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Tamil Nadu is located in the southern part of India. The Indian Ocean surrounds the state from the east to the south. It is bounded by states such as Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. The capital of Tamil Nadu is Chennai. Enclaves of Puducherry and Karaikal are along the north-central coast of the state.
The state remains in a tropical climate for the whole year. Starting from January, it is the coolest month, including December. The temperature in these months remains between 21 degrees Celsius to 30 degrees celsius. The hottest months in the state are May and June; the temperature in these months remains around 38 degrees celsius.
Rivers and Dams
Rivers are crucially considered temples in India as the people of India worship rivers. These water sources promote trade and agriculture. Hence these rivers are holy for Indians.
Dams are barriers that stop, direct or retard the flow of water. This barrier sometimes creates a reservoir such as ponds, lakes etc. These dams were primarily created to fulfil the water needs for irrigation. Still, the use of dams is multiplied for several reasons and projects such as hydroelectricity power generation, industrial and domestic supply of water, fishing activities, etc.
Tamil Nadu has a wide variety of both dams and rivers which provide tourists with good and peaceful places to visit. Now let us go through the major rivers and dams in Tamil Nadu.
Rivers in Tamil Nadu
Bhavani River: This is the significant tributary of the Kaveri.
Chittar River: The river runs from the Courtallam Hills. It makes its way through the state with its five tributaries.
Ponnaiyar River: The river flows across the borders between Villupuram and Cuddalore’s taluks. It drains into the Bay of Bengal.
Thamirabarani River: This river starts or originates from the peaks of Agasthyamalai and Cherumunji Mottai in the Tirunelveli district.
Cheyyar River: This tributary of River Palar is a significant seasonal river, and it flows through the district of Tiruvannamalai.
Gundar River: It flows through Tirunelveli and Virudhunagar, which are the two major districts of Tamil Nadu
Noyyal River: This river runs through Dharapuram taluk and Palladam taluk in Coimbatore and Erode district of Tamil Nadu.
Suruli River: This starts from the Suruli Waterfall, a major tourist attraction in the Theni district.
Vaigai River: This River changes its course towards the southeast and passes through the town of Madurai.
Dams in Tamil Nadu
Mettur Dam: This dam was constructed in a gorge where Kaveri enters the plains. This dam irrigates 271000 acres of the farm. It is also a major hydroelectric power station and a significant tourist spot.
Bhavani Sagar Dam: This dam is near Coimbatore city, situated in the Erode district of Tamil Nadu. The dam is constructed across the Bhavani River.
Amaravathi Dam: It is situated in Udumalpet, situated in the Tirupur district. This dam is built across the Amaravathi River. The Amaravati River is a tributary of the river Kaveri. The main uses of this dam are flood control and irrigation.
Krishnagiri Dam: This dam spans the Thenpennai river, located in the Krishnagiri district. It has a drain area of about 5428 sq. km. The exact location of this dam is near Dharmapuri.
Sathanur Dam: This dam is located across the river Thenpennai, situated in Chengam Taluk. Sathanur dam is located amid the hills of Chenaakesava. It provides irrigation for Tiruvannamalai Blocks. A crocodile farm and fish grotto are also situated in the Sathanur dam.
Mullaperiyar Dam: It was initially built by the British Administration in 1895. It is situated on the Periyar river. This river originates from the district of Thekkady. The major reason for the construction of this dam was irrigation. The height of this dam is 175 feet.
Vaigai Dam: It is situated on the banks of the Vaigai river, which is located near Andipatti. It was first inaugurated on 21 Jan 1959. This dam is 70km away from Madurai district. The height of this dam is 111 feet.
Manimuthar Dam: This dam is built on the Thamirabarani river. It is located 47 km away from the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu. This dam has a beautiful garden which is a place of attraction for tourists.
Papanasam Dam: This dam is located approximately 49 km from Tirunelveli, and it is also known as the Karaiyar dam. This dam is used for irrigation in the Thoothukudi district. It is also used for hydroelectricity power generation, and it generated 28 MW of hydroelectricity.
Parambikulam Aliyar Project: It is a project between Tamil Nadu and Kerala. This project aims to construct interconnected reservoirs.
Conclusion
There are 17 river basins located in Tamil Nadu. The Kaveri river is the most significant river basin present in Tamil Nadu. The 13 basins are considered medium river basins, and the rest four river basins are considered minor river basins.
Tamil Nadu has about 4% of the land area and approximately 6% of India’s population but only 2.5% of India’s water resources. 80% of the groundwater and 95% of the surface water have been used.
