Important Dams in India | Location and Features

In this article, detailed information about the important and major dams in India is given. The Jawaharlal Nehru once said that the dams of India are the “modern temples of India”, this shows the importance of the dams in India. The importance of dams in India can be seen from this that dams in India provide water in every sector from agriculture to power generation. Let’s discuss the detail of the dams in India.

A detailed list of Important Dams in India

The detailed list of major dams in India is given below:

Hirakud Dam

Features	Detail of Hirakud Dam
Location	Located in the Sambalpur district, Odisha
River	It is built across the Mahanadi River.
Length	4.8 KM
Height	60.96 m (200 ft.)
Topwater level	642 ft. (195.680)
Catchment Area	83,400 km²
Description	Hirakud Dam is one of the first multipurpose valley projects started after independence in India. Hirakud dam was built to control the fluid on the Mahanadi River in Sambalpur, Odisha. longest major earthen dam in India. The biggest artificial lake in India is formed by the Hirakud dam.

Tehri Dam

Features	Detail of Tehri Dam
Location	Situated near Tehri in Uttarakhand.
River	Built on the Bhagirathi River.
Length	575 m (1,886 ft)
Height	260.5 m (855 ft)
Power capacity	1000 MW
Topwater level	825 meters
Catchment Area	7293 Km2
Description	The Tehri Dam project was started in 1972 and was completed in 2006. Financial and technical assistance was given by the USSR in the initial years. Tehri Dam is a multipurpose high rock and earth-fill embankment dam. It is the tallest dam in India. Power generated by the Tehri dam is distributed to Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chandigarh, Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, Punjab, Delhi, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh.

Bhakra Nangal Dam

Features	Detail of Bhakra Nangal Dam
Location	Bhakra dam is located in Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh and Nangal Dam is located in Punjab.
River	Bhakhra dam is built on the Satluj River.
Length	1,700 ft (520 m)
Height	741 ft (226 m)
Topwater level	1680 feet
Area	168.35 km²
Power capacity	1325 MW
Description	On the downstream of Bhakra dam, the Nangal dam is located in Punjab. Govind Sagar reservoir forms by the Bhakra dam. After the Indra Sagar dam in Madhya Pradesh and Nagarjuna Sagar dam, the Bhakra dam is the third largest reservoir in India. Jawaharlal Nehru described Bhakra dam as the “New Temple of Resurgent India”. It is counted as one of the highest gravity dams in the world.

Sardar Sarovar dam

Features	Detail of Sardar Sarovar dam
Location	Sardar Sarovar dam is located in Narmada District, Gujarat.
River	Sardar Sarovar dam is built on the Narmada River.
Length	1,210 m (3,970 ft)
Height	138.68 meters
Topwater level	140.21 meters (460 feet.)
Power capacity	1,450 MW
Catchment Area	88,000 km²
Description	It is a gravity dam. Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh receive the power generated by the Sardar Sarovar Dam. Jawaharlal Nehru laid the foundation of the project in 1961. It is funded by the World Bank. Construction of the Sardar Sarovar dam was started in 1987 but because of Narmada Bachao Andolan supreme court of India put the ban on the project. After the Grand Coulee dam of the US, Sardar Sarovar Dam is the world’s second-largest concrete dam.

Idukki Dam

Features	Detail of Idukki Dam
Location	Located in the Idukki district of Kerala.
River	Idukki dam is built on the Periyar River.
Length	365.85 m (1,200 ft)
Height	168.91 m (554 ft)
Power capacity	780 MW
Topwater level	2,403 feet
Catchment Area	649.3 km²
Description	Idukki Dam is a double arch architecture structure built on the gorge of two granite hills. It is considered one of the highest arch dams in Asia. Idukki dam was aided by the government of Canada. Idukki dam construction was started in the year 1969 and the dam was started operationally in the year 1973.

Nagarjuna Sagar Dam

Features	Detail of Nagarjuna Sagar Dam
Location	Nagarjuna Sagar Dam is located in Nalgonda district, Telangana and Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh.
River	It is built on the Krishna River.
Length	1,550 metres (5,085 ft)
Height	124 meters (407 ft)
Power capacity	816 MW
Topwater level	594 ft.
Catchment Area	215,000 km²
Description	The construction of the Nagarjuna Sagar Dam was started in the year 1955 and completed in the year 1967. “Modern Temples” project is the large infrastructure project after the independence for achieving the green revolution and Nagarjuna Sagar Dam was the earliest in this series. One of the earliest hydroelectric and multi-purpose irrigation projects in India. Around 80% of the water from Nagarjuna Sagar Dam used by the city of Hyderabad.

