Dams and Reservoirs

72 dams and barrages river by river — Bhakra to Mettur, the Indus-treaty projects, and every UPSC/UPPCS trap pair.

On this map (72)

Bhakra Dam — Govind Sagar · Himachal Pradesh — Sutlej · Bilaspur. On the SUTLEJ; reservoir = Govind Sagar
Pong Dam — Maharana Pratap Sagar · Himachal Pradesh — Beas · Kangra. On the BEAS; reservoir = Maharana Pratap Sagar
Pandoh Dam · Himachal Pradesh — Beas · Mandi. On the BEAS
Kol Dam · Himachal Pradesh — Sutlej · Bilaspur. On the SUTLEJ, above Govind Sagar (NTPC, 800 MW)
Nathpa Jhakri project · Himachal Pradesh — Sutlej · Kinnaur–Shimla. On the SUTLEJ (SJVN, 1,500 MW)
Renuka Dam (under construction) · Himachal Pradesh — Giri (Yamuna trib.) · Sirmaur. On the GIRI, a Yamuna tributary
Ranjit Sagar (Thein) Dam · Punjab — Ravi · Pathankot. On the RAVI; old name Thein dam
Harike Barrage · Punjab — Sutlej + Beas meet · Tarn Taran–Ferozepur. At the SUTLEJ–BEAS confluence
Salal project · Jammu & Kashmir — Chenab · Reasi. On the CHENAB
Baglihar project · Jammu & Kashmir — Chenab · Ramban. On the CHENAB
Dul Hasti power station · Jammu & Kashmir — Chenab · Kishtwar. On the CHENAB (390 MW, NHPC)
Ratle project · Jammu & Kashmir — Chenab · Kishtwar. On the CHENAB (850 MW, under construction)
Pakal Dul project · Jammu & Kashmir — Marusudar (Chenab trib.) · Kishtwar. On the MARUSUDAR, a Chenab tributary (1,000 MW)
Kishanganga project · Jammu & Kashmir — Kishanganga (Neelum) · Bandipora. On the KISHANGANGA (called Neelum in PoK)
Tulbul navigation project · Jammu & Kashmir — Jhelum · Wular Lake outlet. A barrage on the JHELUM at the mouth of Wular Lake, for navigation
Tehri Dam · Uttarakhand — Bhagirathi + Bhilangana · Tehri Garhwal. On the BHAGIRATHI, where the Bhilangana joins it
Tapovan–Vishnugad project · Uttarakhand — Dhauliganga · Chamoli. On the DHAULIGANGA (NTPC)
Ramganga Dam (Kalagarh) · Uttarakhand — Ramganga · Pauri. On the RAMGANGA, at Kalagarh
Kishau Dam (planned) · Uttarakhand — Tons (Yamuna trib.) · UK–HP border. On the TONS, a Yamuna tributary
Rihand Dam — Govind Ballabh Pant Sagar · Uttar Pradesh — Rihand (Son trib.) · Sonbhadra. On the RIHAND, a tributary of the Son
Matatila Dam · Uttar Pradesh — Betwa · Lalitpur. On the BETWA, in Bundelkhand
Rajghat Dam · Uttar Pradesh — Betwa · UP–MP border. On the BETWA, a joint UP–MP project
Bansagar Dam · Madhya Pradesh — Son · Shahdol. On the SON
Gandhi Sagar Dam · Madhya Pradesh — Chambal · Mandsaur. On the CHAMBAL — first of the Chambal Valley Project
Rana Pratap Sagar Dam · Rajasthan — Chambal · Rawatbhata, Chittorgarh. On the CHAMBAL at Rawatbhata (the atomic plant is next to it)
Jawahar Sagar Dam · Rajasthan — Chambal · Kota–Bundi. On the CHAMBAL; third dam, then the Kota Barrage below it
Indira Sagar Dam · Madhya Pradesh — Narmada · Khandwa. On the NARMADA in Madhya Pradesh (not Andhra — UPSC 2022)
Omkareshwar Dam · Madhya Pradesh — Narmada · Khandwa. On the NARMADA, just below Indira Sagar
Bargi Dam (Rani Avantibai Sagar) · Madhya Pradesh — Narmada · Jabalpur. On the NARMADA near Jabalpur
Tawa Dam · Madhya Pradesh — Tawa (Narmada trib.) · Narmadapuram. On the TAWA, a Narmada tributary, at the edge of Satpura Tiger Reserve
Sardar Sarovar Dam · Gujarat — Narmada · Kevadia, Narmada district. On the NARMADA (~163 m, concrete gravity)
Ukai Dam · Gujarat — Tapi · Tapi district. On the TAPI (UPSC 2010 ✓)
Kakrapar Weir · Gujarat — Tapi · Surat–Tapi. A weir on the TAPI, below Ukai
Mahi Bajaj Sagar Dam · Rajasthan — Mahi · Banswara. On the MAHI, which crosses the Tropic of Cancer twice
Damanganga (Madhuban) Dam · Gujarat — Damanganga · Valsad. On the DAMANGANGA, a west-flowing river
Hirakud Dam · Odisha — Mahanadi · Sambalpur. On the MAHANADI
Tilaiya Dam · Jharkhand — Barakar · Koderma. On the BARAKAR — the first DVC dam (1953)
Konar Dam · Jharkhand — Konar · Hazaribagh–Bokaro. On the KONAR, a Damodar tributary (DVC)
