Sathanur Dam

Sathanur Dam
Sathanur Dam
	Sathanur Dam Park
	Location in Tamil Nadu, India
Official name	Lower Sathanur dam project
Country	India
Location	Sathanur, Thandarampet taluk, Tiruvannamalai district, Tamil Nadu
Coordinates	12°08′00.34″N 78°56′48.65″E / 12.1334278°N 78.9468472°E
Purpose	Irrigation
Status	2
Construction began	1953
Opening date	1958
Construction cost	₹3.59 Crore
Dam and spillways
Type of dam	Gravity
Impounds	Ponniar River
Height (foundation)	119 ft (36 m)
Length	4,500.59 m (14,766 ft)
Spillways	122
Spillway type	OGEE
Spillway capacity	9,061 m3/s (320,000 cu ft/s)
Reservoir
Creates	Sathanur Reservoir
Total capacity	229.4 MCM or 8.10 tmc ft
Catchment area	7,300.43 km2 (2,818.71 sq mi)

Sathanur Dam which forms the Sathanur reservoir, is one of the major dams in Tamil Nadu. It is constructed across the Thenpennai River also called as Pennaiyar River in Thandarampet taluk among Chennakesava Hills. The dam can be reached by road 30 km (19 mi) from Tiruvannamalai City. It was constructed in 1958. There is also a large crocodile farm and a fish grotto. Parks are maintained inside the dam for tourists to visit and the gardens have been used by the film industry. Sathanur dam and reservoir is the third largest in Tamil Nadu after Mettur and Bhavanisagar.

History

The Sathanur Dam Project was proposed in the First Five Year Plans of India and started in the year 1953. The Dam works are completed in the Second Five Year Plans of India and is operational from 1958.^[2] The project was inaugurated by the then Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu K. Kamaraj. This is one of the Major irrigation schemes were planned in Kamaraj's period . The other projects are Lower Bhavani, Krishnagiri Dam, Mani Muthuar, Cauvery Delta, Aarani River, Vaigai Dam, Amravathi, Sathanur, Pullambadi, Parambikulam and Neyaru Dams.^[3]

The approved cost of the project is ₹2.02 Crores. The project was completed within ₹3.59 Crore (Actual cost). The project is covered under CADA (Command Area Development Authority) Scheme.^[2]

Technical details

The dam has an effective storage capacity of 7,321,000,000 cu ft (207,300,000 m³) with a full level of 119 ft (36 m). An area of 7,185 ha (17,750 acres) of land is benefited by the left bank canal and 100 ha (250 acres) of land is benefited by the right bank canal in Thandrampet and Thiruvannamalai blocks. The dam is a popular picnic area in the region.^[4]

References

^ National Register of dams, Central water commission, Govt. of.India, 2019 Ed
^ ^a ^b "Main Page -". Archived from the original on 26 July 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
^ "Perunthalaivar Kamaraj K » Industrial". www.perunthalaivar.org. Archived from the original on 18 July 2016. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
^ Anantharaman, Ambujam (2006). Temples of South India. East West Books (Madras). p. 34. ISBN 978-81-88661-42-8.