

The Meenachil River has an elevation that ranges from 77 meters to 1156 meters in the high lands and it has an elevation which is less than 2 meters in the low land. In the midlands, the Meenachil River has an elevation of 8 meters to 68 meters.

The Meenachil River consists of 38 tributaries that includes major and minor ones, and it also has 47 sub watersheds and 114 micro watersheds. The Meenachil River is also known by the names Gauna Nadi, Kavanar and Valanjar.

The Meenachil river also has a lot of religious importance and the annual Arattu of several temples in Kottayam district such as Bharananganam, Lalam, Puliyannoor, Kadappattoor, Kidangoor, Amayannoor, Ettumanoor and Kumaranalloor are carried out on this river.

There are also various issues that is being faced by Meenachil River and some of them include pollution, sand mining, illegal and unscientific fishing, illegal constructions of check dams etc. Amid all these issues, the Meenachil river is one of the main drinking source for the people living in places such as Erattupetta, Palai, Ettumanoor and Kottayam.

The places on the banks of Meenachil River is sure to offer a perfect holiday destination for travelers who are interested in exploring the beauty of the nature and the villages. Kumarakom, where the river submerges, is one of the top travel destination in Kerala and hence Meenachil river has huge importance in the tourism industry of Kerala.

But of late, the river is often prone to flood due to the illegal sand mining. During the monsoon season, the river overflows and floods the low lying areas near the river.