Maithon Dam · Jharkhand — Barakar · Dhanbad. On the BARAKAR, on the Jharkhand–West Bengal border (DVC)
Panchet Dam · Jharkhand — Damodar · Dhanbad–Purulia. On the DAMODAR (DVC)
Massanjore (Mayurakshi) Dam · Jharkhand — Mayurakshi · Dumka. On the MAYURAKSHI; also called Canada Dam
Kangsabati Dam (Mukutmanipur) · West Bengal — Kangsabati · Bankura. On the KANGSABATI (Kasai) at Mukutmanipur
Farakka Barrage · West Bengal — Ganga · Murshidabad. A barrage on the GANGA; a feeder canal pushes water into the Bhagirathi–Hooghly to keep Kolkata port flushed
Koyna Dam · Maharashtra — Koyna (Krishna trib.) · Satara. On the KOYNA, a Krishna tributary; one of India’s largest hydro complexes
Jayakwadi Dam · Maharashtra — Godavari · Paithan. On the GODAVARI at Paithan; lifeline of Marathwada
Isapur Dam · Maharashtra — Penganga · Yavatmal–Hingoli. On the PENGANGA
Girna Dam · Maharashtra — Girna · Nashik. On the GIRNA, a Tapi tributary
Khadakwasla Dam · Maharashtra — Mutha · Pune. On the MUTHA; supplies Pune
Nagarjuna Sagar Dam · Telangana — Krishna · Telangana–AP border. On the KRISHNA — the most repeated wrong pair is “Nagarjuna Sagar–Godavari”
Srisailam Dam · Andhra Pradesh — Krishna · Nandyal. On the KRISHNA, cut through the Nallamala hills
Sriram Sagar (Pochampad) Dam · Telangana — Godavari · Nizamabad. On the GODAVARI; old name Pochampad
Nizam Sagar Dam · Telangana — Manjira · Kamareddy. On the MANJIRA, a Godavari tributary; built by the Nizam in the 1930s
Polavaram project · Andhra Pradesh — Godavari · Eluru. On the GODAVARI; a national project
Somasila Dam · Andhra Pradesh — Pennar · Nellore. On the PENNAR; the Gandikota canyon is upstream on the same river
Tungabhadra Dam · Karnataka — Tungabhadra · Hosapete. On the TUNGABHADRA at Hosapete, near Hampi
Almatti Dam (Lal Bahadur Shastri Sagar) · Karnataka — Krishna · Vijayapura–Bagalkot. On the KRISHNA (UPSC 1997, 1999)
Ghataprabha (Hidkal) Dam · Karnataka — Ghataprabha · Belagavi. On the GHATAPRABHA, a Krishna tributary
Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) · Karnataka — Cauvery · Mandya. On the CAUVERY near Mysuru; Brindavan Gardens below it
Linganamakki Dam · Karnataka — Sharavati · Shivamogga. On the SHARAVATI, above Jog Falls; feeds the Sharavati hydel project
Bhadra Dam · Karnataka — Bhadra · Chikkamagaluru. On the BHADRA (it joins the Tunga to form the Tungabhadra)
Mettur Dam (Stanley Reservoir) · Tamil Nadu — Cauvery · Salem. On the CAUVERY; reservoir = Stanley Reservoir (1934)
Bhavanisagar Dam · Tamil Nadu — Bhavani (Cauvery trib.) · Erode. On the BHAVANI, a Cauvery tributary; one of India’s largest earthen dams
Aliyar Dam · Tamil Nadu — Aliyar · Coimbatore. On the ALIYAR, below the Anamalai hills
Papanasam Dam · Tamil Nadu — Tamiraparani · Tirunelveli. On the TAMIRAPARANI
Kallanai (Grand Anicut) · Tamil Nadu — Cauvery · Thanjavur–Tiruchirappalli. Built by the Chola king Karikala (~2nd century CE) on the CAUVERY
Idukki Arch Dam · Kerala — Periyar · Idukki. An arch dam on the PERIYAR, between the Kuravan and Kurathi hills
Mullaperiyar Dam · Kerala — Periyar · Idukki (run by Tamil Nadu). On the PERIYAR (1895); in Kerala but leased to and run by Tamil Nadu
Malampuzha Dam · Kerala — Malampuzha (Bharathapuzha trib.) · Palakkad. On the MALAMPUZHA, a tributary of the Bharathapuzha
Sabarigiri hydro project (Pamba–Kakki) · Kerala — Pamba · Pathanamthitta. Uses the PAMBA and KAKKI reservoirs
Subansiri Lower project · Arunachal Pradesh — Subansiri · Arunachal–Assam border. On the SUBANSIRI, a Brahmaputra tributary (NHPC)
Ranganadi project · Arunachal Pradesh — Ranganadi (Panyor) · Lower Subansiri. On the RANGANADI (Panyor), in Arunachal Pradesh
Kalpong hydro project · Andaman & Nicobar Islands — Kalpong · North Andaman. On the KALPONG, the only river of note in the Andamans

