HYDROELECTRIC PROJECTS OF KARNATAKA
- Almatti Hydroelectric Project
The official name of Almatti Dam is Upper Krishna-I which is main reservoir of the Upper Krishna Irrigation Project. The Krishna River conflict between Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharashtra was resolved by the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal and the dam was authorised to be raised the height.
| District | Bijapur and Bagalkot district |
| Basin | Krishna |
| River | Krishna |
| Total Installed Capacity (MW) | 32 |
| Type of Project | Major (> 25 MW) |
| Owner | State Government |
| Owner Name | BPCL |
| Hydroelectric Region | Southern HE Region |
- Harangi Hydroelectric Project
| District | Kodagu |
| Basin | Cauvery |
| River | Harangi |
| Total Installed Capacity (MW) | 9 |
| Type of Project | Small (3-25 MW) |
| Owner | Private |
| Owner Name | EDCL |
| Hydroelectric Region | Southern HE Region |
- Kabini Hydroelectric Project
| District | Mysore |
| Basin | Cauvery |
| River | Kabini |
| Total Installed Capacity (MW) | 20 |
| Type of Project | Small (3-25 MW) |
| Owner | State government |
| Owner Name | Subhash Kabini |
| Hydroelectric Region | Southern HE Region |
- Kalinadi Hydroelectric Project
| District | Uttara Kannada |
| Basin | West flowing rivers from Tapi to Tadri |
| River | Kalinadi |
| Total Installed Capacity (MW) | 1180 |
| Type of Project | Major (> 25 MW) |
| Owner | State government |
| Owner Name | KPCL |
| Hydroelectric Region | Southern HE Region |
- Mallapur Hydroelectric Project
| District | Raichur |
| Basin | Tungbhdra |
| River | Krishna |
| Total Installed Capacity (MW) | 9 |
| Type of Project | Small (3-25 MW) |
| Owner | State government |
| Owner Name | KPCL |
| Hydroelectric Region | Southern HE Region |
- Munirabad Hydroelectric Project
| District | Koppal |
| Basin | Krishna |
| River | Tungabhadra |
| Total Installed Capacity (MW) | 28 |
| Type of Project | Major (> 25 MW) |
| Owner | State government |
| Owner Name | VVNL |
| Hydroelectric Region | Southern HE Region |
- Narayanpur Hydroelectric Project
| District | Bijapur |
| Basin | Krishna |
| River | Krishna |
| Total Installed Capacity (MW) | 11.6 |
| Type of Project | Small (3-25 MW) |
| Owner | Private |
| Owner Name | Murd PC |
| Hydroelectric Region | Southern HE Region |
- Seshadhri Iyer (Sivasamudram) Hydroelectric Project
| District | Mandya |
| Basin | Cauvery |
| River | Cauvery |
| Total Installed Capacity (MW) | 42 |
| Type of Project | Major (> 25 MW) |
| Owner | State government |
| Owner Name | VVNL |
| Hydroelectric Region | Southern HE Region |
Other Associated Entities with this hydro-electric Project are Kabini Dam, Krishnarajasagar Dam and Seshadhri Iyer (Sivasamudram) Power House.
- Sharavathy Valley Hydroelectric Project
| District | Shimoga, Uttar Kannada |
| Basin | West flowing rivers from Tadri to Kanyakumari |
| River | Sharavathy |
| Total Installed Capacity (MW) | 1306 |
| Type of Project | Major (> 25 MW) |
| Owner | State government |
| Owner Name | KPCL, VVNL |
| Hydroelectric Region | Southern HE Region |
Other associated Entities with Sharavathy Valley Hydroelectric Project are Chakra Dam, Gerusoppa Dam, Linganamakki Dam and Power House, Mahatma Gandhi Jog Falls Power House, Sharavathy Power House.
- Shivpur Hydroelectric Project
| District | Raichur |
| Basin | Tungabhadra |
| River | Krishna |
| Total Installed Capacity (MW) | 18 |
| Type of Project | Small (3-25 MW) |
| Owner | State |
| Owner Name | BPCL |
| Hydroelectric Region | Southern HE Region |
Other associated Entities with Shivpur Hydro-Electric Project are Shivpur Power House and Tungabhadra Dam.
