Major Dams in India and Their Rivers

India now has more than 5700 large dams it is the second country in the world to have the highest number of large dams, after China and the U.S. India has more than 5700 large dams, the second highest in the world after China and the U.S. They are an important part of the country's economy: hundreds of thousands of square kilometres of agricultural land are irrigated, electricity generated, monsoon floods controlled and large cities have a good source of pure water.

The highest dam in India is the Tehri dam on the Bhagirathi river in Uttarakhand. Its height is 260.5 m. Other prominent multi-purpose dams are the Sutlej dam and the Sardar Sarovar dam on the Narmada. You'll finally get a list of major dams in India with their respective rivers and states, height of dams and their uses, a state-wise overview and facts.

What is a Dam and Why Are They Built?

Dams are built to regulate and retain water in a river or watercourse. They are constructed as part of the river basin development projects with the aim of achieving integration of water resources.

 Purpose of Dams in India 

• Irrigation - controlling monsoon floods and watering rice fields and other crops.
• Hydroelectric - potential energy of water to generate electricity.
• Control and regulation of floods.
• Water supply – providing clean water to the municipalities. In some dams, such as Tehri, water is used in whole cities such as Delhi.
• Navigation and sport fishing - there are relatively few dams and barrages in India, and they provide excellent conditions for sport and tourism.

List of Major Dams in India and Their Rivers

State-wise List of Major Dams in India

Dams in North India

• Bhakra Nangal Dam – Sutlej River – Himachal Pradesh/Punjab
• Pong Dam – Beas River – Himachal Pradesh
• Tehri Dam – Bhagirathi River – Uttarakhand
• Rihand Dam – Rihand River – Uttar Pradesh
• Salal Dam – Chenab River – Jammu & Kashmir
• Bisalpur Dam – Banas River – Rajasthan
• Rana Pratap Sagar Dam – Chambal River – Rajasthan

Dams in South India

• Nagarjuna Sagar Dam – Krishna River – Telangana/Andhra Pradesh
• Srisailam Dam – Krishna River – Andhra Pradesh
• Idukki Dam – Periyar River – Kerala
• Mullaperiyar Dam – Periyar River – Kerala
• Mettur Dam – Kaveri River – Tamil Nadu
• Krishna Raja Sagara Dam – Kaveri River – Karnataka
• Tungabhadra Dam – Tungabhadra River – Karnataka

Dams in West India

• Sardar Sarovar Dam – Narmada River – Gujarat
• Ukai Dam – Tapi River – Gujarat
• Koyna Dam – Koyna River – Maharashtra
• Jayakwadi Dam – Godavari River – Maharashtra
• Indira Sagar Dam – Narmada River – Madhya Pradesh
• Gandhi Sagar Dam – Chambal River – Madhya Pradesh

Dams in East and Northeast India

• Hirakud Dam – Mahanadi River – Odisha
• Rengali Dam – Brahmani River – Odisha
• Maithon Dam – Barakar River – Jharkhand
• Farakka Barrage – Ganga River – West Bengal
• Panchet Dam – Damodar River – Jharkhand/West Bengal

Top 10 Largest Dams in India

Tehri Dam - Bhagirathi River, Uttarakhand

Tehri Dam is the highest in India at 260.5 m. Completed in 2006, it generates 1,000 MW of power.  The reservoir volume is 3,540 MCM (3.54 km³).

Bhakra Nangal Dam - Sutlej River

This dam's height is 226 m, its capacity is 1,325 MW, and its Gobind Sagar reservoir holds about 9,340 MCM (9.34 billion m³).

Idukki Dam - Periyar River

This dam's height is 168.91 m, capacity 780 MW at the Moolamattom power station, and gross reservoir storage of 1,996 MCM (about 2 billion m³).

Sardar Sarovar Dam - Narmada River

This dam's height is 163 m, its capacity is 1,450 MW, and its live storage is 5,860 MCM with a gross storage of 9,500 MCM.

Nagarjuna Sagar Dam - Krishna River

This dam's height is 124 m, its capacity is ~816 MW, and its gross reservoir storage is 11,472 MCM (405 TMC).

Hirakud Dam - Mahanadi River

This dam's height is 61 m, its capacity is ~347.5 MW, and its reservoir capacity is about 5,896 MCM (205.56 TMC).

Indira Sagar Dam - Narmada River

This dam's height is 92 m, capacity 1,000 MW, and reservoir volume of 12,220 MCM (12.22 km³), the largest reservoir capacity in India.

Rihand Dam - Rihand River

This dam's height is 91.46 m, capacity 300 MW, and reservoir volume of about 10,600 MCM, forming India's largest artificial lake by area.

Koyna Dam - Koyna River

This dam's height is 103 m, capacity 1,960 MW, and reservoir volume of about 2,980 MCM (105 TMC) in the Shivsagar reservoir.

Mettur Dam - Kaveri River

 Height ~65 m (214 ft), capacity of ~240 MW at the Stanley hydroelectric power station, and gross reservoir capacity of 93.47 TMC (~2,647 MCM), reduced to ~1,994 MCM by sedimentation.

Important Dams and Rivers 

• Largest dam in India (By height): Tehri Dam, Bhagirathi River, Uttarakhand, 260.5 m.Tallest dam in the world: Nurek Dam, Afghanistan, 535 m.
• The longest dam in India is the Hirakud Dam on the Mahanadi River, Odisha, with a length of 25.8 km.
• The largest dam by reservoir volume is the Indira Sagar Dam (Narmada River, Madhya Pradesh).
• The world's largest man-made lake in terms of area, by the Rihand Dam, is Govind Ballabh Pant Sagar.
• Largest Masonry Dam: Nagarjuna Sagar Dam (on the river Krishna)
• Sardar Sarovar Dam (Narmada River) is the largest concrete dam by volume.
• The oldest dam that is still in use, Kallanai/Grand Anicut, was built around 150 CE by the Chola king, Karikala, on the Kaveri River in Tamil Nadu.

Conclusion

Dams in Indian has been connected to its culture and roots very deeply. Whether you are preparing for a competitive examination or just want to test your general knowledge, this list of dams in India with their rivers should be helpful to you. Bookmark this article to have an up-to-date source of information on India’s hydropower facilities.