
Dams in
Maharashtra are constructed on several rivers which flow across the Indian state including the
Mula River,
Bhima River and
Godavari River and a number of other rivers. These dams are built on different rivers flowing through Maharashtra in order to meet to the drinking water requirements of the nearby towns. Some of the dams of Maharashtra are situated in the middle of a suitable and beautiful lush green natural setting, which attracts several tourists from different regions in the country. There are hydroelectric power plants located at some of the Dams. In total, there are almost 1821 noteworthy dams in Maharashtra state in India.
Some of the most prominent dams in the sate of Maharashtra are discussed below-
Mula Dam in Maharashtra
One of the notable dams in Maharashtra is the
Mula Dam, located near the Baragaon Nandur village. The reservoir of the Mula Dam is known as Dnayneshwar Sagar. This dam of Maharashtra was constructed with the objective of supplying drinking water to the closely located towns like Ahmednagar and Rahuri. This dam was erected in the year 1974 and it is the biggest dam in Ahmednagar. Mula Dam site is one of the renowned places of attractions in the state because of its scenic surroundings.
Koyna Dam in Maharashtra
Another major dam in Maharashtra is the
Koyna Dam. This is one of the prime dams and is situated in Koyna Nagar.
Jaikwadi Dam or the Nath Sagar is situated very close to
Paithan, which lies at a distance of about 50 kilometres from
Aurangabad district. This dam is built on
Godavari River and is at a distance of around 110 kilometres from
Ahmednagar district.
Ujani Dam in Maharashtra
Another popular dam in this state is the
Ujani Dam, which is built on the
Bhima River. Ujani dam is situated in the
Indapur Taluka of
Pune. It possesses a vast catchments area. The backwaters of this dam cover a large area and the dam is considered as one of the appropriate tourist destinations of Maharashtra.
Mulshi Dam in Maharashtra
Another well known dam is
Mulshi Dam. It is located in Pune District. This dam is built over the
Mula River. Water from this dam in Maharashtra is used for the purpose of irrigation. The Tata Power Company LTD operates the Mulshi Dam for producing electricity at the closely located Bhira hydroelectric power plant. The power generated by the power station of Mulshi Dam is mainly supplied to the capital city
Mumbai.
Panshet Dam in Maharashtra
Panshet Dam is another chief dam in Maharashtra which was erected around 40 years back for irrigation purpose. This dam is one of the major sources of water in Thane District. Panshet Dam in Maharashtra is a multipurpose project, which helps in the irrigation of agricultural lands and generation of hydro electricity. The height of this dam is around 89 metres and its length is nearly 959 metres.
Bhandardara Dam in Maharashtra
Among several dams in Maharashtra,
Bhandardara Dam is one of the prominent dams of the state. This dam is constructed over Arthur Lake in
Ahmednagar District. Bhandardara Dam was erected in 1926 and is noted for its tourism value. This dam is also reputed as one of the oldest dams in Asia, erected at an elevation of 750 metres from mean sea level. The major attraction is the Umbrella Falls, which offers the visitors with a breathtaking sight. Another waterfall by the name of Randha falls is situated at a distance of about 11 kilometres from this dam.
Vaitarna Dam in Maharashtra
Another dam in Maharashtra is the
Vaitarna Dam in
Thane. This dam is segregated into three parts. As per the flow of the Vaitarna River, the three parts of this dam are Upper Vaitarna Dam, Lower Vaitarna Dam and Middle Vaitarna Dam. The Upper Vaitarna Dam is a scenic dam site, situated at a distance of about 20 kilometres from Khodala in Thane district. The Vaitarna Dam is regarded as the major source of water in the city of
Mumbai.
Pawna Dam in Maharashtra
Another known dam in this state is the
Pawna Dam which was constructed across the River Pawna and is situated in close proximity to Lonavala. The vicinity of the dam is famous as one of the most renowned tourist destination and the ferry services across the dam caters to the transportation of tourists.
Girna Dam in Maharashtra
The
Girna Dam in the state of
Maharashtra is located in Nasik District, which is drained by two chief rivers, the Girna and the
Godavari River. The main purpose for the construction of the Girna Dam is to collect the water of the river for irrigation purpose, especially in the rainy season.
Nandur Madhmeshwar Dam in Maharashtra
Nandur Madhmeshwar Dam is a continuing project by the state government of Maharashtra Government. The primary purpose for the construction of the Nandur Madhmeshwar Dam is to provide water for irrigation.
Kolkewadi Dam in Maharashtra
The
Kolkewadi Dam is situated in the Konkan region of Maharashtra. The Kolkewadi Dam is a vital part of the Koyna Dam hydroelectric project. The space behind the Kolkewadi dam is one of the most sparsely populated regions of Maharashtra.
The
Jaikwadi Dam spreads over an area of about 1300 sq km. This dam provides water to
Aurangabad and produces abundant hydroelectric power.
Yeldari Dam, constructed on the
Purna River is a small hydel power station and afterwards. Another dam by the name of the
Manair Dam is built on the River Manair. Another prominent dam of Maharashtra is the
Radhanagari Dam. It is constructed over the River Bhogawati. One of the notable dams in Maharashtra is the Wilson Dam, which was constructed in the year 1910 across the
Pravara River. It is located 150 metres above sea level
Therefore, the dams in Maharashtra act as the main source of water for different cities, towns and villages in the state. These dams also hold some of the hydroelectric power plants where electricity is generated.
(Last Updated on : 13/02/2012)