Biggest Dams In India By Water Storage Capacity

Today, we have to talk about biggest dams in India. Today, India is one of the world's richest dam builders. About 4300 large dams have been built in pipeline, and about half of them are over twenty years of age. After independence, India has made many progresses in the dam and water museums. All these dams are the main attraction of tourists across India. Let us find out more about biggest dams in India.

2. Bhakra Nangal Dam – Himachal Pradesh

Bhakra Nangal Dam is situated on the Sutlej river of Himachal Pradesh. This dam is known as the second largest dam in Asia. This is a solid gravity dam. Bhakra Nangal Dam makes Gobind Sagar reservoir. Bhakra Nangal Dam attracts tourists from all over India. In November 1944, the agreement with the king of Bilaspur was signed by the then Punjab Revenue Minister, Sir Chhotu Ram and finalized the plan's plan on January 8, 1945. The aim of this dam is to prevent flooding in the Satluj-Beas river valley and nearby to provide irrigation and hydro-electricity to the states.

Type of Dam : Concrete gravity

Impounds : Sutlej River

Location : Uttarakhand

Height : 226 meters

Length : 520 meters

Total Capacity : 9.340 km3

Installed Capacity : 1325 MW

3. Hirakud Dam – Odisha

Hirakud dam is built on Mahanadi River in Orissa. There are two inspection towers on this dam, "Gandhi Minar" and another "Nehru Minar". This dam is a multi-purpose scheme for flood control, irrigation and power generation. On March, 1946, Orissa Governor Sir Hawthorne Lewis laid the foundations of this dam. The dam's structure is a combined combination of earth, concrete and masonry. Hirakud dam was built to make the reservoir and to solve these problems by controlling the flow of the river through the drainage system. Hirakud dam controls the flow of the Mahanadi River and produces hydroelectricity through some hydroelectric plants.

Type of Dam : Composite Dam

Impounds : Mahanadi River

Location : 16.5 km from Sambalpur, Odisha

Height : 60.96 meters

Length : 25.8 km

Total Capacity : 5,896,000,000 m3 (4,779,965 acre⋅ft)

Installed Capacity : 307.5 MW

4. NagarjunaSagar Dam – Telangana

Nagarjuna Sagar Dam is built on the Krishna River of Telangana. This dam is known as the world's largest masonry dam. Nagarjuna Sagar Dam is considered to be the world's largest man-made lake. This dam is India's earliest multi-purpose irrigation and hydro -Electric projects. The dam project was officially inaugurated by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on December 10, 1955 and lasted for the next twelve years. The d Under the 125 meters of MSL, the dead bodies of the reservoir can be released in the downstream river through existing diversion tunnels, which are used to remove the flow of the river at the time of construction of the dam.

Type of Dam : Masonry Dam

Impounds : Krishna River

Location : Telangana

Height : 124 meters

Length : 1,450 meters

Total Capacity : 11.56×109 m3 (9×106 acre⋅ft)

Installed Capacity : 816 MW

5. Tehri Dam – Uttarakhand

Tehri Dam is situated on the Bhagirathi River. This dam is 261 meters high and is the world's eighth tallest dam and is known as India's largest dam. The first phase of the Tehri Dam was completed in 2006 and the other two stages are under construction. This dam is used for reservoir use for irrigation, municipal water supply and 1,000 MW of hydroelectricity. The initial investigation for this dam project was completed in 1961 and its design was completed in 1972 with a 600-megawatt power plant based on the study. 1988 Tehri Hydro Development Corporation was formed to manage the Tehri dam, and 75% of the funding federal government provided 25% by the state. This dam benefits the whole irrigation portion of the Uttar Pradesh project.

