Top 10 Dams in India

Introduction:

Dams are architectural and engineering marvels of the country. They generate a huge amount of water energy; Top 10 Dams in India Provision of drinking water and irrigation systems for the state and surrounding areas. In India, there are many top huge and tallest dams were built on rivers to generate electricity and provide drinking water.  

The dam is mainly used to generate electricity, suppress or control flooding, and provide water for various purposes such as drinking, irrigation, etc. 

List Of Top 10 Dams in India:

Supa Dam:

Supa Dam (Image Source: trawell.in)

Supa Dam is one of the top 10 dams in India. It is located to the north of the area across the river Kali, named for the Hindu Goddess. It is built across Kalinadi or Kali River in the state of Karnataka in India and is the tallest dam in Karnataka. The 101 meters high and 332 meters long dam has 3 gates of 15×10 meters and is situated at GaneshaGudi, which is in Joida taluk of Uttara Kannada district. 

It provides breathtaking aesthetics along with strict utility, it is involved in hydropower generation with stored water and is now under the management of the proper power authorities. The dam forms the main storage reservoir for all the powerhouses in the Kalinadi hydropower project with a total installed capacity of 1180MW, which includes the main Nagzari powerhouse of 810 MW capacities. 

At sunset, it looks picture postcard pretty in the dying yellow light, with silhouettes like mountains behind it and structures on the surface that look like floating boats. All these together make for perfect photography and a very good crowd-pulling landmark. 

At sunset, it looks picture postcard pretty in the dying yellow light, with silhouettes like mountains behind it and structures on the surface that look like floating boats. All these together make for perfect photography and a very good crowd-pulling landmark. Overall it is one of the top dams in India.

Almatti Dam:

Almatti Dam (Image Source: triphobo.com)

Almatti Dam is one of the top 10 dams in India. It is concerned with power generation side by side with tourism attraction as well. It is the main reservoir of the Upper Krishna Irrigation Project the 290 MW power station is located on the right side of the Almatti Dam. 

The full reservoir level of Almatti Dam was originally restricted to 160 meters MSL by the supreme court of India. The dam holds a gross water storage capacity of 123.08 TMC at 519 meters MSL. 

It generates electricity and hydropower with stored water and the cascading waters provide complete visual magnificence. A lot has been done to increase tourism appeal, including setting up of tuneful fountains and decorated gardens around the place.

There’s also another dam nearby that does its bit to attract tourists. This dam is one of the priority visiting places if you are touring Karnataka. The backwaters of the dam host several migratory birds during summer. Moreover, it is one of the top dams in India.

Hidkal Dam:

Hidkal Dam (Image Source: thehindu.com)

Hidkal dam is one of the top 10 dams in India. It is a dam constructed across the Ghataprabha River in the Krishna River basin. It is constructed as a part of the Ghataprabha Irrigation project which was completed in three phases and finished in 2009. 

It is situated at Hidkal village in Hukkeri Taluk of Belagavi district in North Karnataka, India. The dam with a height of 62.48 meters and 10 Vertical Crest Gates, impounds a large reservoir with a gross surface area of 63.38 Square kilometers, and a storage capacity of 51.16 Tmcft.

It is an earthen and masonry dam that caters to the Irrigation needs of over 8,20,000 acres and Hydel power generation. The dam is an archaeologically relevant site. Many fossils have been revealed in the nearby areas of the dam which makes it a place of interest not only for tourists but also archaeologists. Overall it is one of the top dams in India.

Sardar Sarovar Dam:

Sardar Sarovar Dam (Image Source: gujjarattourism.com)

The Sardar-Sarovar Dam is one of the top 10 dams in India. 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.

Salal Dam:

Salal Dam (Image Source: en.wikipidea.org)

The Salal Dam is one of the top 10 biggest dams in India. 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.

Ranjit Sagar Dam:

Ranjit Sagar Dam (Image Source: hindustantimes.com)

Ranjit Sagar Dam is also known as Thein Dam is one of the top 10 dams in India. It is an earth fill dam that is part of the government’s hydroelectric project. Punjab Irrigation Department was 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 dams in India.  

Indira Sagar Dam:

Indira Sagar Dam (Image Source: yappe.in)

The Indira Sagar Dam is one of the top 10 dams in India. 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 dams in India.

Tehri Dam:

Tehri Dam (Image Source: javatpoint.com)

The Tehri Dam is one of the top 10 dams in India. 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 dams in India.

Cheruthoni Dam:

Cheruthoni Dam (Image Source: thehindu.com)

The Cheruthoni Dam is one of the top 10 dams in India.  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 dams in India. 

Nagarjuna Sagar Dam:

Nagarjuna Sagar Dam (Image Source: thehindu.com)

Nagarjuna sagar dam is one of the top 10 dams in India. 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 dams in India.

Conclusion:

As for the final say these are some of the top 10 biggest dams in India. These dams are some of the tallest dams which are constructed over 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.