Asked in exams

UPSC 1982Bhakra Nangal, Hirakud, Kosi → Sutlej, Mahanadi, Kosi
UPSC 2010Govind Sagar — Satluj ✓
UPPCSBhakra → Sutlej (Jhelum is the trap)
UPPCSPong Dam → Beas
UPPCSKol Dam → Sutlej
UPPCSRanjit Sagar (Thein) → Ravi
UPSC 1991Source of the Rajasthan canal → Sutlej
UPSC 2000Ghaggar water used in Indira Gandhi Canal ✗
UPPCSIndira Gandhi Canal → Beas + Sutlej + Ravi
UPPCSSalal → Chenab
UPPCSBaglihar → Chenab
UPSC 2009Dul Hasti power station → Chenab
UPPCSDulhasti → Chenab
UPPCSTulbul → Jhelum
UPSC 2008Tehri hydropower complex → Bhagirathi
UPSC 2005Tehri dam site on a map
UPPCSTehri → Bhagirathi + Bhilangana
UPSC 2008Tapovan and Vishnugad projects → Uttarakhand
UPSC 1996Ramganga → multipurpose project ✓
UPPCSKishau → Uttarakhand–HP joint
UPSC 2007HINDALCO → Renukoot
UPPCSRihand (G.B. Pant Sagar) → Son
UPPCSMatatila → Betwa
UPPCSRajghat → Betwa
UPPCSBansagar → Son
UPSC 2005Gandhi Sagar → Chambal project
UPSC 2022Gandhi Sagar — Madhya Pradesh ✓
UPSC 1999Chambal → Gandhi Sagar
UPPCSChambal project = Gandhi Sagar + Rana Pratap Sagar + Jawahar Sagar
UPSC 2022Indira Sagar — Andhra Pradesh ✗ (it is MP)
UPSC 2008Omkareshwar project → Narmada
UPPCSTawa → Narmada tributary
UPSC 1999Narmada → Sardar Sarovar
UPPCSSardar Sarovar benefits Gujarat, Maharashtra, MP, Rajasthan
UPSC 2010Ukai reservoir — Tapi ✓
UPPCSUkai → Tapi
UPSC 2005Kakrapar → Gujarat
UPPCSKakrapar → Tapi
UPSC 2008Damanganga — Gujarat ✓
UPSC 1982Hirakud → Mahanadi
UPSC 2007Indian Aluminium Company → Hirakud
UPPCSHirakud → Mahanadi
UPPCSTilaiya → Barakar (Konar is the trap)
UPSC 2022Maithon — Chhattisgarh ✗ (it is Jharkhand)
UPPCSMaithon → Barakar
UPPCSMayurakshi → Mayurakshi
UPSC 2019Aliyar, Isapur, Kangsabati → water reservoirs
UPSC 1984Farakka — West Bengal ✓
UPSC 1997Farakka feeder canal → 40,000 cusecs
UPSC 1980Farakka agreement → sharing Ganga water
UPPCSKoyna → Koyna river; earthquake-risk dam
UPPCSJayakwadi → Godavari
UPSC 2008Girna — Maharashtra ✓
UPPCSKhadakwasla → Mutha
UPSC 1984Nagarjuna Sagar — Andhra Pradesh ✓
UPPCSNagarjuna Sagar → Krishna (asked 3+ times)
UPSC 2015Srisailam — Nallamala hills ✓
UPSC 2020Largest critical tiger habitat → Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam
UPPCSSrisailam → Krishna
UPPCSPochampad → Godavari

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