---
title: "Kaveri River: Course, Basin and Water Dispute"
description: "The Kaveri River rises at Talakaveri in Karnataka and drains into the Bay of Bengal in Tamil Nadu, fueling India's longest-running interstate water dispute."
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/kaveri-river"
---

[New](https://modeldiplomat.com/)

#

Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026

TL;DR

- The Kaveri is a peninsular Indian river that rises in the Western Ghats of Karnataka and flows southeast across the Deccan to empty into the Bay of Bengal in Tamil Nadu.
- Where does the Kaveri River originate and where does it end?
- Which states share the Kaveri basin and why is the dispute persistent?
- What is the legal status of the Kaveri water allocation today?
- What are the major dams and tributaries of the Kaveri?

[Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services/glossary)Updated June 22, 2026

Go beyond the definition

## Research Kaveri River like a delegate

Model Diplomat's AI drafts position papers, speeches, and country research with real sources — built for MUN and politics students.

## Research it like a delegate

Research on modeldiplomat.com

## Ask a follow-up about Kaveri River

Open a cited briefing in Model Diplomat search — timelines, positions, and sources you can use in committee or exam answers.

[Start research on Kaveri River](https://modeldiplomat.com/search?q=Explain%20Kaveri%20River%20%E2%80%94%20key%20dates%2C%20actors%2C%20positions%2C%20and%20sources)

Example

In February 2018 the Supreme Court of India modified the Cauvery Tribunal's award, raising Karnataka's allocation and directing the centre to constitute the Cauvery Water Management Authority to oversee monthly releases to Tamil Nadu.

Keep learning

## Go deeper than the definition

[Explore all Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams lessons](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services)[Test yourself with a quiz](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/quiz/civil-services)

## Take Kaveri River beyond the glossary

Ask the AI research engine built for diplomacy — get briefings, position papers, and speeches with sources you can cite in committee.