After 65 year of independence India has made lots of progress in Dam and Water Reservoirs. Dams in India have been built across many perennial rivers. These dams in India are a part of several multi-purpose projects to serve a variety of needs. In a multi-purpose project, a river forms a unit and a river valley is developed, by exploiting all the resources of the river. Basically, dams are built to harness the river water so that it can be utilized according to the needs.

On the side, Dams represent some of the most incredible architectural feats in India today and now the country is one of the world’s most prolific dam-builders. While most dams were designed to impound or retain water, others (like floodgates and levees) are often used to control water flow into certain areas. These dams are major attraction of tourists from all over India. These dams with the channel also provide an ideal environment for sustaining wildlife.

Sardar Sarovar Dam:
Sardar Sarovar Dam is one of the main projects executed in Gujarat. 30 large dams were planned for Narmada River in Gujarat. Sardar Sarovar Dam being the largest has a height of around 136.5 metres (455 feet). The multi-purpose Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP) irrigates more than 1.8 million hectares. Further, Ukai Dam near Surat is known as a mega project in the state. This dam has a storage capability of around 46 percent of the whole capacity of the other dams in Gujarat when put together. Dams in Gujarat were mainly constructed to control floods, but they later started to function as water suppliers and reservoirs. Gujarat has around 21 large dams, among the total of 541 Indian Dams. The five chief projects of Gujarat are the Dantiwada, Kadana, Dharoi, Ukai and Sardar Sarovar. These projects are considered to be the main sources of water for irrigation and drinking across the state. These five dams in Gujarat hold national significance.

Neyyar Dam:
Neyyar Dam is a gravity dam on the Neyyar River in Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala, South India. Located on the foot of the Western Ghats about 30 km from Thiruvananthapuram, this vast reservoir is a fun place. Water falling over from a depth of 100 feet is worth viewing and enough to captivate one’s mind. Neyyar Dam has a scenic lake. Some other attractions near and around the dam include a lion safari park, deer park, crocodile breeding and rehabilitation center. Some wildlife can also be seen around the park which includes wild elephants, sambar deer, gaur, Nilgiri langur and many others.



Maharana Pratap Sagar:
Maharana Pratap Sagar also known as Pong Dam or Pong Dam Lake is the highest earth fill dam in India on the Beas River in the wetland zone of the Siwalik Hills of the Kangra district in Himachal Pradesh. The reservoir is bounded by the rugged mountain ranges of Dhauladhar, the low foothills of the Himalaya on the northern edge of the Indo-Gangetic plains making it a picturesque spot for the nature lovers. This man made reservoir is also a home to a large number of migratory birds. Other major attractions include a regional water sports centre that has been established in the Pong dam reservoir and offers focused activities such as canoeing, rowing, sailing, and water skiing, apart from swimming making it also a hot spot for the water sports lovers.

Hirakud Dam:
Hirakud Dam is built across the Mahanadi River, about 15 km from Sambalpur in the state of Orissa, India. This dam is recognized as one of the longest dams in the world. The main purpose of building the dam was to check the massive flood that was affecting the lives of people in the coastal Orissa. This dam is also a haven for the migratory birds during the winters. The waters of this expansive Dam can be viewed from two revolving towers Jawahar Minar on the southern end and Gandhi Minar on the northern end.

Jayakwadi Dam:
The Jayakwadi project is one of the largest irrigation projects in the state of Maharashtra. Located 4 km, north of Paithan town, about 56 km south of Aurangabad in Maharashtra, This earthen dam on Godavari River is a treat for nature lovers. It is home to a large number of resident as well as migratory birds during the winters. The dam is a multipurpose project and its water is mainly used to irrigate the agricultural land in the drought-prone region of Marathwada region of Maharashtra.



Tehri Dam:
The Tehri Dam is a multi-purpose rock and earth-fill embankment dam on the Bhagirathi River near Tehri in Uttarakhand, India. Tehri dam faced much controversy at the time of its construction from the environmentalists. The dam with a massive artificial lake is now a major attraction for tourists. Tehri Dam is also the eighth highest dam in the world.