India, with its vast agricultural base and seasonal monsoon pattern, has invested significantly in dams and irrigation projects to regulate water supply, boost crop production, and generate hydroelectric power. These infrastructure projects play a critical role in water management, especially in drought-prone and rain-fed regions. Below is a comprehensive overview of the most significant dams and irrigation projects across India.
Dams serve multiple purposes—irrigation, drinking water supply, hydroelectricity, flood control, and navigation. Irrigation projects ensure that agricultural land receives a steady water supply, improving crop yields and food security. Together, these water infrastructure initiatives contribute to rural development, poverty reduction, and agricultural resilience.
1. Bhakra Nangal Dam (Himachal Pradesh/Punjab)
River: Sutlej
Type: Concrete gravity dam
Purpose: Irrigation, hydroelectric power, flood control
Significance: One of the highest dams in India, it supports the Indira Gandhi Canal and transforms the arid regions of Rajasthan.
2. Hirakud Dam (Odisha)
River: Mahanadi
Type: Earthen and masonry dam
Purpose: Irrigation and power generation
Significance: Among the longest earthen dams globally, it helps control floods in the Mahanadi basin.
3. Sardar Sarovar Dam (Gujarat)
River: Narmada
Type: Concrete gravity dam
Purpose: Irrigation, drinking water, hydroelectric power
Significance: Provides water to arid regions of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh.
4. Tehri Dam (Uttarakhand)
River: Bhagirathi
Type: Rock and earth-fill embankment dam
Purpose: Power generation, water supply, irrigation
Significance: One of India’s tallest dams, it contributes significantly to Northern India’s power grid.
5. Nagarjuna Sagar Dam (Telangana/Andhra Pradesh)
River: Krishna
Type: Masonry dam
Purpose: Irrigation and power generation
Significance: Major contributor to the green revolution in Andhra-Telangana region.
1. Indira Gandhi Canal (Rajasthan)
Source: Harike Barrage on Sutlej-Beas rivers
Coverage: Western Rajasthan
Purpose: Irrigates the Thar Desert
Impact: Transformed desert lands into fertile agricultural zones.
2. Kosi Project (Bihar)
River: Kosi
Purpose: Flood control and irrigation
Significance: Helps regulate the 'Sorrow of Bihar' and support agriculture in the fertile Gangetic plains.
3. Tungabhadra Project (Karnataka/Andhra Pradesh)
River: Tungabhadra (tributary of Krishna)
Purpose: Irrigation and hydroelectricity
Significance: Supports agriculture in the Deccan plateau and controls seasonal flooding.
4. Upper Krishna Project (Karnataka)
River: Krishna
Purpose: Irrigation and water supply
Impact: Boosts agricultural development in North Karnataka.
5. Rihand Project (Uttar Pradesh)
River: Rihand (tributary of Son)
Purpose: Power generation and irrigation
Significance: Supplies water and electricity to parts of eastern Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
Northern India
Bhakra Nangal (Punjab/Himachal)
Tehri Dam (Uttarakhand)
Rihand Project (U.P.)
Eastern India
Hirakud Dam (Odisha)
Kosi Project (Bihar)
Western India
Sardar Sarovar (Gujarat)
Indira Gandhi Canal (Rajasthan)
Southern India
Nagarjuna Sagar (Telangana/AP)
Tungabhadra (Karnataka/AP)
Mettur Dam (Tamil Nadu) – on the Cauvery, vital for delta agriculture.
India’s major dams and irrigation projects have been instrumental in transforming its agricultural landscape. From mitigating floods and droughts to ensuring year-round water supply for crops, these initiatives are central to India’s food security and rural development. However, challenges like inter-state disputes, displacement, ecological impacts, and maintenance issues persist. Thus, sustainable and equitable water management remains key to optimizing the benefits of these massive infrastructure investments.