Revitalization of the Six-Decade-Old Canal System of Hirakud Dam
Revitalization of the Six-Decade-Old Canal System of Hirakud Dam
Sub: Geo
Sec: India Physical geo
Why in News
The Odisha government has allocated ₹855 crore for the renovation of the six-decade-old canal system connected to the Hirakud Dam. The renovation is expected to significantly benefit farmers in districts like Sambalpur, Subarnapur, Bargarh, and Balangir by improving irrigation efficiency and reducing water wastage.
About Hirakud Dam
Hirakud Dam is situated around 15 km from Sambalpur in Odisha, across the Mahanadi River.
World’s Longest Earthen Dam: It spans 26 km (16 miles), making it the longest earthen dam globally.
Hirakud Reservoir: The dam creates Asia’s largest man-made lake, also known as Hirakud Lake.
The main dam extends 4.8 km, connecting Laxmidungri on the left and Chandili Dunguri on the right.
One of India’s First Multipurpose Projects: Built post-independence, construction started in 1948 and completed in 1953.
Designed to regulate Mahanadi River’s flow and mitigate flooding.
Opened by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in 1957.
Irrigation: Provides irrigation to 436,000 hectares in the Mahanadi delta.
Supports irrigation of 1,08,385 hectares of Rabi crops and 1,55,635 hectares of Kharif crops in Bolangir, Subarnapur, Bargarh, and Sambalpur districts.
Power Generation: The dam has an installed capacity of 359.8 MW.
Flood Protection: Safeguards 9,500 sq km in Cuttack and Puri districts from floods.
Renovation of Key Canals:
The project will focus on revamping the Bargarh main canal and Sasan main canal, which are currently in a dilapidated state. In addition to the main canals, various distributaries will also be repaired to make them functional again, ensuring smooth water flow throughout the network.
Mahanadi river:
The Mahanadi River is a major river in East Central India.
Mahanadi is also known for the Hirakud Dam which was the first major multipurpose river valley project after India’s independence in 1947.
The river flows through the states of Chhattisgarh and Odisha and before finally ending in the Bay of Bengal.
Origin: Nagri-Sihawa, Dhamtari, Dandakaranya, Chhattisgarh, India.
Mouth: False Point, Jagatsinghpur, Delta, Odisha, India
Tributaries:
Left- Seonath, Mand, Ib, Hasdeo, Kelo
Right- Ong, parry, Jonk, Telen