Koyna Dam
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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, in the Western Ghats on the state highway between Chiplun (44 KM) and Karad (58 KM).
Details
The main purpose of the dam is hydroelectricity generation with some irrigation in neighboring areas. Today the Koyna Hydroelectric Project is the second largest completed hydroelectric power plant in India<ref name="Largest_hydroelectric_power_plants_in_India">Template:Cite web</ref> having a total installed capacity of Template:Nowrap. Due to its electricity generating potential, Koyna river is considered as the 'life line of Maharashtra'.<ref name="koyna-sanctuary-plundered">Template:Cite web</ref>
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 Template:Convert in length. It is one of the largest civil engineering projects commissioned after Indian independence. The Koyna hydro-electric project is run by the Maharashtra State Electricity Board.Template:Citation needed
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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
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.Template:Citation needed
See also
- Koyna Hydroelectric Project
- Sahyadri Tiger Reserve
- List of power stations in India
- List of conventional hydroelectric power stations
References
External links
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