Editing Chennai (section)

=== Geography ===
{{Main|Geography of Chennai}}

[[File:Chennai 80.26884E 13.04434N.jpg|thumb|Satellite image of Chennai]]

Chennai is located on the [[Coastline of Tamil Nadu|southeastern coast]] of India in the northeastern part of Tamil Nadu on a flat coastal plain known as the [[Eastern Coastal Plains]] with an average elevation of {{cvt|6.7|m|ft}} and highest point at {{cvt|60|m|ft}}.<ref>{{cite report|title=Human Development Report, Chennai|publisher=[[Government of Tamil Nadu]]|url=https://spc.tn.gov.in/Exe_Summary_DHDR/Chennai.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210708155304/http://www.spc.tn.gov.in/Exe_Summary_DHDR/Chennai.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=8 July 2021|page=4|access-date=1 November 2023}}</ref><ref name="highest-point">{{cite journal|last=Pulikesi|first=M|author2=P. Baskaralingam|author3=D. Elango|author4=V.N. Rayudu|author5=V. Ramamurthi|author6=S. Sivanesan|title=Air quality monitoring in Chennai, India, in the summer of 2005|journal=Journal of Hazardous Materials|volume=136|issue=3|pages=589–596|date=25 August 2006|quote=Chennai is fairly low–lying, its highest point being only {{cvt|300|m|ft}} above sea level is a rugged barren hill opposite to the Airport called Pallavapuram Hill.|doi=10.1016/j.jhazmat.2005.12.039|pmid=16442714|bibcode=2006JHzM..136..589P | issn = 0304-3894}}</ref> Chennai's soil is mostly [[clay]], [[shale]] and [[sandstone]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Practices and Practitioners|url=http://www.rainwaterharvesting.org/Urban/Practices-and-practitioners.htm|publisher=Centre for Science and Environment|access-date=28 December 2012|archive-date=27 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210227031943/http://www.rainwaterharvesting.org/Urban/Practices-and-practitioners.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> Clay underlies most of the city with sandy areas found along the river banks and coasts where rainwater [[Surface runoff|runoff]] [[percolation|percolates]] quickly through the soil. Certain areas in South Chennai have a hard rock surface.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/quality-of-groundwater-better-this-year/articleshow/7381926.cms|title=Quality of groundwater better this year|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|access-date=28 December 2012|date=29 January 2011|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190426110806/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Quality-of-groundwater-better-this-year/articleshow/7381926.cms|archive-date=26 April 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Lakshmi|first=K.|title=Tardy monsoon: Chennai water table rises only marginally|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|location=Chennai|date=28 August 2012|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/tardy-monsoon-chennai-water-table-rises-only-marginally/article3828935.ece|access-date=28 December 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200922181939/https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/tardy-monsoon-chennai-water-table-rises-only-marginally/article3828935.ece|archive-date=22 September 2020}}</ref> As of 2018, the city had a green cover of 14.9 per cent, with a per capita green cover of 8.5 square metres against the [[World Health Organization]] recommendation of nine square metres.<ref>{{cite news|last=Lopez|first=Aloysius Xavier|title=A Rs. 228-cr. project to take city's green cover to 20%|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|location=Chennai|date=31 August 2018|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/a-228-cr-project-to-take-citys-green-cover-to-20/article24824653.ece|access-date=2 September 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201203112857/https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/a-228-cr-project-to-take-citys-green-cover-to-20/article24824653.ece|archive-date=3 December 2020}}</ref>

{{As of|2017}}, water bodies cover an estimated {{cvt|3.2|km2}} area of the city.<ref name="Shrunk">{{cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/how-chennai-one-of-the-worlds-wettest-major-cities-ran-out-of-water/articleshow/80680182.cms?from=mdr|title=How Chennai, one of the world's wettest major cities, ran out of water|date=4 February 2021|access-date=1 June 2023|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|archive-date=29 May 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230529002022/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/how-chennai-one-of-the-worlds-wettest-major-cities-ran-out-of-water/articleshow/80680182.cms?from=mdr|url-status=live}}</ref> Two major rivers flow through Chennai, the [[Cooum River]] (or ''Koovam'') through the centre and the [[Adyar River]] to the south.<ref name="River">{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/its-official-chennais-rivers-are-dead/articleshow/97076908.cms|title=It's official: Chennai's rivers are 'dead'|date=18 January 2023|access-date=1 June 2023|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|archive-date=7 May 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230507030243/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/its-official-chennais-rivers-are-dead/articleshow/97076908.cms|url-status=live}}</ref> A section of the [[Buckingham Canal]] built in 1877–78, runs parallel to the Bay of Bengal coast, linking the two rivers.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.dtnext.in/city/2020/08/30/those-were-the-days-buckingham-canal-and-its-sociopolitical-influences|title=Those were the days: Buckingham Canal and its socio-political influences|date=30 August 2023|access-date=1 June 2024|newspaper=[[Daily Thanthi]]|archive-date=28 June 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240628082601/https://www.dtnext.in/city/2020/08/30/those-were-the-days-buckingham-canal-and-its-sociopolitical-influences|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Kosasthalaiyar River]] traverses through the northern fringes of the city before draining into the Bay of Bengal, at [[Ennore Creek]].<ref name="Ennore">{{cite news|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2024/Jan/06/fishersmull-peoples-plan-for-ennore-creek-restoration-2648396.html|title=Fishers mull 'people's plan' for Ennore creek restoration|newspaper=[[The New Indian Express]]|date=6 January 2024|access-date=10 June 2024|archive-date=28 June 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240628082552/https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2024/Jan/06/fishersmull-peoples-plan-for-ennore-creek-restoration-2648396.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Otteri Nullah]], an east–west stream, runs through north Chennai and meets the Buckingham Canal at [[Basin Bridge]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/residents-along-otteri-nullah-complain-of-pollution-health-risk-and-flooding/article67263643.ece|title=Residents along Otteri Nullah complain of pollution, health risk and flooding|date=3 September 2023|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|access-date=1 December 2023|archive-date=8 December 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231208112217/https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/residents-along-otteri-nullah-complain-of-pollution-health-risk-and-flooding/article67263643.ece|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Water table|groundwater table]] in Chennai is at {{cvt|4–5|m}} below ground level on average and is replenished mainly by rainwater.<ref>{{cite book|first1=Susheela|last1=Raghavan|first2=Indira|last2=Narayanan|editor=S.Muthiah|title=Madras, Chennai: A 400-year Record of the First City of Modern India, Volume 1|publisher=Palaniappa Brothers|year=2008|page=13|chapter=Chapter 1: Geography|isbn=978-8-18379-468-8|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tbR_LLkqdI8C|access-date=6 November 2015|archive-date=29 June 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240629135924/https://books.google.com/books?id=tbR_LLkqdI8C|url-status=live}}</ref> Of the {{cvt|24.87|km}} coastline of the city, {{cvt|3.08|km}} experiences erosion, with sand accretion along the shoreline at the [[Marina beach]] and the area between the [[Ennore Port]] and [[Kosasthalaiyar river]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Lakshmi|first=K.|title=T.N. lost 41% shoreline to erosion: study|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=10 November 2018|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/tn-lost-41-shoreline-to-erosion-study/article25458192.ece|access-date=10 November 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201129180742/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/tn-lost-41-shoreline-to-erosion-study/article25458192.ece|archive-date=29 November 2020}}</ref>