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Chennai is the capital city of the state of Tamil Nadu and is ranked as India's fourth largest metropolitan city. Chennai is situated at 13.04° N 80.17° E on the southeast coast of India and in the northeast corner of Tamil Nadu and is primarily located on a flat coastal plain popularly known as the Eastern Coastal Plains. The city enjoys an average elevation of 6 meters (20 feet) and its highest point is 60 m (200 ft). Two rivers meander through Chennai, the Cooum River (or Koovam) in the central region and the Adyar River in the southern region. Chennai is situated at 13.04° N 80.17° E on the southeast coast of India and in the northeast corner of Tamil Nadu. The Buckingham Canal, 4 km (3 miles) inland moves parallel to the coast, uniting the two rivers. The Otteri Nullah, an east-west stream runs through north Chennai and meets the Buckingham Canal at Basin Bridge. Several lakes of varying size are placed on the western fringes of the city. Red Hills, Sholavaram and Chembarambakkam Lake supply Chennai with drinkable water. Groundwater sources are predominantly brackish and the city's water supply has proved inadequate for its population, and an over-dependence on annual monsoon rains to reload water reservoirs has created repeated problems. The geology of Chennai comprises mostly clay, shale and sandstone. The city is segmented into three regions based on geology, sandy areas, clayey areas and hard-rock areas. Sandy areas are found along the river banks and the coasts. Clayey regions envelopes most part of the city. Hard rock areas are Guindy, Velachery, Adambakkam and a part of Saidapet. In sandy areas such as Tiruvanmiyur, Adyar, Kottivakkam, Santhome, George Town, Tondiarpet and the rest of coastal Chennai, rainwater run-off penetrates very quickly. In clayey and hard rock areas, rainwater percolates slowly, but it is held by the soil for a longer time. The city's clayey areas comprises of T.Nagar, West Mambalam, Anna Nagar, Kolathur and Virugambakkam.
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