Top 10 Biggest Dams in India by Height

Dams are architectural and engineering marvels of the country. They generate a huge amount of water energy; Provision of drinking water and irrigation systems for the state and surrounding areas. In India, many top huge and tallest dams were built on rivers to generate electricity and provide drinking water.  There are many dams in India and some of them are even among the largest and tallest in meters in the world. The dam is mainly used to generate electricity, suppress or control flooding, and provide water for various purposes such as drinking, irrigation, etc. 

Here are the Top 10 Biggest Dams in India by Height: 

Sardar Sarovar Dam

The Sardar-Sarovar Dam is one of the top biggest dams in India by height. It is built on the Narmada River is a project that started in 1979. The dam is the largest dam built on the Narmada River, intended to provide drinking water, irrigation water and hydroelectric power in Gujarat state. 

The dam is 1,210 meters long and stands 163 meters tall. The Sardar Sarovar reservoir has a gross capacity of 0.95 million hectares meter and live storage capacity of 0.586 million hectares meter. It occupies an area of 37,000ha with an average length of 214km and width of 1.7km

Because of its inherent beauty and tourist facilities, the dam has become a popular tourist destination. The Gujarat government also plans to install solar panels in the Narmada Canal to generate solar energy that would help the people of Gujarat. There is a guided tour showing six sights on the dam. 

Spots include a foundation stone laid by Jawaharlal Nehru, a garden, a boating lake, the first lock and a hiking spot for students attending nature camps. October and November are the best months to visit the dam. Overall it is one of the top biggest dams in India by height.

Salal Dam

The Salal Dam is one of the top 10 biggest dams in India by height. It is built on the Chenab River in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It is hydroelectric power station project also known as Salal Hydroelectric Power Station. This is the first hydropower project implemented by the government. 

Construction began in 1970 and was completed in 1987. The height of the Salal Dam is 113 meters, and its length is 487 meters. It has 12 ports or overflow to drain water. It can release 22,427 cubic meters of water per second. The total installed capacity of this hydroelectric power plant is 690 MW after completion of phases I and II.

 It is currently operating at a capacity factor of 57. The state of Jammu and Kashmir will receive 12.5% ​​of the electricity generated by the project. The rest is routed to the northern network where it is distributed in the states of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. Overall it is one of the top biggest dams in India by height.

Ranjit Sagar Dam

Ranjit Sagar Dam is also known as Thein Dam is one of the top biggest dams in India by  height.  It is an earth fill dam that is part of the government’s hydroelectric project. Punjab Irrigation Department established on the Ravi River on the border of the states of Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir in India. 

The height of the Ranjit Sagar Dam is 160 meters and the capacity of the water reservoir formed by the dam is 32 billion cubic meters. 60% of this reservoir is in Jammu and Kashmir and the remaining 40% is in Pathankot. 

Construction of Ranjit Sagar Dam started in 1981 and was completed in 2001. It was used to generate electricity and supply water for irrigation. It has four generation groups with a capacity of 150 MW each, so the total installed capacity is 600 MW. 

It is also a popular tourist destination in this region as it is located in a scenic area and allows tourists to see the flowing water from a safe distance. People from the city and surrounding villages come here all year round. Moreover it is one of the top biggest dams in India by height.  

Indira Sagar Dam

The Indira Sagar Dam is one of the top 10 biggest dams in India by height. It is a concrete gravity dam constructed on the Narmada River in Khandwa District, Madhya Pradesh, India. The height of the dam is 92 meters and its length is 653 meters. 

 However, construction began in 1992 and was completed in 2003 and works started in May 2005. Around 100 villages and one town with a population of 22,000 people were evicted in to build this dam. 

The dam was built through a joint effort or joint venture between Madhya Pradesh Irrigation and the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation. The Indira Sagar reservoir has a capacity of 12 billion cubic meters.

 This site is also one of the main tourist attractions of Khandwa district. The dam pool creates a beautiful lake that has been developed as a tourist spot offering accommodation, restaurants, & boating. The region is also good for bird and animal watching. Moreover it is one of the top biggest dams in India by height.

Rihand Dam

Rihand Dam is one of the top 10 biggest dams in India by height. It is a concrete gravity dam in Pipri, Sonbhadra District, Uttar Pradesh, India. It was built on the Rihand River, which is a tributary of the Son River. The body of water formed by this dam is also known as the Govind Ballabh Pant Reservoir and covers an area of ​​130 square kilometers. 

It borders Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. About 1,000 people were relocated to build this dam. Its catchment area extends to Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh. The Rihand Dam is 91 meters high and 934 meters long. Construction began in 1954 and was completed in 1962. 

It was inaugurated by Jawaharlal Nehru in 1964.It consists of 61 overlapping blocks and joints. The water intake is located between Blocks 28 and 33. The dam’s hydroelectric power station has a total installed capacity of 300 MW. It is operated by UP Hydroelectricity Corporation Ltd. No wonder it is one of the top biggest dams in India.

