Umiam Dam

About Umiam Dam:

• Location:
  • The Umiam Dam, also known as the Barapani Dam, is a large reservoir located in the state of Meghalaya in northeastern India.
  • It is situated on the Umiam River, about 15 kilometers north of Shillong, the capital city of Meghalaya.
• Purpose: The primary purpose of the Umiam Dam is to provide hydroelectric power generation and supply drinking water to the region. It serves as a major water source for Shillong and its surrounding areas.
• Construction:
  • The construction of the dam began in 1964 and was completed in 1965.
  • It was built by the Assam State Electricity Board (ASEB) with technical assistance from the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited (NEEPCO).
• Reservoir Capacity: The dam creates a reservoir known as the Umiam Lake, which has a storage capacity of approximately 9.6 billion cubic feet of water. The lake stretches over an area of about 220 square kilometers.
• Hydroelectric Power Generation: The Umiam Dam has a hydroelectric power station with a total installed capacity of 2×30 megawatts.

Q1) Where is the origin of the Umiam River?

The River Umiam takes its origin from the Shillong Peak, the highest point in Meghalaya and then flows south through the high plateau of regions of Nongkrem, Smit, Nongkynrih, Laitlyngkot, Umtyngar and Mawphlang. The river passes through Mawphu, Thieddieng, Nongsteng areas and enters the River Umiam Shella Basin at Synnei and Umtlang Elakas then down to Sohlap, a locality of Shella, crossing the international border into Bangladesh.

Source: Meghalaya: Alert issued as water level rises in Umiam Dam