Feeding and powering the millions in a nation like India can only happen with the help of the largest dams in India. These massive structures are the root for directing the waters for irrigation, generating electricity and controlling the flood.
As India faces growing water security challenges and increased energy demands, these large dams continue to play a vital role in infrastructure.
These largest dams in India represent the pinnacle of the Nation’s water resource engineering.
| Dam | State | River | Height(m) | Length(m) | Reservoir Capacity (Tmc ft) | Power Generation (MW) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tehri Dam | Uttarakhand | Bhagirathi | 260.5 | 575 | 125.03 | 1000 |
| Hirakud Dam | Odisha | Mahanadi | 60.96 | 4800 | 205.56 | 347.5 |
| Indira Sagar | Madhya Pradesh | Narmada | 92 | 953 | 432 | 1000 |
| Nagarjuna Sagar | Telangana and Andhra Pradesh (Joint Project) | Krishna | 124 | 1550 | 405 | 816 |
| Sardar Sarovar Dam | Gujarat | Narmada | 138.68 | 1210 | 334.12 | 1450 |
| Srisailam Dam | Andhra Pradesh and Telangana (Joint Project) | Krishna | 145.10 | 512 | 216 | 1670 |
| Bhakra Nangal Dam | Himachal Pradesh | Setlej | 226 | 520 | 266.7 | 1325 |
| Idukki Dam | Kerala | Periyar | 168.91 | 365.85 | 70.5 | 780 |
| Rihand Dam | Uttar Pradesh | Son | 91.46 | 934.45 | 374.34 | 300 |
| Koyna Dam | Maharashtra | Krishna | 103.2 | 807.2 | 105.27 | 1960 |
1. Tehri Dam, UttaraKhand (Largest Dam in India by Height)
Located on the Bhagirathi River in Uttarakhand, Tehri Dam is the tallest dam in India and ranks 13th in the world.
With a height of 260.5 meters, Tehri Dam was opened in 2006. It is a multipurpose dam used both for storing water and generating electricity.
This dam’s reservoir processes a storage capacity of 125.03 Tmc ft of water, aiding the irrigation and drinking water purposes in the state of Uttarakhand. It also helps regulate the water flow, reducing the flood risks in the monsoon season.
As one of the largest dams in India, the Tehri dam and reservoir play a crucial role in providing irrigation water to 270000 hectares of land and even drinking water to Delhi.
This dam houses a powerhouse with an installed power capacity of 1000 MW (Megawatts). It helps meet the power demands in the northern region of India.
Though the Tehri dam stands out from the rest due to its height and engineering excellence, it has also faced its share of controversies. Like several other dams, they mainly concern environmental impact and the displacement of local communities.
This project resulted in the submergence of old Tehri town and affected around 125 villages (37 villages submerged and 88 partially affected), displacing people in vast numbers.
2. Hirakud Dam, Odisha (Largest Dam in India by Length)
Stretching across River Mahanadi, Hirakud Dam, located in Odisha, is the longest dam in India. It is also the longest earthen dam in the world, with a length of 25.8 kilometres.
It is the first major multipurpose river valley dam constructed after India’s independence. The foundation was laid in 1948 and was completed in 1957.
The aim of this project is to regulate the destructive floods of the Mahanadi River while boosting agricultural and industrial growth in Odisha
This dam has a reservoir capacity of 205.56 Tmc ft, contributing to the drinking water supply and irrigation. This project provides water to irrigate 155635 hectares of land in the districts of Sambalpur, Bargarh, Bolangir and Subarnapur.
With two powerhouses on either side of the dam, this project has an installed capacity to generate 347.5MW of electricity.
This project had submerged 325 villages covering 183000 acres of land, displacing around one lakh people.
Despite these concerns, Hirakud Dam’s contribution to the region’s growth and prosperity is undeniable.
3. Indira Sagar Dam, Madhya Pradesh (Largest Dam in India by Water Storage Capacity)
The Indira Sagar Dam, located in the Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh, is the Dam with the largest reservoir and is the largest dam in India in terms of water storage capacity.
This dam’s reservoir has an impressive total capacity of 432 Tmc ft. It supplies water to irrigate 269000 hectares of land directly in the districts of West Nimar, East Nimar, and Barwani.
