Category Dams

The Sardar Sarovar Dam is a concrete gravity dam on the Narmada River in Kevadiya near Navagam, Gujarat in India. Four Indian states, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan, receive water and electricity supplied from the dam.

A special allocation of 0.86 MAF of water has been made to provide drinking water to 173 urban centres and 9490 villages  within and out-side command in Gujarat for present population of 28 million and prospective population of over 40 million by the year 2021. All the villages and urban centres of arid region of Saurashtra and Kachchh and all “no source” villages and the villages affected by salinity and fluoride in North Gujarat will be benefited. Water supply requirement of several industries will also be met from the project giving a boost to all-round production

There are two power houses viz. River Bed Power House and Canal Head Power House with an installed capacity of 1200 MW and 250 MW respectively. The power would be shared by three states – Madhya Pradesh – 57%, Maharashtra – 27% and Gujarat 16%. This will provide a useful peaking power to western grid of the country which has very limited hydel power production at present. A series of micro hydel power stations are also planned on the branch canals where convenient falls are available.

It will also provide flood protection to riverine reaches measuring 30,000 ha. covering 210 villages and Bharuch city and a population of 4.0 lac in Gujarat.

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One of the oldest Dams built in India post-independence, Tungabhadra Dam is also known as Pampa Sagar. Tungabhadra Dam is built across the Tungabhadra River, a tributary of River Krishna. The Dam lies in Hospet in the Ballari district of Karnataka and has a whopping capacity of 135,000 million cubic feet.

The river Tungabhadra is a wonder in itself. If you are a religious person, you will especially love to know that Tungabhadra River is considered sacred in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. This river was mentioned in the epic Ramayana by the name Pampa River.  Humans are always attracted to witness the unseen or rarely seen. These birds are rare as you cannot find them around normal villages and water bodies. You can spot flamingos, storks, greater spot-billed pelicans. Over the years after the construction of the Dam, these birds have made the Dam their habitat. The river is rich with various species of fish and other aquatic animals. Tourists visit this reservoir in order to spot these rare birds and enjoy fishing with family and friends. Tungabhadra Dam has become a popular picnic spot in the area over these decades. 

In the beginning of winter, a huge congregation of birds is seen along the vast mud-banks that span hundreds of kilometres. Small islands and mudflats provide shelter to migratory birds.   About 200 species of birds have been recorded in and around TB Dam reservoir, and more than 20,000 migratory birds are found in winter in the reservoir.

As far as conservation statuses are concerned, the TB Dam area is host to birds classified as ‘Vulnerable’ as well as many listed as ‘Near Threatened’ by the IUCN.  Over the period of sixty years of its existence, the backwaters of Tungabhadra Dam have remained a permanent paradise for local and migratory birds. In spite of disturbances such as the movement of cattle, people, vehicles, fishermen etc., the breeding of birds has sustained, and their populations continue to remain stable, which is heartening, and something beyond our imagination!

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Kallanai is an ancient dam built across the river Kaveri in South India. This is situated in Tamil Nadu in the district of Trichy. This dam was constructed in AD 2nd century by the Chola king Karikalan which is located 15 km away from Tiruchirapalli. The dam is originally located in Thanjavur district, by approximately 20 km from Trichy across Kaveri river. Kallanai Dam is the fourth older water rerouting system in the world which is still in existence.

Kallanai (is also known as Grand Anicut) is an incisive water flow system built by Karikala Cholan by his great engineering expertise. The main aim behind building a dam was to encourage irrigation. This was also constructed as a barrier across the river Kaveri, by means of protecting his kingdom from flooding. The dam was originally constructed by about 2000 years ago. Later on the 19th century, the British Captain Caldwell re-modeled the dam to cater irrigation needs.

The dam locality is related with the history of Tamil Nadu because of the Kallanai’s Engineering Marvel and it makes the visitors to read more about the Tamil literature, language and about the Sangam period. The tourists can experience a fresh bath on the river (if the water levels are not high) and can taste the fishes on the small shops on the pocket roads. The 2000-year-old dam leaves spectacular treat and the area is preserved with a park and the drive-in facilities so that the people use it as a picnic spot. Fresh fish sold by local fishermen at lowest prices in an overriding attraction to the tourists. The Kallanai dam is truly what something to be experienced before one leaves the earth!

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The Tehri Dam is the highest dam in India and one of the highest in the world. It is a multi-purpose rock and earth-fill embankment dam on the Bhagirathi River near Tehri in Uttarakhand, India. Located in the foothills of the Central Himalayan Seismic gap, Tehri Dam is considered one of the world’s largest hydroelectric projects. Though its construction has undergone different hurdles, the dam now stands proudly in the Tehri Garhwal region. The place offering a sight of the massive dam with stagnant water and high mountains on all side is easily reachable via well-maintained roads. An example of mindful engineering and architecture, the dam becomes a must visit for anyone seeking adventure in the laps of beauty.

A preliminary investigation for the Tehri Dam Project was completed in 1961 and its design was completed in 1972 with a 600 MW capacity power plant based on the study. Construction began in 1978 after feasibility studies but was delayed due to financial, environmental and social impacts.

In 1986, technical and financial assistance was provided by the USSR, but this was interrupted years later with political instability. India was forced to take control of the project and at the first, it was placed under the direction of the Irrigation Department of Uttar Pradesh. However, in 1988 the Tehri Hydro Development Corporation was formed to manage the dam and 75% of the funding would be provided by the federal government, 25% by the state. Uttar Pradesh would finance the entire irrigation portion of the project.

Picture Credit : Google