This book covers an overview of the Mahanadi River basin, spanning a total area of 141,581 square kilometers and extending across the states of Chhattisgarh (52.42%), Odisha (47.14%), Maharashtra (0.23%), Madhya Pradesh (0.11%), and Jharkhand (0.1%). It delves into the basins hydro-development scenario, biodiversity, water quality, and sand mining, elucidating the pivotal role of the river in economic, social, and environmental viability of the eastern region of India. This volume emphasizes the environmental consequences stemming from unsustainable human activities such as river regulation, burgeoning settlements, sand mining, overfishing, and more. The Mahanadi River basin has been less explored for its biodiversity and environmental aspects compared to other prominent river basins like Ganga, Indus, Western Ghats, Godavari, and Krishna. This book seeks to fill this gap, offering new insights into the Mahanadi basin. The chapters address all dimensions of the environment, including social, ecological, engineering, and economic aspects, making it a multidisciplinary work. The book is tailored for audiences with backgrounds in social studies, engineering, biodiversity, and ecology.