Due to the geographical features of India, there is a huge potential for the construction of large dams on riverine lands. So far more than 5,202 dams have been constructed by India. Among these 5020 dams, some of the important dams, the river on which they are located, and the respective states are listed here.
What is a dam?
• A dam is a system that retains surface water or stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams.
Purpose of Dam
• Dams are used for various purposes viz …
• To store water
• To control flooding
• Electricity production
• For irrigation purposes
• To divert the flow of water
List of All Major dams in India
| Sl.No | Dams | State | River |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jalaput Dam | Andhrapradesh | Godavari |
| 2 | Polavaram Dam | Andhra Pradesh | Godavari |
| 3 | Somasila Dam | Andhra Pradesh | Penna River |
| 4 | Srisailam Dam | Andhra Pradesh (Nandyal district) & Telangana (Nagarkurnool district ) |
Krishna River |
| 5 | Nagarjuna Sagar Dam | Telangana (Nalgonda district) and Andhra Pradesh (Palnadu district) | Krishna River |
| 6 | Nizam Sagar Dam | Hyderabad | Godavari River |
| 7 | Ranganadi Dam | Arunachal Pradesh | Ranganadi River |
| 8 | Dibang Dam | Arunachal Pradesh | Dibang River |
| 9 | Dudhawa Dam | Chhattisgarh | Mahanadi |
| 10 | Gangrel Dam | Chhattisgarh | Mahanadi |
| 11 | Baskund Dam | Bihar | Baskund River |
| 12 | Nakti Dam | Bihar | Nakti River |
| 13 | Kaushalya Dam | Haryana | Kaushalya River |
| 14 | Konar Dam | Jharkhand | Konar River |
| 15 | Massanjore Dam | Jharkhand | Mayurakshi River |
| 16 | Panchet | Jharkhand (Dhanbad district) |
Damodar River |
| 17 | Maithon Dam | Jharkhand (Dhanbad District) |
Barakar River |
| 18 | Tungabhadra Dam | Karnataka | Tungabhadra |
| 19 | Rihand Dam | Uttar Pradesh | Rihand |
| 21 | Koyna Dam | Maharashtra | Koyna |
| 22 | Jayakwadi Dam | Maharashtra | Godavari |
| 23 | Serlui B Dam | Mizoram | Serlui River |
| 24 | Bisalpur Dam | Rajasthan | Banas River |
| 25 | Rana Pratap Sagar dam | Rajasthan | Chambal River |
| 26 | Gandhi Sagar Dam | Rajasthan | Chambal River |
| 27 | Kota Barrage | Rajasthan | Chambal River |
| 28 | Mettur Dam | Tamil Nadu | Kaveri River |
| 29 | Bhavani Sagar dam | Tamil Nadu | Bhavani River |
| 30 | Krishnarajasagar Dam | Karnataka | Kaveri River |
| 31 | Almatti Dam | Karnataka | Krishna River |
| 32 | Basava Sagara Dam | Karnataka | Krishna River |
| 33 | Bhadra Dam | Karnataka | Bhadra River |
| 34 | Renuka Sagara Dam | Karnataka | Malaprabha River |
| 35 | Indira Sagar Dam | Madhya Pradesh | Narmada River |
| 36 | Bansagar Dam | Madhya Pradesh | Son River |
| 37 | Bargi Dam | Madhya Pradesh | Narmada River |
| 38 | Omkareshwar Dam | Madhya Pradesh | Narmada River |
| 39 | Rajghat Dam | Madhya Pradesh | Betwa |
| 40 | Tipaimukh Dam | Manipur | Barak River |
| 41 | Khuga dam | Manipur | Khuga River |
| 42 | Cheruthoni Dam | Kerala | Cheruthoni |
| 43 | Malampuzha Dam | Kerala | Bharathapuzha River |
| 44 | Idukki Dam | Kerala | Periyar River |
| 45 | Mullaperiyar Dam | Kerala | Periyar River |
| 46 | Banasura Sagar Dam | Kerala | Kabini River |
| 47 | Dharoi dam | Gujarat | Sabarmati River |
| 48 | Ukai Dam | Gujarat | Tapti River |
| 49 | Sardar Sarovar Dam | Gujarat | Narmada |
| 51 | Hirakud dam | Odisha | Mahanadi |
| 52 | Indravati Dam | Odisha | Indravati River |
| 53 | Rangit Dam | Sikkim | Ranjit River |