Mullaperiyar Dam

Features	Detail of Mullaperiyar Dam
Location	Mullaperiyar Dam is located on the Cardamom Hills in the Idukki district of Kerala.
River	On the confluence of the Periyar river and Mullayar river, the dam is built. And in Kerala, it is built on the Periyar River.
Length	365.85 m (1,200 ft)
Height	53.66 m (176 ft)
Power capacity	161 MW
Topwater level	142 ft.
Catchment Area	624 sq. km
Description	Construction of the Mullaperiyar Dam was started in the year 1887 and completed in the year 1895. Mullaperiyar Dam is a masonry gravity dam. Around the dam, Periyar national park is located. The old name of the Mullaperiyar Dam is Periyaru dam. Its name changed because of the rivers on which it is built that are the Periyar river and the Mullayar river.

Maithon Dam

Features	Detail of Maithon Dam
Location	Maithon Dam is located in the Dhanbad District of Jharkhand.
River	It is constructed on the Barakar River.
Length	15,712 ft (4,789 m)
Height	165 ft (50 m)
Power capacity	60,000 kW
Topwater level	441 ft.
Catchment Area	6293 Km²
Description	Maithon Dam started its operation in the year 1957. Maithon lake which is around 65 km² is created by the dam. It has an underground power station which is in whole Southeast Asia first of its kind. Maithon dam is operated by the Damodar Valley Corporation.

Tungabhadra Dam

Features	Detail of Tungabhadra Dam
Location	Tungabhadra Dam is located in Hosapete, Vijayanagara district of Karnataka.
River	Built on the Tungabhadra River.
Length	2,449 m (8,035 ft)
Height	49.50 m (162 ft)
Power capacity	127MW
Catchment Area	28,180 km²
Description	Tungabhadra Dam is also known as the Pampa Sagar. It is a multipurpose dam for control of floods, power generation, irrigation, etc. It was started by the Madras presidency and the Hyderabad State in the year 1949 and completed in the year 1953.

Banasura Sagar Dam

Features	Detail of Banasura Sagar Dam
Location	Banasura Sagar Dam is located in the Wayanad, Kerala.
River	It impounds the Kabini River tributary Karamanathodu river.
Length	NA
Height	NA
Topwater level	775.6 m
Catchment Area	61.44 km²
Description	In 1979, a dam and a canal project named Indian Banasurasagar started and Banasura Sagar Dam was part of the project. Banasura Sagar project was made to fulfill the demand for drinking water, irrigation and to support the Kakkayam Hydro Electric power project. Banasura Sagar Dam is the second-largest earthen in Asia and the largest earth dam in India. In name of Banasura the son of Mahabali who was the king (mythological) of Kerala the name of Banasura Sagar Dam was kept.

Malampuzha Dam

Features	Detail of Malampuzha Dam
Location	Malampuzha Dam is located in the Palakkad District, of Kerala.
River	It is built on the Malampuzha river.
Length	2,069 m
Height	115.06 m
Total capacity	226 million m³
Topwater level	NA
Catchment Area	147.63 sq. km.
Description	It is one of the largest reservoirs and dams in Kerala. The construction of the Malampuzha Dam was started in the year 1949 and completed in the year 1955. Malampuzha Dam is a masonry demand that creates the Malampuzha reservoir.

Pong Dam / Beas Dam

Features	Detail of Pong Dam
Location	Pong Dam is located in Talwara Himachal Pradesh.
River	It is built on the Beas River.
Length	1,951 m (6,401 ft)
Height	133 m (436 ft)
Power capacity	396 MW
Topwater level	NA
Catchment Area	12,560 km²
Description	Pong dam is also known as Beas Dam. It is an earth-fill embankment dam whose construction was started in the year 1961 and completed in the year 1974. Maharana Pratap Sagar Lake and reservoir are created by the Pong Dam. In the year 1926 first the idea of creating the dam on the Pong site at the Beas was proposed.

