Report by OD bureau; New Delhi: Union Water Resources Ministry completed Feasibility Report on Mahanadi (Manibhadra) - Godavari (Dowlaiswaram) link . The National Water Development Agency (NWDA) has already identified 14 links under Himalayan Component and 16 links under Peninsular Rivers Component.  Out of these, Feasibility Reports of 14 links under Peninsular Component and 2 links under Himalayan Component (Indian portion) has been prepared.

This was informed by the Minister of State for Water Resources and Minority Affairs Shri Vincent H. Pala in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha. He said that  NWDA has already completed  Survey & Investigation works in  Ganga (Farakka)-Sunderbans link , Ganga-Damodar-Subernarekha link and Subernarekha-Mahanadi link.
It should be noted that Mahanadi Godavari Link Project envisages construction of a storage reservoir on Mahanadi River at Manibhadra and a link canal from this reservoir to the Godavari River.

The Project comprises of the following components: The Govt. of Odisha proposed Manibhadra project across Mahanadi river near Denkarasahi village in Gania Block of Nayagarh district in Odisha with FRL 86.00 m, MWL 91.5 m, MDDL (Minimum Draw Down Level) 73.15 m with gross storage capacity of 6000 Mm3, live storage capacity of 4290 Mm3 and a power house at toe of dam with an installed capacity of 960 MW.For the purpose of the proposed link canal, The FRL and MDDL of Manibhadra reservoir will be raised to 91.0 m and 74.15 m respectively and then the gross storage will be 8520 Mm3 and the live storage will be 6608 Mm3.

The 827.700 km long link canal is proposed to take off from the right hand of the reservoir Manibhadra at the FSL of 74.00 m.
A head regulator on the right flank of Manibhadra dam and a canal power house of installed capacity of 70 MW with one 30 MW standby unit.
The Salia reservoir across Salia river near village Balugaon in BanpurTahasil of Khurda district in Odisha with FRL 58.52 m, gross storage capacity of 59.87 Mm3, live storage capacity of 51.97 Mm3 and MDDL of 48.82 m. The link canal is proposed to out fall into Salia reservoir and to take off from it at RD 144.0 km. It is proposed to raise the FRL of the reservoir to 63.30 m.

The existing Dowlaiswaram barrage across the river Godavari near Dowlaiswaram village in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh with a pond level of 13.64 m, to act as the final outfall point of the proposed link canal.

The link canal traverses through Nayagarh, Khurda, Ganjam and Gajapati districts of Odisha State and Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam and East Godavari districts of Andhra Pradesh. The proposed link canal is designed to discharge 801.98 cumec at head, 352.79 cumec at the tail end.