India's 6 largest dams
India has a large number of dams that not only provide the country with water storage, flood control and power generation, but also serve as scenic tourist attractions. There are about 4,000 dams in India, including a large number of multi-purpose dams. Below are the 6 largest dams in India:
1. Tehri Dam: At 260 metres high, the Tehri Dam is one of the tallest dams in Asia and the highest in India. The Tehri Reservoir is 575 metres long, 20 metres wide at the top and 1,128 metres wide at the bottom, with a reservoir capacity of 2.6 cubic kilometres and a surface area of 52 square kilometres. Tehri Dam is the world's foremost hydroelectric power project, drawing water from the Himalayan-flowing Bhagirathi and Birangana rivers. In addition to providing water for irrigation and daily use, the dam generates 1,000 megawatts of hydroelectric power.
2. Bhakra Nangal Dam: The Bhakra Nangal Dam in the Bilaspur district straddles the Satrej River and is the largest dam in India. At 225 metres high, this gravity dam is the second largest in Asia. Bhakra Nangal's reservoir, known as the "Gobind Sagar", is the third largest in India with a capacity of 9.34 billion cubic metres. The dam is flanked by ten generators on each side and protects agricultural land from any damage during the monsoon. However, due to certain security reasons, it is no longer open to tourists.
3. Sardar Sarovar Dam: The Sardar Sarovar Dam was built on the Narmada River and was launched in 1979. The dam is the largest dam constructed on the Narmada River and is intended to provide drinking water, irrigation water and hydroelectric power to the state of Gujarat. Due to its innate natural advantages, the dam has developed into a famous tourist destination. The Gujarat government is also planning to install solar panels on the Narmada canal to generate solar energy to provide electricity to the villagers of Gujarat.
4. Hirakud Dam: Hirakud Dam is one of the longest dams in the world, built on the Mahanadi River in Orissa. The dam is the longest man-made dam in the world and one of the first large-scale multi-purpose river valley projects in India. The lake of the dam is known as the Hirakud Reservoir and is a major tourist attraction. During the winter season, one can see a large number of migratory birds here. It is not only an ideal environment conducive for wildlife to flourish but also a place of scenic beauty. During the construction of the dam, some ancient temples were discovered which triggered scuba diving to explore the waters of Hirakud.
5. Lungshusagar Dam: The Lungshusagar Dam is the largest masonry dam in the world, built on the vast Krishna River. The dam is 490 feet high and 16 kilometres long with 26 gates and a capacity of 11,472 million cubic metres. Named after the Buddhist monk Ajahn Chah, Nagarjuna Sagar irrigates more than one million acres in the districts of Nalgonda, Guntur, Khammam and Prakasam. 1972 saw the completion of the dam with the help of about 45,000 to 70,000 labourers. The reservoir located next to the dam is a beautiful attraction. Apart from this, there are other attractions such as Nagarjunakonda Island in the centre of the lake.
6. Idukki Arch Dam: The Idukki Arch Dam is located in the state of Kerala in southern India. It is a double curvature arch dam built on the Periyar River. To be precise, the dam is built in a gorge between two hills, the Kulavati and the Kulavan hills. With a height of about 550 feet, it is one of the tallest arch dams in Asia.
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