Koyna Dam is one of the largest dams in the state of Maharashtra, India. The dam is located in Koyna Nagar, nestled in the Western Ghats on the state highway between Chiplun and Karad, Maharashtra. Koyna Dam is built on the Koyna River, which originates from the Sahyadris Mountain Range. The dam supplies water to western Maharashtra, as well as cheap hydroelectric power to the neighbouring areas with a capacity of 1,920 MW through the Koyna Hydroelectric Project. The Koyna project is actually composed of four dams, with the Koyna dam having the largest catchments area.

The catchments area of the Koyna Dam blocks up the Koyna River and creates the Shivaji Lake, which is roughly 50 km long. Completed in 1963, it is amongst of the chief civil engineering projects built after the independence of India. The Koyna electricity project is operated by the Maharashtra State Electricity Board. Most of the generators are located in excavated caves a kilometre deep, inside the heart of the surrounding hills.

The Koyna dam is prone to the epidemic of earthquakes in the recent past. In 1967, a shocking earthquake almost devastated the dam. Unfortunately, the dam developed major cracks. The cracks were later repaired and holes were created internally to relieve the hydrostatic pressures in the dam. In 2006, the dam was further developed to strengthen the spillway. Now it is believed that Koyna dam is strong enough to with stand any further earthquake. Moreover, Geologists are conducting studies, if the Koyna Dam is responsible for the rise in seismic activity in the region.

This article is a stub. You can enrich by adding more information to it. Send your Write Up to content@indianetzone.com