West Rapti River: Difference between revisions

| name = RāptīWest NadīRapti

| name_nativeother_name = राप्ती नदीKuwano

The '''West Rapti''', also known as the '''Kuwano''', is a river which drains [[Rapti Zone]] in [[Mid-Western Development Region, Nepal|Mid-Western Region, Nepal]], then [[Awadh]] and [[Bhojpuri region|Bhojpur]]-[[Purvanchal]] regions of [[Uttar Pradesh]] state, and finally [[India]] before joining the [[Ghaghara]]—a. It is a major left bank tributary of the [[Ganges]], and is also known as the Karnali insidein Nepal.

The West Rapti is notable for [[Adivasi|''janajati'']] ethnic groups – [[Kham Magar]] among its highland sources and then [[Tharu people|Tharu]] in [[Inner Terai Valleys of Nepal|Inner Terai]] [[Deukhuri]] Valley, for its irrigation and hydroelectric potential, and for recurrent floods that led to its nickname "Gorakhpur's Sorrow".

'''Aciravati''', '''Achirvati''' or '''Airavati''' is the ancient name for a river has been identified with the modern Rapti, flowing through what is now [[Nepal]] and the northern portion of [[Uttar Pradesh]].<ref>{{cite journal | last = Hoey | first = William. | year = 1907 | title = The Five Rivers of the Buddhists| url = http://ccbs.ntu.edu.tw/FULLTEXT/JR-ENG/hoey.htm | journal = Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland | volume = 39 | pages = 41–46 | doi = 10.1017/S0035869X00035498 | s2cid = 161844172 | access-date = 2011-03-10}}</ref><ref name = kapoor>{{cite book|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=43Fzt-G_-XYC&q=Aciravati&pg=PA6 | title =Encyclopaedia of Ancient Indian Geography | first= Subodh | last= Kapoor |work = p. 5 | year =2002 | publisher =Cosmo Publications | isbn =9788177552980 |access-date = 2010-08-18 }}</ref> The Chinese pilgrim [[Xuanzang]] knew it as A-chi-lo. Jain texts mention it as Eravai.<ref name = kapoor/>

''Jhimruk Kholā'' ({{lang-ne|झिमरुक खोला}}) -- east of the Mardi—mainly drains [[Pyuthan District|Pyuthan]]. Below the upper highlands, an alluvial valley opens where [[BahunBrahman
]] and [[Chhetri]] rice farmers irrigate [[paddy fields]]. At ''Cherneta'', Pyuthan the Jhimruk approaches within 1.5&nbsp;km of the Mardi and a 12 megawatt [[Hydroelectricity|hydroelectric]] plant exploits the Jhimruk being 200 meters higher.

The river crosses from Dang into [[Banke District]]. Approaching [[Nepalganj]]—largest town in Nepal's western [[Terai]]—the Dudhwa Hills fall away and the river turns SE, crossing into Uttar Pradesh, India and flowing through districts [[Shravasti district|Shravasti]], [[Siddharthnagar district|Siddharth Nagar]], [[Basti district|Basti]], [[Sant Kabir Nagar district|Sant Kabir Nagar]], [[Maharajganj District]] and [[Gorakhpur district|Gorakhpur]], passing [[Gorakhpur]] city at about 135 air miles (215&nbsp;km) from Nepal.{{factcitation needed|date=February 2020}}

Just west of the city it is joined by the smaller [[Rohni River|Rohini]] rising further east in Nepal's [[Nawalparasi District|Nawalparasi]] and [[Rupandehi District]]s, draining 794&nbsp;km² in Nepal then 1892&nbsp;km² following through [[Maharajganj District]] in India. 60&nbsp;km beyond Gorakhpur the Rapti joins the Ghaghara (Karnali) at Rajpur. About 120&nbsp;km further on at [[Chhapra]], the Ghaghara reaches the Ganges.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.india9.com/i9show/Rapti-River-40183.htm | title = Rapti River | publisher =india9 |access-date = 2010-05-28}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url = http://basti.nic.in/basti_nic2/knowchd_general.htm | title =Basti | publisher = Basti district administration |access-date = 2010-05-30}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url = http://sknagar.nic.in/profile.htm| title =Sant Kabir Nagar district | publisher = Sant Kabir Nagar district administration |access-date = 2010-05-30}}</ref><ref name=negi>{{cite book|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=5YtUShKY8zcC&q=rapti+river+Himalayan+Rivers&pg=PA115 | title =Himalayan rivers, glaciers and lakes | work = p. 115 | first= Sharad Sing | last= Negi | year =1991 | publisher =Indus | isbn =9788185182612 |access-date = 2010-05-28}}</ref>

The Rapti's flow has great seasonal variation because the river lacks sources in high elevation glaciers and snowfields to buffer pre-monsoon drought. Average monthly flows at ''[[Jalaun district|Jalkundi]]'' (27°58'N, 82°14'E) in Deukhuri Valley vary from 17.6&nbsp;m³/s in pre-monsoon April to 451&nbsp;m³/s at the peak of the monsoon in August. Maximum recorded flood was 7,390&nbsp;m³/s on 10 September 1981. [[100-year flood]] flows are predicted at 10,100&nbsp;m³/s. OverEvery {{convert|700000|acres}}year, infloods Uttarthreaten Pradeshover are700,000 atacres risk(280,000 ofha) floodsin everyUttar yearPradesh.{{factcitation needed|date=February 2020}}

Flood control projects under study include a dam at Jalkundi that would inundate {{convert|71000|acres}} of farmland in Deukhuri Valley. An alternative dam site is upstream at ''Naumure'' on the Pyuthan-Dang district border (27°53'N, 82°48'E). This would be an earthen dam 169&nbsp;m high with 351 million cubic meters live storage capacity, storing excess monsoon flows for irrigation use during the following dry season and generating up to 207 megawatts. Impoundment would mainly be in gorges through the Mahabharat Range, inundating less farmland than the Jalkundi alternative. Plans are also underway for three irrigation sub-projects – [[Kapilvastu District]] {{convert|30500|ha}} involving interbasin water transfer to the southeast, Deukhuri Valley {{convert|9500|ha}}, and [[Banke District]] {{convert|40000|ha}}.<ref name="disputes">{{cite book|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=cgYwDW13ILoC&q=Rapti+river&pg=PA285 | title = The Nepal-India Water Relationship: Challenges | work = p. 93, p. 389 | last= Dwarika N. Dhungel, Santa B. Pun | date = 18 January 2009 | publisher = Springer | isbn = 9781402084034 |access-date = 2010-05-28}}</ref>

[[Category:Rivers of NepalLumbini Province]]