Chennai is on the southeast coast of India in the northeast of
Tamil Nadu on a flat coastal plain known as the
Eastern Coastal Plains. Its average elevation is around 6.7 metres (22 ft),
[27] and its highest point is 60 m (200 ft).
[28] The
Marina Beach runs for 12 km along the shoreline of the city. Two rivers meander through Chennai, the
Cooum River (or
Koovam) through the centre and the
Adyar River to the south. A third river, the Kortalaiyar, flows through the northern fringes of the city before draining into the sea at Ennore. Adyar and Cooum rivers are heavily polluted with
effluents and
waste from domestic and commercial sources. The state government periodically removes
silt and
pollution from the Adyar river, which is much less polluted than the Cooum. A protected
estuary on the Adyar forms a natural
habitat for several species of birds and animals.
[29][30] The
Buckingham Canal, 4 km (2.5 mi) inland, runs parallel to the coast, linking the two rivers. The
Otteri Nullah, an east-west stream, runs through north Chennai and meets the
Buckingham Canal at
Basin Bridge. Several lakes of varying size are located on the western fringes of the city.
Red Hills,
Sholavaram and
Chembarambakkam Lake supply Chennai with
potable water.
Groundwater sources are becoming
brackish.
[31]
