Dams in India, Complete List, Importance & Longest Dam Explained

India, with its vast and diverse geographical landscape, is home to thousands of dams that play a crucial role in water management, agriculture, electricity generation, and flood control. A dam is essentially a man-made barrier constructed across rivers or streams to regulate or halt the flow of water. This creates a storage area, or reservoir, used for purposes such as irrigation, drinking water supply, and power generation. India currently has a total of 5,334 dams, of which 447 are classified as major dams.                                                         

Significance of Dams in India 

Dams play a very crucial role in India’s growth and water management. They provide many benefits that help the country in different ways:

• Clean Energy Source: Dams help in generating electricity using the force of moving water. They have machines called turbines that spin when water flows through them. This creates a type of energy called hydroelectric power, which is clean and doesn’t pollute the environment. In 2023, this kind of power made up about 11% of all the electricity India could produce, with around 46,865 megawatts (MW).
• Support for Farming: Dams help store large amounts of water that can be used for farming. This improves irrigation, increases the amount of land that can be farmed, and helps farmers grow more crops. 
• Flood Control and Water Storage: Dams help to manage heavy rains by storing extra water and releasing it slowly which prevent floods. During dry seasons, the stored water can be used to supply water to people and farms.

List of Major Dams in India 

India has built many large dams to support irrigation, generate electricity, and manage water during floods and dry seasons. These dams are spread across different states and play a big role in the country’s growth. Some are known for their size, while others are important for the number of people they help. Below is a list of some of the major dams in India:

Longest Dam in India

The Longest Dam in India is the Hirakud Dam, located in the state of Odisha across the Mahanadi River, approximately 15 kilometres (9 miles) from Sambalpur. It stretches over a length of 25.79 kilometres, making it one of the longest earthen dams in the world.

Highest Dam in India

The Tehri Dam, located in Uttarakhand, is the Highest Dam in India, standing at a height of 260.5 meters (855 feet), making it the 12th tallest dam in the world. It is also the largest hydroelectric power project in India, with a planned total installed capacity of 2,400 megawatts (MW).

Oldest Dam in India 

The Kallanai, also known as the Grand Anicut, located on the Kaveri River in Tamil Nadu, is one of the Oldest dams in India, built around 150 CE by King Karikala of the Chola dynasty. The dam still functions today and is situated 45 kilometers from Thanjavur and 15 kilometers from Tiruchirapalli. It is the oldest operational dam in India and the fourth-oldest water diversion structure in the world.