SPI Geography · Maharashtra Geography
Rivers on District Boundaries
Many districts of Maharashtra are separated by a river: name the two districts and you should be able to name the river that runs between them.
Why this matters
Five questions in the bank, all from the 2022 paper (Q76 to Q80): one EASY, three MODERATE and one HARD. Each gives a pair of districts and four rivers, and one of them has the answer None of these, so you must know which rivers are not on the boundary as well as which one is.
Concept 1 of 2: Boundary rivers of the Bhima and Godavari basins
Western Maharashtra and Marathwada drain east. The Bhima and its tributary the Nira belong to the Krishna system; the Godavari crosses the state further north. Where these rivers run along a district edge, the district line follows the river.
Definition
- The Nira forms the boundary between Pune and Satara. It joins the Bhima.
- The Bhima forms the boundary between Pune and Ahmednagar. It is a tributary of the Krishna and never touches Beed.
- The Godavari rises at Trimbakeshwar in Nashik district. It runs along the northern edge of Ahmednagar (towards Aurangabad) and of Beed (towards Jalna).
- So Ahmednagar and Beed are not separated by the Godavari, the Bhima or the Nira.
- Two of these districts have new names: Aurangabad is now Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Ahmednagar is now Ahilyanagar. The 2022 paper uses the old names.
| River | Districts on either side | River system |
|---|---|---|
| Nira | Pune and Satara | Bhima, then Krishna |
| Bhima | Pune and Ahmednagar | Krishna |
| Godavari | Ahmednagar and Aurangabad | Godavari |
| Godavari | Beed and Jalna | Godavari The Godavari passes north of both Ahmednagar and Beed, so it does not separate them from each other. |
The district line follows the river only along the stretch named here.
Practice this conceptself-check · 4 quick reps
The same idea in a real exam question:
SPI · 2022 · SPI Entrance Examination 2022 · Q80Easy
Example 1 · Maharashtra Geography · Rivers on District Boundaries
Given below are pairs of districts of Maharashtra, which are separated by prominent rivers. You are required to identify the rivers from the options.
Pune and Satara.
Mixing up the Bhima and the Nira
Both are on Pune's border, but on different sides. The Nira separates Pune from Satara in the south; the Bhima separates Pune from Ahmednagar in the north east.
Choosing the Godavari for Ahmednagar and Beed
The Godavari flows along the northern edge of both districts, so it is the line between each of them and the district to its north. It is not the line between Ahmednagar and Beed, and when it is the only river on offer the answer is None of these.
Putting the Bhima in Marathwada
The Bhima flows from Pune into Solapur and on to Karnataka. It never reaches Beed, so it cannot be a boundary river for any Beed pair.
Concept 2 of 2: Boundary rivers of the Konkan, Khandesh and Vidarbha
Away from the Desh, three more boundary rivers come up. In the Konkan short rivers run west to the sea; in Khandesh the rivers belong to the Tapi; in eastern Vidarbha the Wainganga flows south towards the Godavari.
Definition
- The Savitri rises at Mahabaleshwar, flows west past Mahad and reaches the sea at Bankot. It forms the boundary between Raigad and Ratnagiri.
- The Aner is a tributary of the Tapi. It forms the boundary between Dhule and Jalgaon.
- The Wainganga (also spelt Vainganga) forms the boundary between Chandrapur and Gadchiroli. It joins the Wardha, and together they form the Pranhita, which flows into the Godavari.
| River | Districts on either side | Region | Flows into |
|---|---|---|---|
| Savitri | Raigad and Ratnagiri | Konkan | Arabian Sea |
| Aner | Dhule and Jalgaon | Khandesh | Tapi |
| Wainganga | Chandrapur and Gadchiroli | Vidarbha | Pranhita, then Godavari Wainganga and Wardha together form the Pranhita. |
Practice this conceptself-check · 4 quick reps
The same idea in a real exam question:
SPI · 2022 · SPI Entrance Examination 2022 · Q77Moderate
Example 2 · Maharashtra Geography · Rivers on District Boundaries
Given below are pairs of districts of Maharashtra, which are separated by prominent rivers. You are required to identify the rivers from the options.
Chandrapur and Gadchiroli.
Taking the Amba for the Raigad and Ratnagiri line
The Amba flows inside Raigad district. The river between Raigad and Ratnagiri is the Savitri, which meets the sea at Bankot.
Looking for Desh rivers in Khandesh
Dhule and Jalgaon lie in the Tapi valley. The Godavari and the Nira do not flow through Khandesh, so the boundary river there is a Tapi tributary, the Aner.
Summary — formulas & gotchas at a glance
A revision cheat-sheet for the formulas and gotchas above. Click any concept name to jump back to its full explanation.
Reference tables (2)
Boundary rivers of the Bhima and Godavari basins4 rows
| River | Districts on either side | River system |
|---|---|---|
| Nira | Pune and Satara | Bhima, then Krishna |
| Bhima | Pune and Ahmednagar | Krishna |
| Godavari | Ahmednagar and Aurangabad | Godavari |
| Godavari | Beed and Jalna | Godavari The Godavari passes north of both Ahmednagar and Beed, so it does not separate them from each other. |
The district line follows the river only along the stretch named here.
Boundary rivers of the Konkan, Khandesh and Vidarbha3 rows
| River | Districts on either side | Region | Flows into |
|---|---|---|---|
| Savitri | Raigad and Ratnagiri | Konkan | Arabian Sea |
| Aner | Dhule and Jalgaon | Khandesh | Tapi |
| Wainganga | Chandrapur and Gadchiroli | Vidarbha | Pranhita, then Godavari Wainganga and Wardha together form the Pranhita. |
Watch out for (5)
- Mixing up the Bhima and the Nira→ Boundary rivers of the Bhima and Godavari basins
- Choosing the Godavari for Ahmednagar and Beed→ Boundary rivers of the Bhima and Godavari basins
- Putting the Bhima in Marathwada→ Boundary rivers of the Bhima and Godavari basins
- Taking the Amba for the Raigad and Ratnagiri line→ Boundary rivers of the Konkan, Khandesh and Vidarbha
- Looking for Desh rivers in Khandesh→ Boundary rivers of the Konkan, Khandesh and Vidarbha
Test yourself on a real paper
Sit a past SPI paper, timed and marked the way the exam marks it. You see your score and every answer the moment you finish. Free to start.