Bhakra Dam
Bhakra Nangal Dam is a concrete gravity dam on the Satluj River in Bhakra Village near Bilaspur in Bilaspur district, Himachal Pradesh in northern India. The dam forms the Gobind Sagar reservoir.
| Bhakra Nangal Dam | |
|---|---|
The Bhakra Dam, Bilaspur district, Himachal Pradesh, India | |
Location in Himachal Pradesh Location in India | |
| Official name | Bhakra Dam |
| Location | Bhakra Village, Bilaspur district, Himachal Pradesh, India |
| Coordinates | 31°24′39″N 76°26′0″E |
| Construction began | 1948 |
| Opening date | 1963 |
| Construction cost | ₹245.28 crore (equivalent to ₹200 billion or US$2.5 billion in 2023) |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Concrete gravity |
| Impounds | Satluj River |
| Height | 741 ft (226 m) |
| Length | 1,700 ft (520 m) |
| Width (crest) | 30 ft (9.1 m) |
| Width (base) | 625 ft (191 m) |
| Spillway type | Controlled, overflow |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | Gobindsagar Reservoir |
| Total capacity | 7.551 million megalitres (266.70 tmc ft) |
| Active capacity | 6.007 million megalitres |
| Catchment area | 56980 km2 |
| Surface area | 168.35 km2 |
| Maximum water depth | 1680 ft |
| Power Station | |
| Commission date | 1962-1963 |
| Turbines | 5 x 108 MW, 5 x 157 MW Francis-type |
| Installed capacity | 1325 MW |
The dam is located at a gorge near the (now submerged) upstream Bhakra village in Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh and is of height 226 m. The length of the dam (measured from the road above it) is 518.25 m and the width is 9.1 m. Its reservoir known as "Gobind Sagar" stores up to 9.34 billion cubic metres of water. The 90 km long reservoir created by the Bhakra Dam is spread over an area of 168.35 km2. In terms of storage of water, it is the third largest reservoir in India, the first being Indira Sagar dam in Madhya Pradesh with capacity of 12.22 billion cubic meters and the second being Nagarjunasagar Dam in Telangana.
Described as "New Temple of Resurgent India" by Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of India, the dam attracts tourists from all over India. Bhakra dam is 15 km from Nangal town, Punjab and 106 km from Bilaspur
Nangal Dam is another dam in Punjab downstream of Bhakra Dam. However, sometimes both the dams together are called Bhakra-Nangal Dam though they are two separate dams.