The Kali River originates from the Greater Himalayas at Kalapaani at an altitude of 3600 m, in the Pithoragarh District of Uttarakhand, India. The river is named after the Goddess Kali whose temple is situated in Kalapaani near the Lipu-Lekh pass at the border between India and Tibet. On its upper course, this river forms India's continuous eastern boundary with Nepal. The River Kali is known as River Sharda, when it reaches in the plains of Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh

The Kali River joins with the Gori Ganga at Jauljibi, a place famous for its annual trade fair. It the joins with the River Karnali and adpots a new name River Sarayu in Bahraich district till it meets with River Ganges. The area around Pancheshwar is called 'Kali Kumaon'. Kali descends in plains and called by the name of Sharda.

The Pancheswar Dam, a joint venture with Nepal for irrigation and hydro-electric power generation will soon be constructed on the Sarayu or River Kali. The Tanakpur Hydroelectric Project (120MW)was commissioned in April 1993 by the Uttarakhand Irrigation Department, with a Barrage on the Sharda river near the town of Tanakpur in the district of Champawat.

The Kali River is the part of the Ganges River System.

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