Koyna Dam

The Koyna Dam is one of the largest dams in Maharashtra, India. It is a rubble-concrete dam constructed on Koyna River which rises in Mahabaleshwar, a hillstation in Sahyadri ranges. It is located in Koyna Nagar, Satara district, nestled in the Western Ghats on the state highway between Chiplun and Karad.

Koyna Dam
कोयना धरण
Location of Koyna Dam in Maharashtra
Official nameKoyna Dam D05104
LocationKoyna Nagar, Maharashtra
India
Coordinates17°24′06″N 73°45′08″E
Construction began1956
Opening date1964[1]
Owner(s)Government of Maharashtra
Dam and spillways
Type of damRubble-concrete dam
Impoundsbiradar River
Height103.2 m (339 ft)
Length807.2 m (2,648 ft)
Reservoir
CreatesShivajisagar Lake
Total capacity2,797,400,000 m3 (2,267,900 acre⋅ft)
Surface area891.78 km2 (344 sq mi)
Power Station
TurbinesKoyna dam foot powerhouse: 2 x 20 MW
stage 1: 4 x 70 MW
stage 2: 4 x 75 MW
stage 3: 4 x 80 MW
stage 4: 4 x 250 MW
Total = 18 Francis turbines
Installed capacity1,960 MW
Official website

Details

The main purpose of the dam is hydroelectricity with some irrigation in neighboring areas. Today the Koyna Hydroelectric Project is the largest completed hydroelectric power plant in India[2] having a total installed capacity of 1,960 MW. Due to its electricity generating potential Koyna river is considered as the 'life line of Maharashtra'.[3]

The spillway of the dam is located at the center. It has 6 radial gates. The dam plays a vital role of flood controlling in monsoon season. The catchment area dams the Koyna river and forms the Shivasagar Lake which is approximately 50 km (31 mi) in length. It is one of the largest civil engineering projects commissioned after Indian independence. The Koya hydro-electric project is run by the Maharashtra State Electricity Board.

The dam has withstood many earthquakes in the recent past, including the devastating 1967 Koynanagar earthquake, resulting in the dam developing some cracks. After the disaster grouting of the cracks was done. Also internal holes were drilled to relieve the hydrostatic pressures in the body of the dam. Indian scientific establishment has formulated an ambitious project to drill a deep borehole in the region and intensely study the earthquake activity. This would help in better understanding and possible forecast of earthquakes. The proposal is to drill up to 7 km and study the physical, geological and chemical processes and properties of the reservoir triggered earthquake zone in real time. It would be an international project to be led by Indian scientists.[4]

In 1973 the non-overflow portion of the dam was strengthened, followed by strengthening the spillway section in 2006. Now the dam is expected to be safe against any future earthquake, including ones with a higher intensity than that of 1967.

The Koyna Dam in Maharashtra
The Shivajisagar Lake
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See also

References
  1. "Koyna D05104". Archived from the original on 2 December 2013. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
  2. "Electricity in India - Sources, Generation, Usage of Power in india". india-reports.com.
  3. "Koyna Sanctuary Plundered". downtoearth.org.in. 31 January 2011. Retrieved 14 November 2011.
  4. "Major project to study earthquake activity at Koyna". The Hindu Business Line. 21 March 2011. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
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