The Shimoga district is the origin of the Kali River, the Gangavathi, Sharavathi and Tadadi. The other major rivers which flow through the district are the Tunga River, Bhadra River and Varada. The rivers Tunga and Bhadra meets at a place called Koodalgi in Shimoga district. Agumbe, a small place, known for its highest rainfall (8000 mm per annum) in southern India is part of the Shimoga district. The eastern part of district comes under the semi-malnad zone with plain topography and occasional chains of hills covered with semi-deciduous vegetation. Shimoga district is rich in flora and fauna. The dense forests and green shrub jungles are the main producers of sandalwood, rosewood, teak and other exotic timber. Other important trees found here are mango, jackfruit, tamarind etc. The dense forests and thick undergrowths are home to many wild animals like elephant, tiger, lion, leopard, bison, wild boar, bear, antelope, porcupine, wolf and monkeys and many other animals. Migratory birds from all over the world are found at Shimoga. Of the total area of the district, 214.23 hectares is the net sown area. The Sahyadri Ranges, part of the Western Ghats mountain range, feeds the rivers round the year and inundates the fertile alluvial soil. The main crops grown in the Shimoga district are paddy, coconut, ragi, pepper, areca and sugarcane. Others include maize, oilseeds, fruits, cotton, cashew nut, chillies and ginger. The net irrigated area is127.70 hectares. The Sharavathi Hydel Project and Varahi Project provide a substantial portion of the state's power needs. Among the major minerals found here are Limestone, White Quartz, Manganese, Kaolin and Kainite. |