India’s unique geography, with its many rivers, provides excellent opportunities to build large dams. So far, India has constructed over 5,200 dams. Among these, some are considered the major dams in India. This post highlights a list of these major dams in India, the rivers they are built on, and the states where they are located.
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.
◾Also Explore: All Topics of Indian Geography
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 | Dam | State | River |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jalaput Dam | Andhra Pradesh | Godavari |
| 2 | Polavaram Dam | Andhra Pradesh | Godavari |
| 3 | Somasila Dam | Andhra Pradesh | Penna |
| 4 | Srisailam Dam | Andhra Pradesh (Nandyal) & Telangana (Nagarkurnool) | Krishna |
| 5 | Nagarjuna Sagar Dam | Telangana (Nalgonda) & Andhra Pradesh (Palnadu) | Krishna |
| 6 | Nizam Sagar Dam | Hyderabad | Godavari |
| 7 | Ranganadi Dam | Arunachal Pradesh | Ranganadi |
| 8 | Dibang Dam | Arunachal Pradesh | Dibang |
| 9 | Dudhawa Dam | Chhattisgarh | Mahanadi |
| 10 | Gangrel Dam | Chhattisgarh | Mahanadi |
| 11 | Baskund Dam | Bihar | Baskund |
| 12 | Nakti Dam | Bihar | Nakti |
| 13 | Kaushalya Dam | Haryana | Kaushalya |
| 14 | Konar Dam | Jharkhand | Konar |
| 15 | Massanjore Dam | Jharkhand | Mayurakshi |
| 16 | Panchet Dam | Jharkhand (Dhanbad) | Damodar |
| 17 | Maithon Dam | Jharkhand (Dhanbad) | Barakar |
| 18 | Tungabhadra Dam | Karnataka | Tungabhadra |
| 19 | Rihand Dam | Uttar Pradesh | Rihand |
| 20 | Koyna Dam | Maharashtra | Koyna |
| 21 | Jayakwadi Dam | Maharashtra | Godavari |
| 22 | Serlui B Dam | Mizoram | Serlui |
| 23 | Bisalpur Dam | Rajasthan | Banas |
| 24 | Rana Pratap Sagar Dam | Rajasthan | Chambal |
| 25 | Gandhi Sagar Dam | Rajasthan | Chambal |
| 26 | Kota Barrage | Rajasthan | Chambal |
| 27 | Mettur Dam | Tamil Nadu | Kaveri |
| 28 | Bhavani Sagar Dam | Tamil Nadu | Bhavani |
| 29 | Krishnarajasagar Dam | Karnataka | Kaveri |
| 30 | Almatti Dam | Karnataka | Krishna |
| 31 | Basava Sagara Dam | Karnataka | Krishna |
| 32 | Bhadra Dam | Karnataka | Bhadra |
| 33 | Renuka Sagara Dam | Karnataka | Malaprabha |
| 34 | Indira Sagar Dam | Madhya Pradesh | Narmada |
| 35 | Bansagar Dam | Madhya Pradesh | Son |
| 36 | Bargi Dam | Madhya Pradesh | Narmada |
| 37 | Omkareshwar Dam | Madhya Pradesh | Narmada |
| 38 | Rajghat Dam | Madhya Pradesh | Betwa |
| 39 | Tipaimukh Dam | Manipur | Barak |
| 40 | Khuga Dam | Manipur | Khuga |
| 41 | Cheruthoni Dam | Kerala | Cheruthoni |
| 42 | Malampuzha Dam | Kerala | Bharathapuzha |
| 43 | Idukki Dam | Kerala | Periyar |
| 44 | Mullaperiyar Dam | Kerala | Periyar |
| 45 | Banasura Sagar Dam | Kerala | Kabini |
| 46 | Dharoi Dam | Gujarat | Sabarmati |
| 47 | Ukai Dam | Gujarat | Tapti |
| 48 | Sardar Sarovar Dam | Gujarat | Narmada |
| 49 | Hirakud Dam | Odisha | Mahanadi |
| 50 | Indravati Dam | Odisha | Indravati |
| 51 | Rangit Dam | Sikkim | Ranjit |
| 52 | Bhakra Nangal Dam | Punjab-Himachal Pradesh Border | Sutlej |
| 53 | Ranjit Sagar Dam | Punjab | Ravi |
| 54 | Pong Dam | Himachal Pradesh | Beas |
| 55 | Nathpa Dam | Himachal Pradesh | Sutlej |
| 56 | Tehri Dam | Uttarakhand | Bhagirathi |
| 57 | Koteshwar Dam | Uttarakhand | Bhagirathi |
| 58 | Asan Barrage | Uttarakhand | Yamuna |
| 59 | Salal Dam | Jammu & Kashmir | Chenab |
| 60 | Dul Hasti Dam | Jammu & Kashmir | Chenab |
| 61 | Ratle Hydroelectric Dam | Jammu & Kashmir | Chenab |
| 62 | Kishanganga Dam | Jammu & Kashmir | Kishanganga |
| 63 | Uri Dam | Jammu & Kashmir | Jhelum |
| 64 | Baglihar Dam | Jammu & Kashmir | Chenab |
| 65 | Mukutmanipur Dam | West Bengal | Kangsabati |
| 66 | Maithon Dam | West Bengal (Paschim Bardhaman) | Barakar |
| 67 | Farakka Barrage | West Bengal | Ganges |
| 68 | Panchet Dam | West Bengal (Purulia) | Damodar |
| 69 | Durgapur Barrage | West Bengal | Damodar |
Major dams in India Map
![Major Dams in India Map [ncert, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons]](https://affairshub.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Major_Rivers_and_Dam_in_India.webp "Major_Rivers_and_Dam_in_India")
◾Top 10 Longest River in India with key details
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
Q1. Which is the largest dam in India?
Ans. Tehri dam
• Located on the Bhagirathi river in Uttarakhand.
Q2. Which is the longest dam in India?
Ans. Hirakund dam
• Total length: 25.8Km
• Located on the Mahanadi River in Odisha
Q3. Which is the oldest dam in India?
Ans. Kallanai Dam
• Located on the Kaveri River
• Built by Karikala Cholan of Chola Dynasty in 100 BC –100 AD.
Q4. Bhakra Nangal Dam is on which river?
Ans. Setluj river.
Q5. Where is the Rihand Dam?
Ans. Uttar Pradesh
• Located on Rihand River.
Q6. How many dams are there in India?
Answer: 5,202
Q7. Which state has more dams in India?
Answer: Maharashtra
• Maharashtra has the maximum number of large dams in the country (1845) followed by Madhya Pradesh (905) and Gujarat (666).
Q8. Which is the smallest dam in India?
Answer: Cheruthoni Dam
• The Cheruthoni Dam is built across the Periyar River in the Idukki district, Kerala, India.
Q9. Which river has more dams in India?
Answer: Ganga river
• Approximately 1000 large and small dams/barrages.
