The alluvial valley of the Mahanadi River is poorly defined and the channel is predominantly meandering in nature as according to extensive reports found. The average annual discharge of Mahanadi river basin is 1,895 m3/sec, with a maximum of 6,352 m3/sec during the summer monsoon. Minimum discharge is 759 m3/sec that usually occurs during the months; from October to June.

The river is one of the most active silt-depositing streams in the entire Indian subcontinent. The area of the delta is around 10,589 sq km. The delta is tremendously complex with numerous deserted delta lobes. The presently active delta area lies to the south of the Mahanadi river and at least two other abandoned delta regions are located to the north. The older delta lobe lying in the north is presently subjugated by tidal influence and numerous tidal channels are found in this region.

Mangrove is the most common type of vegetation seen along the sea facing edges of the delta plain. The delta plain is one of the prime rice-growing regions in India and population density is extremely high. Numerous lakes and bays are present on the delta Plain of Mahanadi River. However, many of them are the remnants of former river courses. Wave energy is quite high along the delta front and well-developed beaches and barrier islands are widely present along the coast.

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