Tehri Dam

The Tehri Dam is one of the top biggest dams in India by height. It is under construction in the Tehri region of Uttarakhand is the tallest dam in India as of 2020. The Tehri Dam will be built over the Bhagirathi River. It is a multifunctional rock and earth dam with a height of 260 meters and a length of 575 meters. 

The width of the ridge is 20 meters while the width of the base is 1128 meters. Construction began in 1978 and was completed in 2006.It was built to generate electricity, control floods, and provide water for irrigation and drinking water.

 The total retention capacity of the reservoir of this dam is 3540 Mm3. It has two enclosed spillways capable of ejecting water at a rate of 15,540 cubic meters per second. It supplies energy to various north Indian states such as Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu. 

Established in 1988, Tehri Hydro Development Corporation India Limited is responsible for the operation, management and maintenance of the Tehri Dam. No wonder it is one of the top biggest and tallest dams in India.

Cheruthoni Dam

The Cheruthoni Dam is one of the top 10 biggest dams in India by height.  It is a concrete gravity dam in the Idukki district of Kerala. It was built on the Cheruthoni River and is located near the Idukki Arch Dam in the state of Kerala. 

It is 138 meters high and 650 meters long. It was built as part of the Idukki Hydroelectric Project and with support from Canada. The Idukki and Kulamavu dams are also part of this project. 

The body of water formed by these dams extends over 60 km2. It is a 100 m high masonry gravity dam. This project uses water to generate electricity, which is supplied to the surrounding areas. The dam is under the control of the Kerala State Electricity Board. 

It is open to the public during the Onam Festival. It is a popular tourist attraction in Idukki. It offers a mesmerizing view of the green hills, the Cheruthoni river and the flora and fauna. A two-hour boat trip between Idukki and Kulamavu is also available for tourists. Moreover it is one of the top biggest dams in India. 

Nagarjuna Sagar Dam

Nagarjuna sagar dam is one of the top 10 biggest dams in India by height. It is a masonry dam on the Krishna River in Nagarjuna Sagar spanning the boundary between Nalgonda District in Telangana and Palnadu District in Andhra Pradesh. The largest masonry dam in the world, the Nagarjuna Sagar Dam was built on the mighty Krishna River.

 The dam is 490 feet high, 10 miles long with 26 gates and has a capacity of 11,472 million cubic feet. The majestic structure combined with the irresistible beauty attracts a large number of tourists. 

In 1972 the dam was completed with about 45,000 to 70,000 workers. The hydroelectric power plant has a generation capacity of 815.6 MW with 8 units.

 The water level of the Nagarjunasagar reservoir is maintained above the minimum level required for these units most of the time by draining water from the reservoir above Srisailam to optimize power production from the canal units during the dry season. Moreover it is one of the top tallest dams in India.

Idukki Dam

The Idukki Arch Dam, an engineering marvel, is one of the top 10 tallest dams in India. It is located in the state of Kerala in southern India. It is a double curvature arch dam built on the Periyar River. This dam was built along with two other dams in Cheruthoni and Kulamavu. The dam is built in a gorge between two hills, Kuravathi and Kuravan.

 It sits at an elevation of approximately 550 feet and offers stunning views over the rugged terrain. The length of the dam at its top is 365.85m. It is 7.62 m wide at the top and 19.81 m wide at the bottom. At this height, it is one of the tallest arch dams in Asia. 

 The green landscape with crystal clear water is also a good idea for a weekend trip. Located 121 km from Kottayam, Idukki Valley is a small hill town of surrounded by beautiful forested valleys and meandering streams.Idukki is a famous tourist destination of Kerala. That’s why it is one of the top biggest dams in India by height. 

Chamera Dam

The Chamera Dam is one of the top 10 biggest dams in India by height. It is an earth dam built as part of a hydroelectric power project in the Ravi River region. It is located near Dalhousie in the Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh. The construction of this dam solved the problems of water and electricity shortages. 

Its construction began in 1985 and was completed in 1994. It stands at a height of 226 meters and a length of 295 meters. About 1,000 people will have to be relocated to build the dam. However, many rehabilitation programs have been established and compensation paid to the homeless. The population even received free education and medical care.

 The body of water formed by this dam is known as Lake Chamera. It is a popular tourist destination as the lake offers various water sports such as boating, rowing, sailing, motor boating, etc. In addition, houseboats and shikara are also available on the lake. Many tourists come here to spend time. No wonder it is one of the top biggest and tallest dams in India.

Conclusion

As for the final say, these are some of the biggest dams in India by height. These dams are some of the tallest dams, and they were constructed many years ago. These dams are helpful in generating electricity & also there are quite a few beautiful sites nearby these dams for people to visit.