Type of Dam : Embankment, earth and rock-fill

Impounds : Bhagirathi River

Location : Uttarakhand

Height : 260 m

Length : 575 m (1,886 ft)

Total Capacity : 4.0 km3 (3,200,000 acre⋅ft)

Installed capacity : 1,000 MW

6. Cheruthoni Dam – Kerala

Cheruthoni Dam is a concrete gravity varna dam in Kerala. Cheruthoni dam was built as Idukki Hydroelectric Project along with two other dams in Idukki and Kulamavu. This dam is known as the highest double curvature arch in Asia. From 9, 2018 to September 7, 2018, 5 shirts of Cheruthoni Dam were opened. The spread of Idukki Reservoir is in this dam. The construction of the dam, Idukki Arch Dam and Kulamavu Dam, 60 km of artificial lake was built and where the water is stored, and it is used for power generation at Moolamattom Power House.

Type of Dam : Straight gravity concrete

Impounds : Periyar River

Location : Kerala

Height : 138.2 m (453 ft)

Length : 650.9 m (2,135 ft)

Total Capacity : 1,996,000,000 m3 (1,618,184 acre⋅ft)

Installed Capacity : 780 MW

7. Indirasagar Dam - Madhya Pradesh

Indira Sagar Dam is a multi-purpose project of Madhya Pradesh on Narmada River in Narmada town, Mundi city of Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh. On 23 October 1984, the foundation of this dam project was laid by former India Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi. The main construction of Indira Sagar Dam started in 1992. Indira Sagar Dam was built as a joint venture between Madhya Pradesh irrigation and National Hydroelectric Power Corporation. In the reservoir scheme 40,332 hectares of forests, 44,345 hectares of agricultural land have been submerged.

Type of Dam : Gravity dam

Impounds : Narmada River

Location : Madhya Pradesh

Height : 92 m (302 ft)

Length : 653 m (2,142 ft)

Total Capacity : 12,200,000,000 m3 (9,890,701 acre⋅ft)

Installed Capacity : 1,000 MW

8. Koyna Dam – Maharashtra

Koyna Dam is built on the Koyna River in Maharashtra. This dam is known as a rubble-concrete dam. It is a hill in the Sahyadri ranges, in Mahabaleshwar. The main objective of Koyna Dam is hydropower with some irrigation in the neighboring areas. Today Koyna Hydroelectric Project is India's largest hydroelectric power plant. Due to the possibility of power generation from this dam, Koyna River is considered as 'life line of Maharashtra'. Koyna dam plays an important role in flood control in the monsoon season. Koyna dam will be protected against future earthquake including dam.

Type of Dam : Rubble-concrete dam

Impounds : Koyna River

Location : Maharashtra

Height : 103.2 m (339 ft)

Length : 807.2 m (2,648 ft)

Total Capacity : 2,797,400,000 m3 (2,267,900 acre⋅ft)

Installed Capacity : 1,960 MW

9. Nathpa Jhakri Dam - Himachal Pradesh

Nathpa Jhakri Dam is a closed gravity on the Sutlej River in Himachal Pradesh. The primary purpose of Nathpa Jhakri Dam is hydroelectric power generation and it provides 1,500 MW of underground power stations with water. The construction of the dam project started in 1993 and was completed in 2004. The timetable and disposal of the dam Nathpa Jhakri Hydro Power plant is done by Northern Regional Load Despatch Center.

Type of Dam : Concrete gravity

Impounds : Sutlej River

Location : Himachal Pradesh

Height : 67.5 m (221 ft)

Length : 185 m (607 ft)

Total Capacity : 3,430,000,000 m3 (2,780,746 acre⋅ft)

Installed Capacity : 1,500 MW

10. Srisailam Dam – Telangana

Srisailam Dam is built on Krishna River in Telangana. This dam is the nation's second largest capacity hydroelectric station. The dam started as a power project in 1960. After several delays, after a delay of 20 years after the work of Srisailam dam Completed July 26th. This dam also supplies water to the Telugu Ganga project, which provides water to Chennai city for drinking purpose. Initially, the initial flow in Srisailam dam is stored more without using it for power generation.

Type of Dam : Gravity dam

Impounds : Krishna River

Location : Telangana

Height : 145.10 m (476 ft)

Length : 512 m (1,680 ft)

Total Capacity : 216 Tmcft

Installed Capacity : 1,670 MW