What is a dam? A barrier built across a river to create a lake
or for generation hydroelectricity.
Why are dams useful? As a result water is stored in a lake that
will form upstream of dam. The main purpose of the most of the dams
is to create a reservoir of water to use at a later time. There are
different types of dams like concrete dams, arch dams and earth
dams. The design and construction of a dam depends upon its purpose
and location as well as materials and workforce available. Dams are
extremely useful to us for they help to control floods and supply
water to dams and cities. Dams also generate hydroelectric power,
and the water stored in the lake is useful for irrigation of crops.
The lake that forms behind the dam can be useful for water sports
and leisure activities. Often, large dams become tourist
attractions of their own sight.
How should a dam be? A dam must be waterlight, and must be also
stable. The dam wall must have sufficient strength to firstly bear
its own weight and secondly to resist the water pressure in the
lake upstream of the dam. It must have an outlet valve to release
water in controlled amounts as required. It also needs a spillway
so that large volumes of flood water can flow around it without
causing any damage to the structure itself.
The places we have dams in India
India in the world of dams After independence we have made lots
of progress in Dam and Water Reservoirs, Now India is one of the
worlds most prolific dam-builders. Around 4300 large dams already
constructed and many more in the pipeline, Almost half of which are
more than twenty years old. These dams are major attraction of
tourists from all over India. Some facts about the Indian dams are
that The Tehri Dam is the eighth highest dam in the world. The
Idukki dam is the first Indian arch dam in Periyar River Kerala is
the largest arch dam in Asia. The Grand Anicut, Kallanai, located
on Holy Kaveri River in Tamil Nadu, is the oldest dam in the world.
Indira Sagar Dam is the Largest Reservoir in India. These dams with
the channel provides an ideal environment for wildlife.
5 biggest dams in India.
1. Tehri Dam: Tehri Dam located on the Bhagirathi River,
Uttaranchal now become Uttarakhand. Tehri Dam is the highest dam in
India, With a height of 261 meters and the eighth tallest dam in
the world. Tehri Dam
2. Bhakra Nangal Dam: Bhakra Nangal Dam is a gravity dam across
the sutlej river Himachal Pradesh. Bhakra Nangal is the largest
gravity dam in India, with a height of 225 meters. Its reservoir,
known as the Gobind Sagar Lake it is the second largest reservoir
in India, the first being Indira Sagar dam. Bhakra Nangal Dam
3. Hirakud Dam: Hirakud dam built across the Mahanadi River in
Orissa. Hirakud Dam is one of the longest dams in the world about
26 km in length. There are two observation towers on the dam one is
Gandhi Minar and another one is Nehru Minar. Hirakud Dam
4. Nagarjunasagar Dam: Nagarjuna Sagar Dam is the worlds
largest masonry dam with a height of 124 meters, built across
Krishna River in Andhra Pradesh. Nagarjuna Sagar Dam is certainly
the pride of India- considered the largest man-made lake in the
world. Nagarjunasagar Dam
5. Sardar Sarovar Dam: Sardar Sarovar Dam also known as Narmada
Dam is the largest dam to be built, with a height of 138 meters,
over the Sacred Narmada River in Gujarat. Drought prone areas of
Kutch and Saurashtra will get irrigate by this project. The Narmada
dam is Indias most controversial dam project. Sardar Sarovar
Dam
Thank you for watching my presentation. Hope you like it.
