TheDharla River (Bengali:ধরলা নদী,romanized: Dhorola nodi) is a tributary of theBrahmaputra which is atrans-boundary river flowing throughIndia,Bhutan andBangladesh. It originates from Kupup/Bitang lake lying inPangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary ofEast Sikkim in theHimalayas where it is known as theJaldhaka River. It then flows throughEast Sikkim,India, crosses intoSamtse District,Bhutan and returns toIndia again atKalimpong district. From there, it flows throughJalpaiguri andCooch Behar districts ofWest Bengal,India, one of the seven main rivers to do so. Here the river enters Bangladesh through theLalmonirhat District and flows as the Dharla River until it empties into theJamuna River near theKurigram District. NearPatgram Upazila, it again flows easterly back into India. It then moves south and enters Bangladesh again throughPhulbari Upazila of Kurigram District and continues a slow meandering course.[1]
| Dharla River | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Location | |
| Countries | India,Bhutan andBangladesh |
| District | East Sikkim India,Samtse Bhutan,Kalimpong India,Jalpaiguri India,Cooch Behar India,Lalmonirhat Bangladesh,Kurigram Bangladesh. |
| States | Sikkim India,West Bengal India,Paro Bhutan,Rangpur Bangladesh. |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Kupup or Bitang Lake |
| • location | Kupup or Bitang Lake,East SikkimIndia |
| Mouth | Jamuna River |
• location | Lalmonirhat District,Bangladesh |
The average depth of river is 12 feet (3.7 m) and maximum depth is 39 feet (12 m), at its origin inKurigram.
Erosion by the rivers Dharla andJamuna took a serious turn in Lalmonirhat in 2007 when about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) of a 7-kilometre (4.3 mi) longflood control embankment was devoured by the Dharla. Three mosques, two temples, a madrassah, a primary school, and a vast tract of cultivable land with crops were devoured by the river, rendering about three thousand people homeless.[2]
There is a park beside the Dharla at Kurigram. There also is a bridge. The river is full during themonsoon season but has only knee-deep water in summer. Deposition of silt has led to the formation of many small islands (chars) in the river.[3]
River Dharla, along withRiver Teesta have been causing major flooding inBangladesh duringmonsoon season between June and September.[4]
25°43′45″N89°43′23″E / 25.72917°N 89.72306°E /25.72917; 89.72306