| 54 | Bhakra Nangal Dam | Punjab-Himachal Pradesh Border |
Sutlej River |
| 55 | Ranjit Sagar Dam | Punjab | Ravi River |
| 56 | Pong Dam | Himachal Pradesh | Beas River |
| 57 | Nathpa Dam | Himachal Pradesh | Sutlej River |
| 58 | Tehri Dam | Uttarakhand | Bhagirathi River |
| 59 | Koteshwar Dam | Uttarakhand | Bhagirathi River |
| 60 | Asan Barrage | Uttarakhand | Yamuna River |
| 61 | Salal Dam | Jammu & Kashmir | Chenab River |
| 62 | Dul Hasti Dam | Jammu & Kashmir | Chenab River |
| 63 | Ratle Hydroelectric Dam | Jammu & Kashmir | Chenab River |
| 64 | Kishanganga Hydroelectric Dam | Jammu & Kashmir | Kishanganga River |
| 65 | Uri Dam | Jammu & Kashmir | Jhelum River |
| 66 | Baglihar Dam | Jammu & Kashmir | Chenab River |
| 67 | Mukutmanipur Dam | West Bengal | Kangsabati River |
| 68 | Maithon Dam | West Bengal (Paschim Bardhaman District) | Barakar River |
| 69 | Farakka Barrage | West Bengal | Ganges River |
| 70 | Panchet Dam | West Bengal (Purulia District) |
Damodar River |
| 71 | Durgapur Barrage | West Bengal | Damodar River |
Major dams in India Map
List of important dams in India [Selected]
• This section lists some selected dams asked in various competitive exams. All these dams are frequently asked in almost all competitive exams.
| Sl.No | Dams in India | State | River |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Polavaram Dam | Andhra Pradesh | Godavari |
| 2 | Srisailam Dam | Andhra Pradesh (Nandyal district) & Telangana (Nagarkurnool district ) |
Krishna River |
| 3 | Nagarjuna Sagar Dam | Telangana (Nalgonda district) and Andhra Pradesh (Palnadu district) | Krishna River |
| 4 | Massanjore Dam | Jharkhand | Mayurakshi River |
| 5 | Panchet | Jharkhand (Dhanbad district) |
Damodar River |
| 6 | Maithon Dam | Jharkhand (Dhanbad District) |
Barakar River |
| 7 | Rihand Dam | Uttar Pradesh | Rihand |
| 8 | Maithon Dam | Jharkhand | Barakar |
| 9 | Koyna Dam | Maharashtra | Koyna |
| 10 | Jayakwadi Dam | Maharashtra | Godavari |
| 11 | Rana Pratap Sagar dam | Rajasthan | Chambal River |
| 12 | Gandhi Sagar Dam | Rajasthan | Chambal River |
| 13 | Mettur Dam | Tamil Nadu | Kaveri River |
| 14 | Krishnarajasagar Dam | Karnataka | Kaveri River |
| 15 | Almatti Dam | Karnataka | Krishna River |
| 16 | Indira Sagar Dam | Madhya Pradesh | Narmada River |
| 17 | Omkareshwar Dam | Madhya Pradesh | Narmada River |
| 18 | Rajghat Dam | Madhya Pradesh | Betwa |
| 19 | Tipaimukh Dam | Manipur | Barak River |
| 20 | Idukki Dam | Kerala | Periyar River |
| 21 | Mullaperiyar Dam | Kerala | Periyar River |
| 22 | Banasura Sagar Dam | Kerala | Kabini River |
| 23 | Ukai Dam | Gujarat | Tapti River |
| 24 | Sardar Sarovar Dam | Gujarat | Narmada |
| 25 | Nagarjuna Sagar Dam | Telangana | Krishna |
| 26 | Hirakud dam | Odisha | Mahanadi |
| 27 | Indravati Dam | Odisha | Indravati River |
| 28 | Bhakra Nangal Dam | Punjab-Himachal Pradesh Border |
Sutlej River |
| 29 | Ranjit Sagar Dam | Punjab | Ravi River |
| 30 | Pong Dam | Himachal Pradesh | Beas River |
| 31 | Nathpa Dam | Himachal Pradesh | Sutlej River |
| 32 | Tehri Dam | Uttarakhand | Bhagirathi River |
| 33 | Asan Barrage | Uttarakhand | Yamuna River |
| 34 | Salal Dam | Jammu & Kashmir | Chenab River |
| 35 | Dul Hasti Dam | Jammu & Kashmir | Chenab River |
| 36 | Ratle Hydroelectric Dam | Jammu & Kashmir | Chenab River |
| 37 | Kishanganga Hydroelectric Dam | Jammu & Kashmir | Kishanganga River |
