Bhakra Nangal Dam: A Focused Case Study.

This presentation offers a detailed case study on the Bhakra Nangal Dam, a pivotal multipurpose river valley project in India. It covers the dam's history, construction, and its significant roles in irrigation, hydroelectric power generation, and flood control. Additionally, the presentation examines the dam's economic impact on agriculture and industry, as well as its environmental implications. This focused study provides a thorough understanding of how the Bhakra Nangal Dam has contributed to the development and prosperity of Northern India.

1. BHAKRA NANGAL DAM
CASE STUDY

2. ABSTRACT
THE IDEA OF CONSTRUCTION OF DAM GOES TO THE SIR LOUIS DANE, THE THEN
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR OF PUNJAB. THE TOTAL AREA COVERED BY THE BHAKRA DAM IS
ABOUT 168 SQ.KM, OF WHICH 90% IS THE PART OF BILASPUR AND 10% OF THE AREA BELONGS
TO THE UNA DISTRICT. THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE DAM BEGAN IN THE YEAR 1948 AND WAS
COMPLETED IN 1963. THIS CONCRETE ARCH DAM HAS BEEN CONSTRUCTED WITH THE
BLOOD OF 150 MARTYRS AND SWEAT AND TOIL OF AROUND 13,000 WORKERS AND 300
ENGINEERS. THE DAM IS THREE TIMES TALLER THAN THE QUTAB MINAR AND OCCUPIES THE
IMPORTANT POSITION ON THE MAP OF INDIA. IT IS VISITED BY MORE THAN 2 TO 3 LAKH
VISITORS EVERY YEAR FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD. THE DAM 518 METRE LONG AND 226
METRE HIGH WAS CONSTRUCTED AT BHAKRA ON RIVER $UTLEJ IN HIMACHAL PRADESH.THE
NANGAL DAM IN PUNJAB IS ONLY 29 METRE HIGH. HERE A CANAL 63 KM LONG HAS BEEN
CONSTRUCTED. TWO POWER HOUSES GANGUWAL AND KOTLA HAVE BEEN CONSTRUCTED
ON NANGAL HYDEL CHANNEL.

3. IT’S USAGE FOR IRRIGATION
•THE DAM WAS CONSTRUCTED WITH AN AIM TO PROVIDE IRRIGATION TO HIMACHAL
PRADESH AND PUNJAB.
•ANOTHER REASON BEHIND THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE DAM WAS TO PREVENT DAMAGE
DUE TO MONSOON FLOODS.
•THE DAM PROVIDES IRRIGATION TO 10 M ACRES (40,000 KM2) OF FIELDS IN HIMACHAL
PRADESH, PUNJAB, HARYANA, AND RAJASTHAN.
•IT ALSO HAS FIVE FLOOD GATES TO CONTROL FLOODS.
•WATER FLOWS FROM BHAKRA DAM TO DOWNSTREAM NANGAL DAM WHERE THE WATER
IS CONTROLLED AND RELEASED INTO CANALS FOR IRRIGATION.
IT’S USAGE FOR ELECTRICITY GENERATION
• BHAKRA DAM AND NANGAL DAM BOTH HAVE HYDROELECTRIC POWER GENERATORS,
WHICH ARE SITUATED ON BOTH THE SIDES OF THE DAMS. NANGAL HYDEL CHANNEL AND
ANANDPUR SAHIB CHANNEL ARE USED FOR POWER GENERATION AND IRRIGATION
PURPOSES.
• THE POWER GENERATED AT BHAKRA AND NANGAL IS DISTRIBUTED AMONG PARTNER
STATES OF HIMACHAL PRADESH, PUNJAB, HARYANA, RAJASTHAN AND CHANDIGARH

