Dams in Gujarat were mainly constructed as a flood control measure, but in due course they also started functioning as sources of water and reservoirs. Gujarat is the proud owner of 21 of the 541 large dams present in India. Dantiwada, Kadana, Dharoi, Ukai and Sardar Sarovar are the five main dam projects in Gujarat. Apart from being nationally significant, these five dam projects of Gujarat are also the main sources of water for both irrigation and drinking purposes throughout the state.

Dams in Gujarat

Sardar Sarovar Dam

At a total height of 136.5 metres (455 feet), the Sardar Sarovar Dam is one of the largest projects among the 30 large dams planned for Narmada River in Gujarat. This multi-purpose project irrigates more than 1.8 million hectares Another well known mega project, the Ukai Dam near Surat, is said to have a storage capacity that is 46% of the total storage capacities of all the dams in the state of Gujarat, put together. .

Dantiwada Dam

Located on the outer reaches of Dantiwada in Banaskantha district of Gujarat, the Dantiwala Dam, built in the year 1965, across the Banas river, was principally constructed for flood control and as a source of irrigation water for projects across the state. Situated near Balaram Ambaji Wild Life Sanctuary that forms the division between the Dharoi and Dantiwala Dams, the Dantiwala Dam boasts of a reservoir covering an area of about 40 sq. kms, a height of 61 metres, a length of 4,832 metres. It is considered as a prime tourist attraction due to its scenic surroundings and natural beauty.

Kadana Dam

The Kadana Dam, another popular dam of Gujarat, was mainly constructed on the Mahi River to control floods in the catchment area. This is a place in the Central Gujarat area where there are frequent floods when around 10 lakh cusec of water is released from the Kadana Dam. Due to incessant rains in the catchment areas of Rajasthan, a huge amount of water is released in this Dam during the monsoon season, thus raising its water level to 412.75 metres.

Dharoi Dam

Located at Dharoi in Sabarkantha district, this dam was constructed to supply drinking water to urban areas, including areas like Ahmedabad located 85 kms away. Built in the year 1973, across the Sabarmati River, the Dharoi dam is a popular tourist hot spot of Gujarat. The Tapar Dam on the Sakra River is another popular dam of Gujarat.

Dholidhaja Dam

The Dholidhaja Dam, the chief source of water for the cities of Wadhwan, Joravarnagar, Ratanpur and Surendranagar, is located in Surendranagar, on the Bhogavo River. This dam provides clean drinking water to around 4 lakh people in and around the cities.

Other dams like the Kalpasar Project, Ukai Dam and Nayka Dam perform an important role in the development of the cities of Gujarat and in shaping the lifestyles of the people of this state.