Krishnarajasagar (KRS) dam
19 Jan 2024 2 mins Download PDF
Context: Karnataka HC bans mining activity near KRS reservoir. High Court says ban will apply even on existing mining licences, adding, it will be in force till the completion of a study by experts and decision taken by the State committee on dam safety.
About Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) Dam:
- Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) Dam is a gravity dam.
- Situated below the confluence of the Kaveri River with its tributaries Hemavati and Lakshmana Tirtha, in Mandya district, Karnataka.
- Usage:
- The dam serves irrigation purposes in Mysore and Mandya, and it's a primary drinking water SOURCE for Mysore, Mandya, and Bengaluru.
- It also facilitates power supply to the Shivanasamudra hydroelectric power station.
- Water released from KRS Dam flows into Tamil Nadu and is stored in the Mettur Dam in Salem district.
- History:
- Constructed during the rule of Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV and named in his honor.
- Construction started in 1911 and completed in 1931.
- Designed by Sir M. Visvesvaraya, a renowned Indian engineer.
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Features:
- Constructed using a mixture of surki mortar and limestone.
- Dimensions: 2,621 meters (8,600 ft) long and 40 meters (130 ft) high.
- Features 177 arch-type iron sluices, some equipped with automatic doors.
- Reservoir spans approximately 130 sq. km, ranking as the largest in Asia during its construction.
- Brindavan Gardens, an ornamental garden, is associated with the dam.
Key Facts about Kaveri River:
- Kaveri, also spelled Cauvery, is a sacred river in southern India, often referred to as the Ganga of South India.
- Originates on Brahmagiri Hill in the Western Ghats, Karnataka.
- Flows southeast for 765 km through Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, descending the Eastern Ghats with significant waterfalls.
- Cauvery basin spans Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and the Union Territory of Puducherry.
- Drains into the Bay of Bengal at Poompuhar in Tamil Nadu.
- Major left bank tributaries include Harangi, Hemavati, Shimsha, and Arkavati.
- Major right bank tributaries include Lakshmantirtha, Kabbani, Suvarnavati, Bhavani, Noyil, and Amaravati.
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