| 38 | Baglihar Dam | Jammu & Kashmir | Chenab River |
| 39 | Farakka Barrage | West Bengal | Ganges River |
Facts about some of the important Dams in India
| Facts | Dams | State | River |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oldest Dam in India | Kallanai Dam | Tamil Nadu | Kaveri river |
| Longest Dam in India | Hirakud Dam | Odisha | Mahanadi |
| Highest Dam in India | Tehri Dam | Uttarakhand | Bhagirathi River |
| Largest reservoir in Gujarat | Sardar Sarovar dam | Gujarat | Narmada |
| Uttarakhand’s first Ramsar site | Asan Barrage | Uttarakhand | Confluence of Asan and Yamuna River |
| Largest dam of India by volume | Rihand Dam | Uttar Pradesh | Rihand River |
| Highest gravity dam in India | Bhakra Dam | Himachal Pradesh | Sutlej River |
| World’s largest masonry dam | Nagarjuna Sagar Dam | Krishna River | Telangana (Nalgonda district) and Andhra Pradesh (Palnadu district) |
| Highest arch dam in India | Idukki Dam | Periyar River | Kerala |
Highlights on some important Dams in India
Oldest Dam in India
• Kallanai Dam, also known as Grand Anicut, is India’s oldest dam.
• It is located in the Thanjavur district of Tamilnadu.
• The dam is built across the Kaveri River.
• It was built by King Karikalan of the Chola dynasty in c. 100 BC – c. 100 AD.
• It is the world’s fourth oldest water diversion or water-control structure.
Highest Dam in India
• Tehri Dam in Uttarakhand is the Highest Dam in India.
• The dam height is 260.5 m (855 ft) and the length is 575 m (1,886 ft).
• It is built on the Bhagirathi River.
• It is currently ranked 12th on the list of the tallest dams in the world.
Longest Dam in India
• Hirakud Dam in Odisha (Sambalpur) is the longest dam in India.
• Aso, It is the longest earthen dam in the world.
• Hirakud Dam is built across the Mahanadi River.
• The length of the entire dam is around 25.8 km.
• The year of completion of the Hirakund Dam is 1957.
Highest Gravity Dam in India
• The Bhakra dam on the Sutlej River is the highest gravity dam in India.
• Bhakra Dam is the second highest dam in India after Tehri Dam.
• The dam is located at the Bhakra village of Bilaspur district in Himachal Pradesh.
• The height and length of Bhakra Dam are 226 meters (741 ft) and 520 meters (1700 ft) respectively.
• The construction of the dam was completed in 1963.
• The Bhakra Dam forms the Govind Sagar Reservoir, which stores 9.34 billion cubic meters of water.
• Govind Sagar Reservoir is the third largest reservoir in India after Indira Sagar Dam in Madhya Pradesh and Nagarjunasagar Dam in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Frequently Asked Questions about Dams in India
Ans. Tehri dam
• Located on the Bhagirathi river in Uttarakhand.
Ans. Hirakund dam
• Total length: 25.8Km
• Located on the Mahanadi River in Odisha
Ans. Kallanai Dam
• Located on the Kaveri River
• Built by Karikala Cholan of Chola Dynasty in 100 BC –100 AD.
Ans. Setluj river.
Ans. Uttar Pradesh
• Located on Rihand River.
Answer: 5,202
Answer: Maharashtra
• Maharashtra has the maximum number of large dams in the country (1845) followed by Madhya Pradesh (905) and Gujarat (666).
Answer: Cheruthoni Dam
• The Cheruthoni Dam is built across the Periyar River in the Idukki district, Kerala, India.
Answer: Ganga river
• Approximately 1000 large and small dams/barrages.
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