Dams in Himachal Pradesh have been constructed on various Indian rivers to serve many purposes. The major dams help in controlling flood and generating power. Some of the Dams in Himachal Pradesh are described below.
Bhakra Nangal Dam
Bhakra Nangal Dam is the most important dam in Himachal Pradesh and benefits 3 Indian states namely, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. This concrete gravity dam is located in Bilaspur. The Bhakra Nangal Project related to the dam received its name from the 2 dams namely, Bhakra and Nangal, built on a tributary of the Indus River, Sutlej. Nangal Dam is located downstream of Bhakra Dam. Gobind Sagar is a man-made reservoir of Bhakra Nangal Dam on the Sutlej River. It has been named after Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th Sikh guru.
Chamera Dam
Chamera Dam has been constructed on Ravi River in the Chamba District of Himachal Pradesh. The dam is located about 892 meters above the sea level. The first phase of the dam generates around 540 megawatt of electricity. The dam has high water level fluctuations from April to June. The Chamera Dam area has a power house with about 3 units, each supplying around 180 megawatt of power. The tourists come to a nearby lake called the Chamera Lake at the dam site. They primarily enjoy the beautiful crystal clear water and indulge in a variety of water sports, which are an integral part of the lake area.
Pandoh Dam
Pandoh Dam is a diversion dam on the Beas River at Pandoh in Mandi District of Himachal Pradesh. More specifically, the dam stands about 21 kilometers east of Mandi on the Mandi- Kullu Road. Pandoh Dam is an earth cum rock filled dam, with a height of about 76 meters. It helps in generating about 165 megawatt of power. There are 5 bays which have been established to regulate the flow of water at the dam site.
Nathpa Dam
Nathpa Dam of Himachal Pradesh is mainly used to store water for generation of hydroelectric power. The Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam is sponsoring this hydroelectric venture at Nathpa Dam. It has been declared as a run-of-the-river project because of its incapability to meet the compulsory peaking power requirement.
Other Dams in Himachal Pradesh
Some of the other Dams in Himachal Pradesh are Bassi Dam, Baira Siul Dam, Kol Dam and Largi Dam.
