Tamil Nadu is a land where temples and technology meet. Tourists can find fire-worshipping devotees with long “tikka” on their foreheads rushing to their IT offices to create new software. Yet another interesting feature is the state’s dams.

Tamil Nadu boasts of having the biggest and the deepest dams of India. They are used for agricultural purposes and for drinking purpose. Water stored in reservoirs is also used for generating electricity.

Apart from this, the dams serve as excellent tourist destinations. Nature’s beauty and the glistening water draw admirers from all over India and abroad.

Famous Dams of Tamil Nadu

Aliyar Reservoir is constructed 65 km from Coimbatore city. Tourists can find playgrounds and parks at a short distance from the reservoir. Tamil Nadu Fisheries Corporation maintains this place. The dam has mountains on its three sides. This renders it a picturesque beauty. Tourists can also boat here.

Amravathi Dam, too, is in Coimbatore, about 25 km from Udumalpet. It was built in 1957 with the purpose of storing water of nearby rivers for electricity generation and land cultivation. Today, the dam is a tourist hotspot. Boating facilities are also available.

Perunchani Dam is in Kanykumari. It was constructed for agricultural purpose. The dam is easily accessible from Trivandrum International Airport.

Bhavanisagar Dam, also known as Lower Bhavani Dam, is on Bhavani River. This dam is considered the biggest water reservoir on Earth! It is sprawled in an area of 36 km in Mettuppalayam, 35 km in Gobichettipalayam, and 16 km in Satyamangalam. The nearby area features parks.

Grand Anicut Dam, also called Kallanai, is one of the oldest dams of Tamil Nadu. It is considered one of the oldest dams of the world. The dam is on Cauveri River. It was built with the main purpose of re-routing the river. Dam water is used in agriculture and to produce electricity. The dam divides Cauveri water into four streams. It supplies water to Madurai district of Tamil Nadu. Tourists can enjoy recreational facilities at this place.

Krishnagiri Dam is located about 7 km from Krishnagiri. The dam was built in 1957 and irrigates thousand acres of fields. Dam water is supplied to nearby villages and major cities for agriculture and for drinking.

Mettur Dam is in Salem district of Tamil Nadu. It is one of the biggest and the oldest dams of India. It is built at the site where Cauveri River slopes into plain area. The dam creates Stanley Reservoir. It supplies irrigation water to length of Erode, parts of Salem, Karur, Namakkal, Thanjavur, and Tiruchirrappali. The Mettur Hydro Electrical power project, park, and hills on all sides make for a great tourist attraction. Hogenakal Falls lie upstream of the dam.

Vaigai Dam is across Viagai River in Theni district of Tamil Nadu. Its water is used in Chennai and Dindigul districts. It was actually built to solve domestic water disputes in these districts. Near the dam is an Agricultural Research Station. On both sides of the dam is a beautiful park, which is connected by a small bridge. This offers a scenic view to tourists.

Mukkadal Dam is near Vambaru River. It was built in 1945 by Sree Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma. The dam features clay and granite stones. It is 50 feet deep. It supplies water to nearby cities and villages. The dam provides such beautiful scenery that it has become a picnic spot for locals and tourists.

Pechiparai Dam is in Kanyakumari, at 43 km distance from Nagercoil. The dam gets its water from Kodayar River. It was built in the 19th century, between 1897 and 1906. Hills of the Western Ghats around the dam give the place a majestic beauty.

Sathanur Dam is near Pennaiyar River. It is an hour run from Thriuvannamalai town. Parks near the dam are generally used by the film industry for movie shoots. They also provide a great spot for tourists to bask in the beauty of nature.

Solaiyar Dam is in Coimbatore district, 20 km from Valparai. It is located at the foothills of Anaimalai Hills. This is one of the deepest dams of India.

Papanasam Dam is at a distance of 49 km from Tirunelveli. The dam is used to irrigate thousands of acres of paddy fields in Tuticorn and Tirunelveli districts. The Papanasam Hydroelectric Power Plant features four Francis-turbine generators. Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Limited (TANGEDCO) operates the plant.

Apart from these dams, Tamil Nadu also has Varattu Pallam Dam, Kodiveri Dam, Kamaraj Sagar Dam, Shanmuganathi Dam, and more.

Dams of Tamil Nadu are soaked in the scenic beauty of nature and the grandiosity of water. Completing the canvas are majestic hills, lush parks, and the diversity of nearby towns and villages. The state, where three seas meet at India’s end, is a tourist’s delight.