The Baitarani, the Mahanadi and the Brahmani rivers form the Middle Coastal Plain, with evidence of past "back bays" and present lakes.

The river is 360 kilometres (220 mi) in length and drain into the Bay of Bengal after joining of the Brahmani at Dhamra mouth near Chandabali.

The proposed Bhimkund and upper Baitarani multi-purpose projects envisage many more dams across this river and its tributaries to provide irrigation to more than 1,000 square kilometres (390 sq mi).

Even a two-day rain in July 2005 caused the river to overflow its banks, affecting 140,000 people in 220 villages of Jajpur and Bhadrak districts.

Baitarani basin, with its rich mineral and agricultural resources and with availability of cheap labour, offered an ideal ground for establishment and operation of various industries.

However, the principal development activities in the industrial, agricultural and mining sectors have contributed significantly towards deterioration in the water quality.