Important Dams

Dams are used for storage or diversion of water for use in various purposes such as irrigation, generation of hydroelectric power, etc. India has a large number of several dams, which total up to 4300. There are many more projects in the pipeline that will be completed soon. 

Dams are important reservoirs that help in the achievement of multiple tasks. However, dams lead to the displacement of the population from the low lying area towards the higher area and may sometimes be a breeding ground for mosquitoes, they still serve important purposes, and their use is inevitable.

Important Dams

Although the list of total dams in India is huge, there are some important dams that we can never forget to mention. These include:

• Bhakra Nangal dam

Bhakra Nangal dam is built on the Satluj river and is found near the Bilaspur district. It forms the Gobind Sagar reservoir. It is 226 m high and thus is the largest dam in India. Nangal dam is a dam in Punjab located downstream of the Bhakra dam. But sometimes, both these dams are collectively referred to as the Bhakra Nangal dam.

• Hirakud Water dam

The longest earthen dam, the Hirakud dam, is located in Odisha. It is built across the Mahanadi river and forms the Hirakud reservoir, which is 55km long. It is a part of the first few multipurpose river valley projects that started after India gained independence. It is 200 m high. Its construction began in 1947, and it was inaugurated in 1957. It is a composite structure of earthen, composite and masonry. 

• Tehri Water dam

It is the tallest dam in India, 260.5 m in height. The Tehri Dam is an embankment dam built on the Bhagirathi river. It serves multiple purposes that include irrigation, generation of hydroelectric power and providing water supply for municipal corporations. It is the primary dam built under THDC India, Ltd. It can be used for the generation of up to 1000 megawatts of energy. Its construction began in 1978, and it was inaugurated in 2006. 

• Sardar Sarovar dam

The Sardar Sarovar dam is built across the Narmada river in Gujarat. The main purpose of the Sardar Sarovar dam is to supply electricity and water to Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat. Former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru laid the foundation of the Sardar Sarovar dam in 1961, and the dam was inaugurated by prime minister Narendra Modi in 2017. 

• Mettur dam

Mettur dam makes to the list of the largest dams in India. It is built across the Cauvery river in Salem district in Tamil Nadu having a maximum height of 214 feet. It receives water from nearby dams such as the Krishna Raja Sagara dam. The dam spreads across a total length of 1700 metres. 

• Nagarjuna Sagar dam

It is built across the Krishna river and is located in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. It provides water for irrigation purposes to various districts and also ensures electricity supply. Nagarjuna Sagar was included as part of the series of some of the largest dam projects, which were termed modern temples. The main purpose behind its establishment was to facilitate the green revolution.

• Tungabhadra dam

The Tungabhadra dam or the pampa Sagar is built along a tributary of the Krishna river, the Tungabhadra river. It serves multiple purposes like irrigation, production of electricity, flood control, etc. It was completed in 1953 and became a combined project of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. It is a composite dam that has a spillway length of 700 m.

• Gandhi Sagar dam

It was built over the Chambal river and is found in Madhya Pradesh. It is 204 metres high and is a multipurpose dam that is used for irrigation, supply of electricity, water diversion, etc. The Gandhi Sagar Dam is one of the four dams built over the Chambal river. It is a masonry gravity dam whose foundation was laid by former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

Conclusion

India has a large number of dams. Around 4309 total dams serving multiple purposes are found in India. The most famous ones include the Bhakra Nangal dam, Tungabhadra dam, Hirakud dam, Tehri dam, Nagarjuna Sagar dam, Mettur dam, etc. The highest dam in India is the Tehri dam, while the highest dam in the world is the Nurek dam of Tajikistan. The Bhakra Dam is the largest dam in India, spread across 226 metres area, while the Hirakud dam is the longest earthen dam. Dams serve multiple purposes such as irrigation, water supply, hydroelectric power generation, prevention of floods, etc. Dams are important structures that strengthen the water storage and usage capacity of a country.