10 Largest Dam in the World That You Must Visit

9) Hirakud Dam

Hirakud Dam is built across the Mahanadi River, about 15 kilometers (9 mi) from Sambalpur in the state of Odisha in India.

It is the longest earthen dam in the world. It is one of the first major multipurpose river valley projects that started after India’s independence. The Hirakud Dam is a composite structure of the earth, concrete, and masonry. It is the longest major earthen dam in the world, measuring 25.8 km (16.0 mi) including dykes, and stands across the river Mahanadi. There are two observation towers on the dam one on each side. One is “Gandhi Minar” and the other one is”Jawahar Minar”. Both the observation towers present extensive views of the lake. The dam supports two different hydroelectric powerhouses. The dam helps control floods in the Mahanadi delta and irrigates 75,000 km2 (19×106 acres) of land. The project provides 1,556 km2 (384,000 acres) of Kharif and 1,084 km2 (268,000 acres) of Rabi irrigation in districts of Sambalpur, Bargarh, Bolangir, and Subarnpur. Hirakud Dam has three canals, namely ‘Bargarh Main Canal’, ‘Sason Canal’, and ‘Sambalpur Canal’. Bargarh Main canal has a water discharge rate of 4,000 cubic feet per second (110 m3/s). The dam with the channel provides an ideal environment for wildlife. A commemorative stamp on Hirakud Dam was released on 29 Oct 1979 by the Department of Posts.

Hirakud Dam Statistics

• Height: 60.96 m (200 ft).
• Length: 4.8 km (3 mi) (main section), 25.8 km (16 mi) (entire dam).
• Spillways: 64 sluice gates, 34 crest gates.
• Spillway capacity: 42,450 cubic meters per second (1,499,000 cu ft/s).
• Catchment area: 83,400 km2 (32,201 sq mi).
• Turbines: Power House I (Burla): 2 x 49.5 MW, 3 x 37.5 MW, 2 x 32 MW Kaplan-type, Power House II (Chiplima): 3 x 24 MW.

How to reach

• The dam is near the city of Sambalpur in the state of Odisha in India. You can easily be reached by road.