4. BHAKRA CANAL SYSTEM
BHAKRA CANALS
THE BHAKRA MAIN LINK TAKES OFF FROM THE TAIL END OF THE NANGAL HYDEL CHANNEL
AT ROPAR AND ALIGNED TOWARDS TOHANA IN THE HISSAR DISTRICT. IT IS A LINED
CHANNEL OF 172 KM LONG WITH A FULL SUPPLY CAPACITY OF 354 CUMEC. THE NARWANA,
FATEHABAD AND THE BHAKRA MAIN BRANCHES TAKE OFF FROM THE BHAKRA MAIN LINE
AND THROUGH DISTRIBUTARIES, IRRIGATE AREAS OF PUNJAB, HARYANA AND RAJASTHAN .
BIST DOAB CANAL
IT TAKES OFF FROM THE RIGHT BANK OF SATLUJ AT ROPAR JUST UPSTREAM OF ROPAR HEAD
WORKS WITH FULL SUPPLY DISCHARGE OF 45.3 CUMEC. THIS CANAL SERVES A GROSS AREA
OF 0.25577 M HA.

5. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
•WATER LOGGING AND SALINIZATION: IN MOST SIMPLE TERMS, WATER LOGGING AND
ACCUMULATION OF EXCESS WATER IN THE SOIL OCCURS WHEN THERE IS AN IMBALANCE
IN THE INFLOW AND OUTFLOW OF WATER IN AN AREA.
• CHANGING AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS: HABITAT LOSS IS THE BIGGEST CAUSE OF
EXTINCTION. FRESHWATER HABITATS ARE THOUGHT TO BE THE HABITATS THAT FACE THE
HIGHEST LOSS OF BIODIVERSITY.
•SEDIMENTATION: THE DECREASE IN WATER FLOW DUE TO THE RESERVOIR LEADS TO
WATER LOSING THE SEDIMENTS IT CARRIES, TO THE BOTTOM OF THE RESERVOIR.
 
•GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION: THE CONDITION AT THE BASE OF THE RESERVOIR IS
ANAEROBIC, MEANING THAT VEGETATION UNDER THE RESERVOIR ARE DECOMPOSED BY
ANAEROBIC BACTERIA THAT GIVE OUT GREENHOUSE GASES SUCH AS METHANE AND
CARBON DIOXIDE.

6. ECONOMIC BENEFITS
•AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY: IRRIGATION, CROP YIELDS
•HYDROELECTRIC POWER GENERATION: ELECTRIC SUPPLY, INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT
•FLOOD CONTROL: REDUCTION IN FLOOD DAMAGE
•EMPLOYMENT GENERATION: CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE, AGRICULTURAL
EMPLOYMENT
•TOURISM
•ECONOMIC STABILITY

7. CONCLUSION
•DAMS HAVE MADE AN IMPORTANT AND SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO HUMAN
DEVELOPMENT, AND THE BENEFITS DERIVED FROM THEM HAVE BEEN CONSIDERABLE.
NOTHING FURTHER THAN THIS STATEMENT IS REFLECTED IN THE REPORT.
•IN TOO MANY CASES AN UNACCEPTABLE PRICE HAS BEEN PAID TO SECURE THOSE
BENEFITS, ESPECIALLY IN SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL TERMS, BY PEOPLE DISPLACED,
BY COMMUNITIES D/S, BY TAXPAYERS AND BY THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT. (SOCIAL,
ENVIRONMENTAL, EQUITY).
•IRRIGATION AND FLOOD CONTROL DAMS HAVE NOT PERFORMED WELL AND THEREFORE
OTHER OPTIONS MUST BE EXPLORED.
•HYDROPOWER DAMS MAY CONTINUE TO BE BUILT; HOWEVER, IT IS ELSEWHERE BROUGHT
OUT THAT GREEN HOUSE GASES (GHG) EMISSIONS OF HYDRO PROJECTS ARE MUCH THE
SAME AS THERMAL ONES AND SHOULD BE THE LAST RESORT OF OPTIONS.
•LARGE STORAGES MAY BE REQUIRED FOR WATER SUPPLY TO MEGA CITIES.

8. THANK YOU 