Idukki Dam

About Idukki Dam

• It is located in Kerala, India.
• It is built on the Periyar River.
• It is a 168.91 meter (554 ft) tall arch dam.
• It is one of the highest ten arch dams in the world and the third highest in India after the Tehri Dam (Uttarakhand) and Bhakra Nangal Dam (Himachal Pradesh). 
• It is the first dam in Asia that is constructed in a double-curvature arch dam type and the second in the world. 
• The dam stands between the two mountains, Kuravanmala (839m) and Kurathimala (925m).
• It supports a 780 MW hydroelectric power station.
• Construction:
  • Construction of the dam commenced on 30th April, 1969, and was commissioned by the then Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi, in 1976.
  • It was constructed and owned by the Kerala State Electricity Board. 
  • The Government of Canada aided in the building of the dam with long-term loans and grants.
  • This dam was constructed along with two other dams at Cheruthoni and Kulamavu.
  • Together, the three dams have created an artificial lake that is 60 km² in area. 

Q1) What is an Arch Dam?

Arch dams are curved in plan, and most of their water load is carried by the abutment of the arch horizontally. The amount of water load it can withstand is determined by its arch or curvature. 

Source: Water level in Idukki dam continues to remain low