One of the tributaries of the Cauvery River is the Shimsha River that flows in southern part of India. The river originates in the southern part of the Devarayanadurga hill at an average elevation of 914 metres, which is located in the Tumkur district of Karnataka. The total length of the river is two hundred and twenty one kilometers and has a catchment area of about 8,469 square kilometers. Maddur is a major city that lies on the bank of the Shimsha River.

It reaches the border of Chamarajanagar district where it merges with the Cauvery River. The meeting of the Shimsha River with Cauvery occurs near the Shivanasamudra falls. A beautiful sprawling dam is built across the Shimsha River in Igglur. At Shimshapura where the Shimsa River forms a waterfall there is the Shimsha Hydro electric Project. Shimsha has its waterfall at Shimshapura in Malavalli Taluk.

This is also the location of the Shimsha Hydro Electric Project which has an installed capacity of 17,200 kilowatts. It was the first ever hydro electric project in Asia. Kolar Gold Fields was supplied with the electricity generated in the year 1902. Three years later Bangalore got electricity. The foundation stone for this project was laid by Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV, the king of Mysore in December 1937.