- Simshapura Hydroelectric project
| District | Mandya |
| Basin | Cauvery |
| River | Cauvery |
| Total Installed Capacity (MW) | 17.2 |
| Type of Project | Major (> 25 MW) |
| Owner | State |
| Owner Name | VVNL |
| Hydroelectric Region | Southern HE Region |
- Tungabhadra Hydroelectric Project
| District | Bellary |
| Basin | Krishna |
| River | Tungabhadra |
| Total Installed Capacity (MW) | 72 |
| Type of Project | Major (> 25 MW) |
| Owner | Central |
| Owner Name | Tungabhadra Board |
| Hydroelectric Region | Southern HE Region |
Other associated Entities with Hydro-Electric Project are Hampi Power House and Tungabhadra Dam Power House.
- Varahi Hydroelectric Project
| District | Raichur, Udupi |
| Basin | West flowing rivers from Tadri to Kanyakumari |
| River | Varahi |
| Total Installed Capacity (MW) | 469 |
| Type of Project | Major (> 25 MW) |
| Owner | State |
| Owner Name | KPCL |
| Hydroelectric Region | Southern HE Region |
Other associated entities with Hydro-Electric project are Hosur Saddle Dam, Hulical Forebay Saddle Dam, Mani Dam Power House, and Varahi H.E.Pickup Dam.
- Bhadra Hydroelectric Project
| District | Chickmagalur |
| Basin | Krishna |
| River | Bhadra |
| Total Installed Capacity (MW) | 39.2 |
| Type of Project | Major (> 25 MW) |
| Owner | State government |
| Owner Name | KPCL |
| Hydroelectric Region | Southern HE region |
- Ghatprabha Hydroelectric Project
| District | Belgaum |
| Basin | Krishna |
| River | Ghataprabha |
| Total Installed Capacity (MW) | 32 |
| Type of Project | Major (> 25 MW) |
| Owner | State government |
| Owner Name | KPCL |
| Hydroelectric Region | Southern HE region |
Apart from above given major hydroelectric projects Karnataka also boasts of various Dams which significantly contribute in irrigation and other ancillary developmental projects. The most important among these are –
1. Raja Lakhamagowda dam
Raja Lakhamagowda dam, also known as Hidkal dam, is a dam constructed across the Ghataprabha River in the Krishna river basin. It is situated in Belgaum district in North Karnataka, India. The dam with the height of about 62 metres impounds a large reservoir with a gross surface area of about 63 square kilometres, and storage capacity of approximately 51 tmcft. It caters to the irrigation needs for over 8 lakh acres, along with hydel power generation. It is constructed as a part of the Ghataprabha Irrigation project. The dam is named after Raja Lakhamagowda Sardesai, a renowned philanthropist of the area.
- Renuka Sagara
Renuka Sagara, also known as Malaprabha reservoir and Navilutheertha reservoir, is a dam and impounding reservoir constructed across the Malaprabha River in the Krishna River basin. It is situated in Belgaum districtin North Karnataka, India. The dam with the height of approximately 43 metres impounds a large reservoir with a gross surface area of approximately 54 square kilometres, and storage capacity of approximately 38 tmcft. It caters to the irrigation needs for over 5.40 lakh acres, along with hydel power generation.
3. Supa Dam
The Supa Dam is Asia’s second largest dam base don backwater. It is located in Uttar Kannada district on Kalinadi river. The catchment area of the dam is approximately 1,057 km2 with Installed capacity of 100 MW. Supa Dam was built by Hindustan Steel Works Construction Limited (HSCL). It has a gross storage capacity of 4178 Mcum and a live storage of 4115.25 Mcum of water. It is a concrete gravity dam with a height of 101 m.
- Linganamakki Dam
The Linganamakki dam is located about 6 km from Jog Falls. The dam was designed to impound water in an area of around 300 km. The dam’s height is 1,819 feet (554 m) above sea level. It receives water mainly from rainfall and also from the Chakra and Savahaklu reservoirs, which are linked to Linganamakki through a canal and also Sharawathi river. The water from the Linganamakki dam flows to reservoir through a trapezoidal canal. It has a catchment area of about 46 km². The power house has a power generation capacity of 55 MW.
