A tributary of the River Kaveri, the Hemavati river starts in the western ghats and flows at a height of 1219 meters in the Chikmagalur district. It flows through the Hassan district of Karnataka, where Yagachi river joins it.
There is a Dam across the river Hemavati which is 58 meters in height and 4692 meters in length, flowing downstream. The creation of the Dam led to the submergence of the Shettihalli Rosary church.