SPACEPHOTOS

The Krishna River flows eastward across the Deccan Plateau of southern India until it empties through four major distributaries into the Bay of Bengal. The river, with its headwaters in the eastern slopes of the Western Ghats, flows eastward for approximately 800 miles (1300 kilometers) until it bends southward for the last 50 miles (80 kilometers). The Krishna River delta is typical of the wider deltas along the southeast coast of India (also known as the Coromandel Coast). The braided stream channels, broad floodplain, and extensive sandbars suggest that this part of the Krishna River flows through relatively flat terrain and carries substantial amounts of sediment, especially during the monsoon season. The outline of the city of Guntur and nearby, smaller rice-producing towns are visible near the northwest edge of the photograph.