Krishna Raja Sagara Dam (KRS Dam)

Features	Detail of KRS Dam
Location	KRS dam is located in the Mandya district of Karnataka.
River	It is built on the Kaveri River.
Length	2,620 m (8,600 ft)
Height	39.8 m (131 ft)
Topwater level	125 ft
Catchment Area	10,619 km²
Description	The construction of the KRS dam was started in the year 1911 and was completed in the year 1938. It is a gravity dam and surki a kind of mortar was used in place of cement. Because of the famine condition, Maharaja of Mysore Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV constructed the KRS dam.

Rihand Dam

Features	Detail of Rihand Dam
Location	Rihand Dam is located in the Sonbhadra district of Uttar Pradesh.
River	It is built on the tributary of Son River that is Rihand River.
Length	91.46 m (300 ft)
Height	934.45 m (3,066 ft)
Power capacity	300 MW
Catchment Area	13,333.26 km²
Description	Construction of the Rihand dam was started in the year 1954 and it was completed in the year 1962. Govind Ballabh Pant Sagar is the reservoir that is created by the Rihand dam that’s why the Rihand dam is also known as Govind Ballabh Pant Sagar. It is known as India’s largest artificial lake (man-made lake). Rihand is a gravity dam. Rihand’s area of the reservoir is on the border of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. The catchment area of the Rihand dam is extended over Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh.

Srisailam Dam

Features	Detail of Srisailam Dam
Location	Srisailam Dam is located in the Sri Sailam, Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh.
River	It is built across the Krishna River.
Length	512 m (1,680 ft)
Height	145.10 m (476 ft)
Power capacity	1,670 MW
Topwater level	885 ft.
Catchment Area	206,040 km²
Description	Construction of the Srisailam Dam was started in the year 1960 and it was completed in the year 1981. It is constructed in the deep gorge on the Nallamala Hills. It is a masonry gravity dam. Srisailam Dam is known as the second-largest working capacity hydroelectric station in India.

Almatti Dam

Features	Detail of Almatti Dam
Location	Almatti Dam is located in the Bijapur district of Karnataka.
River	It is built on the Krishna River.
Length	1565.15 ft
Height	524.26ft
Catchment Area	33,375 sq. km
Description	Almatti Dam is also known as the Lal Bahadur Shastri Dam. It is completed in the year 2005. Upper Krishna Irrigation Project has the main reservoir as the Almatti dam. Almatti dam has two power generating units that are Almatti 1 Powerhouse and Almatti II Powerhouse.

Manchanabele Dam

Features	Detail of Manchanabele Dam
Location	Manchanabele Dam is located in the Magadi taluk of Karnataka.
River	It is built across the Arkavathy River which is the tributary of the Cauvery River.
Length	362.20 m
Height	28.74 m
Storage Capacity	34.58 M.Cum
Water spread area	365 ha
Catchment Area	It has the highest ratio of the catchment to reservoir area.
Description	It is a tourist destination because of its serene lush green view and crystal-clear water. Manchanabele Dam supplies water to the Magadi town. A wide variety of species of water snake are also observed here.

Indirasagar Dam

Features	Detail of Indirasagar Dam
Location	Indirasagar Dam is located in the Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh.
River	It is built on the Narmada River.
Length	653 m (2,142 ft)
Height	92 m (302 ft)
Power capacity	1,000 MW
Catchment Area	61642 Sq. Km
Description	The Foundation of the Indirasagar Dam was laid by Indira Gandhi in the year 1984 and the construction was completed in the year 2005. It is a gravity dam. The downstream projects of Indirasagar Dam are Sardar Sarovar, Maheshwar, and Omkareshwar Project. With the storage capacity of water Indirasagar Dam is the largest reservoir in India. The dam is built by the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation and the Government of Madhya Pradesh.

Salal Dam

Features	Detail of Salal Dam
Location	Salal Dam is located in the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir.
River	It is built on the Chenab River.
Length	487 m (1,597.8 ft)
Height	113 m (370.7 ft)
Power capacity	690 MW
Catchment Area	21497 km²
Description	Construction of the Salal Dam started in the year 1970 and completed in the year 1987. Salal Dam is the first hydropower project under the Indus Water Treaty built in Jammu and Kashmir by India. It creates the Salal lake. National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) was the implementing agency of this project. Out of the total energy generated only 12.5% is used by Jammu and Kashmir and the rest is Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, and Punjab.

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