Subearnarekha

        Subarnarekha, meaning 'a thread of gold', has earned the name from the auriferous sands of the river, and some of its tributaries. The source stream of the Subarnarekha originates south of village Nagri. It traverses the districts of Ranchi, Singhbhum (both in Jharkhand), Mayurbhanj (Orissa) and Midnapore (West Bengal) and flows into the Bay of Bengal. Of its total length, 269 km are in Jharkhand, 64 km in West Bengal and 162 km in Orissa.

While most rivers in the country are classified -- depending on the pollution load -- on a 'best designated use’ basis, the Subarnarekha defies any classification, as the existing parameters do not include radioactivity.

The rain-fed Subarnarekha originates 15 kms south of Ranchi on the Chhotanagpur plateau draining the states of Jharkhand, Orissa and West Bengal before entering the Bay of Bengal. The total length of the river is 450 kms and its important tributaries include the Raru, Kanchi, Karkari, Kharkai, Garra and Sankh rivers.