This Dam serves as a key element of the Narmada Valley development scheme. It played a crucial role in improving agricultural and industrial growth in Madhya Pradesh.
Completed in 2005, this concrete gravity dam is 92 meters in height and 653 meters long across the River Narmada. Indira Sagar Dam also plays a key role in regulating the water flow to the dams and reservoirs downstream.
It has a hydro-electricity power plant with an installed capacity of 1000 megawatts.
Unlike several other dams in India, Indira Sagar Dam has developed a reservoir suitable for fishery, producing tons of fish annually.
The construction of this dam displaced a town and 100 villages, directly impacting 371 additional villages.
4. Nagarjuna Sagar Dam, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh
Located between the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana on River Krishna, this dam is a joint irrigation project for these two states.
This project is one of the earliest multipurpose dam projects in India and was completed in 1967.
Nagarjuna Sagar Dam created a large reservoir with a total capacity of 405 Tmc ft, making it the second largest reservoir in India.
Completed in 1969, it is one of the largest dams in India, with a height of 124 meters and a length of 1550 meters.
The construction of this dam submerged the renowned Buddhist settlement of Nagarjuna Konda, which was relocated and preserved.
The project name honors the renowned Buddhist scholar Acharya Nagarjuna associate with Narguna Konda.
This dam generates 816MW of hydro-electricity, and the power generation happens on both sides of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
The dam features left and right bank canals spanning 179 and 203 km, respectively. Nagarjuna Sagar’s Canal system is one of the most extensive irrigation networks in India.
Nagarjuna Sagar Dam provides water to 860000 hectares of land in Guntur, Nalgonda, Krishna, Prakasam, and Khammam districts across two states. It also provides drinking water to several districts.
All these together make Nagarjuna Sagar Dam one of India’s most significant water infrastructure projects.
However, this dam also had its share of controversy in relation to the displacement of local people and ecological disturbances.
5. Sardar Sarovar Dam, Gujarat
Built across the Narmada River in Gujarat, Sardar Sarovar Dam holds a prominent position among the largest dams in India due to its strategic location and remarkable size.
Completed in 2017, It is a concrete gravity dam with a height of 138.68 meters and length measuring 1210 meters.
Like other dams, the Sardar Sarovar Dam is a multipurpose project providing irrigation and drinking water supply along with power generation.
It features a riverbed powerhouse and a canal head powerhouse altogether, generating 1450 MW of electricity. This makes the Sardar Sarovar Dam one of the dams with the highest installed power generation capacity.
The reservoir created from this dam has a total capacity of 334.12 Tmc ft and the discharge capacity of this dam with its spillway is 30Lakh cusec’s.
This project provides drinking water to 9490 villages and 173 urban centres in Gujarat, along with 1336 villages and three towns in the neighbouring state of Rajasthan.
This dam has become a major tourist attraction after the construction of the world’s tallest statue, the Statue of Unity, which is on the side of the dam.
Submergence due to the dam’s reservoir comprise 245 villages across the three states Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat.
6. Srisailam Dam, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana
Build across the River Krishna between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. This massive dam became a shared property of both states, with interstate power and water-sharing arrangements following the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.
This dam is a vital source of water and power for the Telangana State and Rayalaseema region in Andhra Pradesh. Also, this dam plays a critical role in regulating the flood in River Krishna.
This gravity and masonry dam measures 145.10 meters in height and 512 meters in length. It has a spillway capacity of 13.5 Lakh cuces.
Srisailam reservoir has a capacity of 215.8 Tmc ft and plays a crucial role in supplying water for irrigation, industrial and drinking water needs of this region.
Having an installed capacity of 1670 MW, Srisailam Dam is one of the top dams in India in terms of electricity generation.
This project has two power stations with 6 turbines of 150MW capacity on the left bank for Telangana and 7 turbines of 110MW capacity on the right bank for Andhra Pradesh.
In addition, this dam attracts a large number of tourists, especially those who visit the nearby Srisailam Temple.
This project submerged a large amount of forest cover, along with 100 villages, displacing one lakh people.
7. Bhakra Nangal Dam, Himachal Pradesh
The Bhakra Nangal Dam, located on the Sutlej River in the Himachal Pradesh state, is one of India’s earliest multipurpose river valley projects.