5. Krishna Raja Sagara
Krishna Raja Sagara is the name of both a lake and the dam that creates it. The gravity dam made of surki mortar is situated below the confluence of river Cauaveri with its tributaries Hemavati and Lakshmana Tirtha, in the district of Mandya. Catchment area of the reservoir is approximately 10,619 km2 .The water released from this dam flows into the state of Tamil Nadu, and is stored in Mettur dam in the Salem district. There is an ornamental garden attached to the dam, called Brindavan Gardens.
Historical Background of the Dam
The region of Mysore and especially Mandya had historically been dry, and had witnessed mass Migration to adjoining areas in the hot summers. A severe drought in 1875–76 had wiped out one-fifth of the Population of the Kingdom of Mysore.
The Chief Engineer of Mysore M. Visvesvaraya presented a blueprint of a dam to be built across the River near the village of Kannambadi. Upon examining, he was given Consent issuing an order on 11 October 1911 to begin the project.
Brindavan Garden
The Brindavan Garden is a show garden that has a botanical park, with fountains, as well as boat rides beneath the dam. Diwan Sir M. Vishweshwaraiah of Mysore planned and built the gardens in connection with the construction of the dam. Various biological research departments are housed here.
Apart from these major projects there are also a few important projects (which are given in tabular form), such as –
| Dam/Reservoir | River | Location (District) |
| Basava Sagara Dam | Krishna | Bijapur |
| Linganamakki Dam | Sharavathi | Shimoga |
| Hemavathi Reservoir | Hemavathi | Hassan |
| Shanti Sagara | Haridra | Davanagere |
| Kadra Dam | Kali | Uttara Kannada |
| Kanva Reservoir | Kanva | Ramanagara |
| Kodasalli Dam | Kali | Uttara Kannada |
| Vani Vilasa Sagara | Vedavathi | Chitradurga |
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Irrigation and Hydropower in Karnataka
Karnataka is a state in southern India. It is the third-largest state in India by area and the sixth-most populous. The state is known for its rich culture and history, as well as its natural beauty.
Irrigation is a major source of water for agriculture in Karnataka. The state has a number of different irrigation systems, including Canal Irrigation, Tank Irrigation, well irrigation, Drip Irrigation, and Sprinkler Irrigation.
Canal irrigation is the most common type of irrigation in Karnataka. Canals are used to transport water from rivers and reservoirs to agricultural fields. The state has a Network of canals that covers over 100,000 square kilometers.
Tank irrigation is another important source of water for agriculture in Karnataka. Tanks are small reservoirs that are used to store rainwater. The state has over 100,000 tanks.
Well irrigation is a traditional method of irrigation that is still used in some parts of Karnataka. Wells are used to extract groundwater from the earth.
Drip irrigation is a modern method of irrigation that is becoming increasingly popular in Karnataka. Drip irrigation systems deliver water directly to the roots of Plants, which helps to conserve water.
Sprinkler irrigation is another modern method of irrigation that is used in Karnataka. Sprinkler systems spray water over agricultural fields.
Hydropower is a major source of electricity in Karnataka. The state has a number of hydroelectric power plants that generate electricity from the flow of water.
Conventional hydropower is the most common type of hydropower in Karnataka. Conventional hydropower plants use dams to store water and then release the water through turbines to generate electricity.
Pumped storage hydropower is a type of hydropower that uses electricity to pump water uphill to a reservoir. The water is then released through turbines to generate electricity during periods of high demand.
Run-of-the-river hydropower is a type of hydropower that uses the natural flow of water to generate electricity. Run-of-the-river hydropower plants do not require dams or reservoirs.
Small hydropower is a type of hydropower that uses small dams or turbines to generate electricity. Small hydropower plants are often used in remote areas where there is no access to the electricity grid.
Irrigation and hydropower are both important for the economy of Karnataka. Irrigation helps to support the state’s agricultural sector, while hydropower helps to generate electricity. Both industries are essential for the state’s development.
In recent years, there has been a growing debate about the environmental impact of irrigation and hydropower. Some people argue that these industries are damaging the Environment, while others argue that they are essential for the state’s economy. The debate is likely to continue for many years to come.
Irrigation
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What is irrigation?
Irrigation is the artificial application of water to land to assist in the Growth of crops. -
What are the different types of irrigation?
