Idukki Dam
Encyclopedia
The Idukki Dam, located in Kerala
, India
, is a 555 foot tall arch dam
. The dam stands between the two mountains - Kuravanmala
(839)m and Kurathimala (925)m. It was constructed and is owned by the Kerala State Electricity Board
.
It is built on the Periyar River
, in the ravine between the Kuravan and Kurathi Hills in Kerala
, India
. At 167.68 metres, it is one of the highest arch dam
s in Asia
. It started generating power on 4 October 1975. Technically, the dam type is a concrete double, curvature parabolic, thin arc dam.
This dam was constructed along with two other dams at Cheruthony and Kulamavu. Together, the three dams have created an artificial lake that is 60 km² in area. The stored water is used to produce electricity at the Moolamattom Power house, which is located inside nearby rocky caves. The Government of Canada aided in the building of the dam with long term loans and grants.
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, is a 555 foot tall arch dam
Arch dam
An arch dam is a type of dam that is curved and commonly built with concrete. The arch dam is a structure that is designed to curve upstream so that the force of the water against it, known as hydrostatic pressure, presses against the arch, compressing and strengthening the structure as it pushes...
. The dam stands between the two mountains - Kuravanmala
Kuravanmala
Kuravanmala is located in Idukki district, Kerala, India.Periyar flows through a narrow gorge between two tall hills . Kuravan means a tribal and Kutathi his spouse. These two hills have been joined to form the biggest dam in the state which is five hundred and fifty feet in height and six hundred...
(839)m and Kurathimala (925)m. It was constructed and is owned by the Kerala State Electricity Board
Kerala State Electricity Board
Kerala State Electricity Board is a public sector agency under the Government of Kerala, India, that generates and distributes the electricity supply in the state...
.
It is built on the Periyar River
Periyar River
Periyar is the longest river in the state of Kerala, India, with a length of 244 km. The Periyar is known as the lifeline of Kerala; it is one of the few perennial rivers in the region and provides drinking water for several major towns...
, in the ravine between the Kuravan and Kurathi Hills in Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. At 167.68 metres, it is one of the highest arch dam
Arch dam
An arch dam is a type of dam that is curved and commonly built with concrete. The arch dam is a structure that is designed to curve upstream so that the force of the water against it, known as hydrostatic pressure, presses against the arch, compressing and strengthening the structure as it pushes...
s in Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
. It started generating power on 4 October 1975. Technically, the dam type is a concrete double, curvature parabolic, thin arc dam.
This dam was constructed along with two other dams at Cheruthony and Kulamavu. Together, the three dams have created an artificial lake that is 60 km² in area. The stored water is used to produce electricity at the Moolamattom Power house, which is located inside nearby rocky caves. The Government of Canada aided in the building of the dam with long term loans and grants.