It is the second tallest dam and is one of the largest dams in India with a height of 226 meters and a length of 520 meters.
This dam plays a critical role in water storage for irrigation, drinking water, and power generation.
Construction of the dam began in 1948 and was opened in 1963. It was constructed by technical collaboration with the United States Bureau of Reclamation.
This concrete gravity dam design withstands the immense pressure from the water of the Sutlej River and its positioning.
With a gross storage capacity of 266.70 Tmc ft, Bhakra Dam has one of the largest reservoirs in India.
The Bhakra canal system is a comprehensive irrigation network spreading over 2900 km that includes the Bhakra mainline, Nangal channel and other branch canals.
This canal network provides irrigation water to fields, supporting farming in Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan.
There are two power stations on either side of the dam supporting the generation of 1325 MW of electricity.
About 371 villages were submerged due to the construction of this dam. One of the concerns of Bhakra Nangal Dam is the silt accumulation, which has reduced the storage capacity and affected the efficiency.
8. Idukki Dam, Kerala
Located on the Periyar River in Kerala, the Idukki Dam is one of the unique dams in India, known for its design characteristics and engineering brilliance.
This project utilized two natural mountains as abutments, unlike several large dams that need extensive construction on river valleys.
Standing at a height of 168.91 meters and 365.85 meters in length, it is a double curvature arch dam and is one of the highest arch dams in Asia.
This multipurpose project stores water for irrigation and drinking purposes alongside power generation and flood prevention.
Idukki Dam reservoir has a total capacity of 70.5 Tmc ft and a catchment area of 648.3 km2. The gross irrigation area under this project is 85600 hectares.
This project has an underground powerhouse with an installed capacity of 780 MW.
9. Rihand Dam, Uttar Pradesh
The Rihand Dam, also known as Govind Ballabh Pant Sagar Dam, has an impressive length of 934.45 meters and a height of 91.46 meters.
The one thing that makes Rihand Dam stand out is not just its length but also its storage capacity.
Rihand Dam reservoir has a total capacity of 374.34 Tmc ft, making this dam’s reservoir stand third among the largest reservoirs in India.
Present on River Rihand, a tributary of River Son. It is a multipurpose dam that was built to control floods, generate electricity, and supply drinking and irrigation water in Uttar Pradesh.
Additionally, it supports numerous industries and several thermal power projects in the Singrauli region, which has rich coal reserves.
The dam’s Hydroelectric plant has an installed capacity of 300MW, making it a critical power hub in this region.
10. Koyna Dam, Maharashtra
Present on the Koyna River, a tributary of the River Krishna, Koyna Dam is one of the most significant water infrastructure projects in Maharashtra.
The project got its tremendous name due to its high-power generation capacity of 1960 MW, securing the energy needs of Maharashtra, particularly for the industrial centres around Mumbai and Pune.
This Dam ranks second among hydroelectric power projects after Tehri Dam.
Simultaneously, Koyna Dam also serves irrigation, fishing, and flood control purposes. It is also significantly attracting tourists looking to explore the scenic sights of the western ghats.
It is a gravity-based rubble concrete dam with a height of 103.2 meters and spans a length of 807.2 meters. This Dam features a spillway with 6 gates designed to handle a maximum discharge of 18,475 cubic meters per second.
This dam creates a reservoir known as Shivasagar Lake, which has a storage capacity of 105.27 Tmc ft.
Though the dam is built primarily for power generation, it contributes significantly to the agricultural productivity. This dam provides irrigation water to 1,50,000 hectares of land in Maharashtra.
The Koyna Dam area is internationally recognized for reservoir-induced seismicity.
A few years after the dam opened, a devastating earthquake struck, resulting in 177 deaths closely associated with the heightened seismic activity highly attributed to the dam.
This made this Dam an area for studying reservoir-induced earthquakes.
Other Largest Dams in India
Several other dams are known for their storage capacity, power generation, or physical specifications, such as height and length.
Some of them are.
- Ukai Dam, Gujarat
- Tungabhadra dam, Karnataka
- Bansagar Dam, Madhya Pradesh
- Ujjani Dam, Maharashtra
- Somasila Dam, Andhra Pradesh
- Sriram Sagar, Telangana
- Mettur Dam, Tamil Nadu
- Jayawadi Dam, Maharashtra