The different types of irrigation are: - Surface irrigation: This is the most common type of irrigation, and it involves applying water to the surface of the land.
- Sprinkler irrigation: This type of irrigation involves spraying water into the air, and it is often used in areas with low rainfall.
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Drip irrigation: This type of irrigation involves applying water directly to the roots of the plants, and it is a very efficient way to irrigate.
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What are the benefits of irrigation?
The benefits of irrigation include: - Increased crop yields: Irrigation can help to increase crop yields by up to 50%.
- Improved water quality: Irrigation can help to improve water quality by reducing the amount of runoff and erosion.
- Reduced Soil erosion: Irrigation can help to reduce soil erosion by keeping the soil moist.
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Increased EMPLOYMENT: Irrigation can help to increase employment in the agricultural sector.
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What are the challenges of irrigation?
The challenges of irrigation include: - Water scarcity: Irrigation can be a major source of water consumption, and it can lead to water scarcity in some areas.
- Salinity: Irrigation can lead to salinity problems, as the water can deposit salts on the soil.
- Waterlogging: Irrigation can lead to waterlogging problems, as the water can accumulate in the soil and prevent the roots of the plants from getting enough Oxygen.
- Soil erosion: Irrigation can lead to soil erosion, as the water can carry away the topsoil.
Hydropower
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What is hydropower?
Hydropower is the generation of electricity from the power of moving water. -
How does hydropower work?
Hydropower works by using the power of moving water to turn a turbine, which then generates electricity. -
What are the different types of hydropower?
The different types of hydropower are: - Run-of-river hydropower: This type of hydropower uses the natural flow of water in a river to generate electricity.
- Pumped-storage hydropower: This type of hydropower uses water that has been pumped to a higher elevation to generate electricity during periods of high demand.
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Tidal hydropower: This type of hydropower uses the power of tides to generate electricity.
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What are the benefits of hydropower?
The benefits of hydropower include: - It is a RENEWABLE ENERGY source.
- It is a low-carbon energy source.
- It is a reliable energy source.
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It can help to reduce Water Pollution.
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What are the challenges of hydropower?
The challenges of hydropower include: - It can have a negative impact on the environment.
- It can be expensive to build and maintain.
- It can be difficult to site hydropower projects.
- It can be affected by droughts and floods.
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Which of the following is not a type of irrigation?
(A) Canal irrigation
(B) Sprinkler irrigation
(C) Drip irrigation
(D) Flood irrigation -
Which of the following is not a source of hydropower?
(A) Dams
(B) Wind turbines
(C) Solar panels
(D) Geothermal Energy -
Which of the following states has the largest installed hydropower capacity in India?
(A) Uttar Pradesh
(B) Maharashtra
(C) Karnataka
(D) Tamil Nadu -
Which of the following is the largest hydroelectric power plant in India?
(A) The Tehri Dam
(B) The Indira Sagar Dam
(C) The Sardar Sarovar Dam
(D) The Nagarjuna Sagar Dam -
Which of the following is the largest canal irrigation system in India?
(A) The Indira Gandhi Canal
(B) The Upper Krishna Project
(C) The Godavari-Krishna Link Canal
(D) The Narmada Valley Project -
Which of the following is the largest groundwater irrigation system in India?
(A) The Ganges Canal
(B) The Chambal Canal
(C) The Betwa Canal
(D) The Yamuna Canal -
Which of the following is the largest sprinkler irrigation system in India?
(A) The Command Area Development Programme
(B) The National Watershed Development Project
(C) The Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme
(D) The Drought Prone Areas Programme -
Which of the following is the largest drip irrigation system in India?
(A) The Micro Irrigation Mission
(B) The National mission for Sustainable Agriculture
(C) The National Mission for Integrated Watershed Development
(D) The National Mission for Sustainable Development of Himalayan Eco-system -
Which of the following is the largest flood irrigation system in India?
(A) The Brahmaputra Flood Control Project
(B) The Ganga Flood Control Project
(C) The Indus Flood Control Project
(D) The Mahanadi Flood Control Project -
Which of the following is the largest irrigation project in Karnataka?
(A) The Upper Krishna Project
(B) The Lower Krishna Project
(C) The Tungabhadra Project
(D) The Sharavathi Project