[2] Its name indicates that it passes through the major city of Madiun, East Java, Indonesia.

[5] In 1825, the Dutch East Indies soldiers built a fortress near the convergence of the Madiun and Solo rivers, to fight a local rebellion led by Diponegoro.

The fortress was named Fort Van Den Bosch;[2] known locally as Benteng Pendem Ngawi.

[9] For ages, the Madiun River has notoriously caused flooding during the rainy season.

[11][12][13] The high debit of water overflows to the Solo River, adding to the regular flooding in Bojonegoro Regency.