Category Geography

Malampuzha Dam is the largest dam and reservoir in Kerala[2], located near Palakkad, in the state of Kerala in South India, built post independence by the then Madras state. Situated in the scenic hills of the Western Ghats in the background it is a combination of a masonry dam with a length of 1,849 metres and an earthen dam with a length of 220 metres making it the longest dam in the state.

The dam project was begun in 1949 and completed in 1955. foundation stone for the project was laid on 27 March 1949, by the then Public Works Minister of Madras State, Sri M. Bhaktavatsalam as Palakkad was a part of the Madras Presidency during those times. The dam was constructed in record time, and on 9 October 1955, the then Chief Minister of Madras State, Sri. K Kamaraj, inaugurated the dam. The total catchment area is 145 square kilometres, while the reservoir has a capacity of 8000 cubic meters of water. The canal systems serve to irrigate farmland while the reservoir provides drinking water to Palakkad and surrounding villages.[4] The dam was constructed by the Madras government but upon the Creation of linguistically reorganized states ,The Malabar District encompossing the Dam became a part of the Kerala State.

This is a beautifully laid garden with a variety of brilliant and colourful flowers. It has the meticulously manicured grass lawn, the marvellous meadows and fabulous fountains displaying an orchestrated water show. The site of the Malampuzha Dam lies in the cauldron formed by the Western Ghats. The great stretch of the serene lake formed by the dam provides boating facilities. During the cool dark night, numerous lights sparkle like bright pearls arranged on a black sheet of cloth. This is a rare beauty. These lights are usually illuminated only in the weekends.

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The Banasura Sagar Dam traps the waters of the Karamanathodu, a tributary of the Kabini River. The goal of the project is to support the Kakkayam Hydro electric power project and satisfy the demand for irrigation and drinking water in a region known to have water shortages in seasonal dry periods.

In the dam’s reservoir there is a set of islands that were formed when the reservoir submerged the surrounding areas. The islands with the Banasura hills are in the background view. It is the largest earth dam in India and the second largest of its kind in Asia. The dam is made up of massive stacks of stones and boulders.

The Banasura Sagar Dam is located 21 km from Kalpetta, in Wayanad District of Kerala in the Western Ghats. It is the largest earthen dam in India and the second largest in Asia and a starting point for hikes into the surrounding mountains. It is an important tourist attraction. Banasura Sagar Dam is at the foot of the Banasura Hill.

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The KRS dam is located across Kaveri River in Mandya district of Karnataka. The dam is surrounded by a beautiful ornamental garden known as Brindavan Gardens. The KRS dam was built across the river Kaveri in the year 1924.

The water released from this dam is further used as an important source of water in the state of Tamil Nadu, which has its own Mettur dam in the Salem district.

The dam is named for the then ruler of the Mysore Kingdom, Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV. The Chief Engineer, Sir M. Vishveswaraya engineered the construction of the dam during the Wadeyar kings regime in 1932.

The region of Mysore and especially Mandya had historically been dry and had witnessed mass migration to adjoining areas in the hot summers. A severe drought in 1875–76 had wiped out one-fifth of the population of the Kingdom of Mysore. Crop failures were common due to lack of water for irrigation. The Kaveri River was seen as a potential source of irrigation water for the farmers in and around Mysore in the erstwhile Kingdom of Mysore.

Foundation Stone to dam was laid on 11 November 1911. The dam was built across river Kaveri in 1924. It is the main source of water for the districts of Mysore. The water is used for irrigation in Mysore and Mandya, and it is the main source of drinking water for all of Mysore, Mandya and almost the whole of Bengaluru city, the capital of Karnataka. The water released from this dam flows into the state of Tamil Nadu and is stored in Mettur dam in the Salem district.

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Nagarjuna Sagar Dam is a masonry dam across the Krishna River at Nagarjuna Sagar which straddles the border between Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh and Nalgonda district, Telangana.

Nagarjuna Sagar Dam was the earliest in a series of large infrastructure projects termed as “modern temples” initiated for achieving the Green Revolution in India. It is also one of the earliest multi-purpose irrigation and hydroelectric projects in India. The dam provides irrigation water to the Nalgonda, Suryapet, Krishna, Khammam, West Godavari, Guntur, and Prakasam districts along with electricity generation. Nagarjuna Sagar Dam is designed and constructed to use all the water impounded in its reservoir of 312 TMC gross storage capacity which is the second biggest water reservoir in India.

The construction of the dam submerged an ancient Buddhist settlement, Nagarjunakonda, which was the capital of the Ikshvaku dynasty in the 1st and 2nd centuries and the successors of the Satavahanas in the Eastern Deccan. Excavations there yielded 30 Buddhist monasteries as well as artwork and inscriptions of historical importance. Prior to the reservoir’s flooding, monuments were dug up and relocated. Some were moved to Nagarjunakonda, now an island in the middle of the reservoir. Others were moved to the nearby mainland village of Anupu.

The reservoir water was released into the left and right bank canals by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on August 4, 1967. Construction of the hydroelectric power plant followed, with power generation increasing between 1978 and 1985 as additional units came into service. In 2015, diamond jubilee celebrations of project’s inauguration were held, alluding to the prosperity the dam has ushered into the region.

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Hirakud is the longest earthen Dam in the world and stands across the mighty river, Mahanadi, in the Sambalpur region of Odisha. It was the first major multipurpose river valley project after India’s Independence in 1947. This human-made structure is located 15 km north of Sambalpur – its majesty only rivaled by the sparkling waters of the river it stands on. With an area of 1,33,090 sq km, the Dam is more than twice the area of Sri Lanka. The main Hirakud Dam has an overall length of 4.8 km (3.0 mi), stretching across the Laxmidungri hills on the left and the Chandili Dunguri hills on the right.

The construction of the Dam was proposed by M. Visveswararya to tackle the challenges of devastating floods in the Mahanadi delta. A detailed investigation report was submitted in 1945. Under the leadership of the then President of India, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, efforts to procure investments began keeping in mind the prospective benefits of constructing the multipurpose Mahanadi Dam. The project was taken up by the Central Waterways, Irrigation and Navigation Commission.

On 15 March 1946, Sir Hawthorne Lewis, the Governor of Odisha, laid the foundation stone of the Hirakud Dam. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru laid the first batch of concrete on 12 April 1948.

More than 200 temples were lost in the construction of the Dam. The waters of the Hirakud Dam provide excellent opportunities for archaeology buffs and scuba diving enthusiasts to explore the remnants of forgotten history. The hidden temples are visible to boating visitors during the summer months of May and June.

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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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