Top 10 Major Dams of India

After the great response on Biggest dams in India, on public demand here is the list another Top 10 Major Dams of India. India is country with some of the great rivers like Ganga, Narmada and Brahmputra. These rivers are having some of the big dams and largest reservoirs in India such as Nanak Sagar and Indira Sagar.

Lalitpur district in Uttar Pradesh is well known for its 7 dams, those are Rajghat dam, Matateela dam, Govindsagar dam, Sehjaad dam, Saajnam dam, Jamini dam and Rohini dam. Matatila dam is the biggest one form all of them with height of 33.53 meters on Betwa river.

5 Biggest Dams in India:

Cheruthoni Dam, Kerala

Cheruthoni Dam, the largest concrete gravity dam in Kerala, is located close to Idukki arch dam. It is the third highest dam in India with a 454 feet-high across River Cheruthoni. Idukki is a hill station in India, is much famous for its wildlife treasure keenly followed by other attractions too.

These two dams are one of best picnic spot for the tourists, The Idukki and Cheruthoni dam opened to the public in connection with the Onam festival season. At the end of the Cheruthoni dam continue walking along the properly fenced road lead to Idukki Dam. The height of 560 feet brought a thrilling experience and wonderful view of greens valley.

Height: 453 feet
Length: 651 meter
Type: Concrete Gravity Dam
River: Cheruthoni River
Location: Kerala
Installed capacity: 32 MW

Indira Sagar Dam, Madhya Pradesh

Indira sagar dam built on the Narmada river with a height of 92m. is concrete gravity dam, located in Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh. Indira sagar project was the key project on Narmada river providing excellent storage site of water. Indira Sagar Dam has the biggest reservoir in India.

Height: 302 feet
Length: 653 meter
Type: Concrete Gravity Dam
River: Narmada River
Location: Madhya Pradesh
Installed capacity: 1000 MW

Krishnarajasagar Dam, Karnataka

Krishnarajasagar dam built across Kaveri River near Mysore in Karnataka. It is one of the principal and largest dam built on the river Kaveri in Karnataka in, South India. The Kaveri is one of the major river in India and there is a Famous and beautiful Brindavan Gardens attached to the dam, its a part of the Krishna Raja Sagar Dam and is the most beautiful gardens in Mysore and one of best Garden in India.

Height: 131 feet
Length: 2620 meter
Type: Masonry Dam
River: Kaveri River
Location: Karnataka

Mettur Dam, Tamil Nadu

Mettur Dam built across Kaveri River at Salem district in Tamil Nadu with a height of 120 ft. It is one the largest and one of the oldest dam built in India. Mettur Dam has biggest and the most power generating capacity dam in Tamil Nadu. Mettur Dam is very beautiful place of tourist in Tamil Nadu, the river is a wonderful site to explorer the nature.

Height: 214 feet
Length: 1700 meters
Type: Concrete Dam
River: Kaveri River
Location: Tamil Nadu

Bisalpur Dam, Rajasthan

The greatest dam of Rajasthan-Bisalpur, located in Tonk District of Rajasthan. The dam is built across the Banas River between two mountains. The largest dam of Rajasthan-Bisalpur with a height of 39m is one of the honor of Rajasthan. Tonk dam attract vast variety of birds local as well as migratory.

Height: 130 feet
Length: 574 meter
Type: Gravity Dam
River: Banas River
Location: Rajasthan
Installed capacity: 172 MW

Koyna Dam, Maharashtra

Koyna Dam is built across river koyana in Koyna Naga Maharashtra with a height of 103m. It is one of the largest dams in Maharashtra located at western ghats. The lake founded by the Koyna dam is called The Shivaji Lake, the area is surrounded with the natural beauty of Sahyadri Mountains Ranges.

Height: 399 feet
Length: 807 meter
Type: Rubble-Concrete dam
River: Koyna River
Location: Maharashtra
Installed capacity: 1,960 MW

Maithon Dam, Jharkhand

Maithon Dam is built on the river of Barakar located at Maithon and is a big dam in tribal state Jharkhand. Maithon Dam is one of the most popular dams in Jharkhand and one of the most successful multipurpose projects in India. This dam specially designed for flood control and generates high electric power.

There is an underground power station, the first of its kind in the whole of South East Asia. Maithon Dam is the biggest reservoir in the Damodar Valley.

Height: 165 feet
Length: 4789 meter
Type: Concrete cum Earthen dam
River: Barakar River
Location: Jharkhand
Installed capacity: 60 MW

Rihand Dam, Uttar Pradesh

The Rihand dam has been built across Rihand River a tributary of Sone river, near Pipri in the Sonbhadra district of Uttar Pradesh. The concrete gravity dam has its maximum height that is 91m.  The reservoir made by Rihand dam is known as Govind Ballabh Pant (GBP) reservoir.

Height: 299 ft
Length: 934 meter
Type: Concrete Gravity dam
River: Rihand River
Location: Uttar Pradesh
Installed capacity: 300 MW

TungaBhadra Dam, Karnataka

TungaBhadra dam is constructed across river Tungabhadra, a tributary of River Krishna, located approximately five km from Hospet town in Karnataka, which is also the largest dam in Karnataka. It offers a majestic sight, along with a Japanese garden, musical mountain and a beautiful scenery of nature.

Height: 162 feet
Length: 2449 meters
Type: Earthen Gravity Dam
River: Tungabhadra River
Location: Karnataka
Installed capacity: 72 MW

Bhavanisagar Dam, Tamil Nadu

The Bhavani Sagar Dam constructed across Bhavani river, is located 80 Km away from Coimbatore city, Tamil Nadu. This dam looks very beautiful and one of the important tourist place in the district of Erode. The Bhavanisagar dam is 8 km. long and it is the longest masonry dam in the world.

Height: 130 feet
Length: 1700 meters
Type: Earthen dam
River: Bhavani River
Location: Tamil Nadu
Installed capacity: 1,920 MW

Impacts of Dams: On the other hand these big water reservoirs also affects rivers, environment, forest and wildlife around the area also the local people. The environmental impacts of dams are one is due to the construction and second is its mode of operation. Due to these reservoirs in rivers some species benefit like cold water fish etc but forests, wetlands and wildlife face most the effect of a dam like habitats loss of plants and animals.