Hirakud Dam

About Hirakud Dam:

• It is the longest dam in India and the longest earthen dam in the world.
• Total Length:79 km
• The dam was built across the Mahanadi River about 15 km upstream of Sambalpur town in the state of Odisha.
• It is made of earth, concrete and masonry.
• The dam forms a vast reservoir known as the Hirakud Reservoir or Hirakud Lake. It is the biggest artificial lake in Asia, with an area of 746 sq.km.
• This is one of the oldest hydel projects in India, being the first post-independence major multipurpose river valley project in the country. It was inaugurated in the year 1957.
• Purpose:
  • The project provides 1,55,635 hectares of Kharif and 1,08,385 ha of Rabi irrigation.
  • The installed capacity for power generation is 359.8 MW.
  • More than 436,000 hectares of land in the Mahanadi Delta also get irrigated by the water which is released from the powerhouse. 
  • Besides, the project provides flood protection to 9500 sq. km of delta area.
• Cattle Island:
  • It is a small island in the Hirakud reservoir.
  • It is inhabited by a large herd of wild cattle, which are believed to be the descendants of cattle that were left behind by villagers when the dam was constructed in the 1950s.