Koyna Dam (UPSC Current Affairs)

Relevance: GS1 - Water Resources, GS3 - Disaster Management, Infrastructure

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Why in the news?

• The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India recently informed about the delay in the grant of Revised Administrative Approval to an incomplete hydroelectric project in Maharashtra. Because of the delay, the funds have been blocked for more than six years. In 2004, the Maharashtra government's Water Resources Department (WRD) granted Administrative Approval for the construction of a 240 MegaWatt (MW) hydroelectric project at Koyna Dam Foot on the left bank of the Koyna Dam.

Where is Koyna Dam located?

• The Koyna Dam is Maharashtra's largest dam. The dam is located in the Satara District's Koyana Nagar.
• It is located on the state highway between Chiplun and Karad in the Western Ghats. The Koyna Dam is a rubble-concrete dam constructed on the Koyna River, which originates in Mahabaleshwar, a hill station in the Sahyadri mountain ranges.
• The construction of the Koyna dam began in 1951, and the first turbine began operation in 1962.
  • Stage V of the Koyna Hydroelectric Power Project is currently under construction.
• The dam's main aim is to provide hydroelectricity as well as irrigation facilities in neighboring areas.
• The Koyna dam provides water to Paschim Maharashtra as well as hydroelectric power to the surrounding areas.
• During the monsoon season, the dam is vital for flood control. The catchment area dams the Koyna River, resulting in the 50-kilometre-long Shivsagar Lake.
  • Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary, which covers an area of approximately 423.55 km2, was notified in 1985.
  • The National Tiger Conservation Authority designated Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary and Chandoli National Park as part of the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve in 2007.
• It is one of the largest civil engineering projects undertaken in India after independence. The Maharashtra State Electricity Board manages the Koyna hydroelectric project.

What are the key points?

• The Koyna River is a tributary of the Krishna River that flows through Mahabaleshwar, Satara district, Western Maharashtra.
• Unlike most other rivers in Maharashtra, which flow east to west, the Koyna River runs north to south.
• It has a total area of 2,036 km2 and is located in the Deccan terrain of the district of Satara in the state of Maharashtra.
  • It typically depicts a physiographic setup characterised by the Deccan plateau in the Western Ghats region, with elevations ranging from 550 to 1,460 m above mean sea level.
• The Shiv Sagar reservoir is formed when the Koyna Dam at Koynanagar dam it.
• The Koyna River is supported by four tributaries. Kera, Wang, Morna, and Mahind are their names. Kera, Wang, and Morna rivers are among those dammed.