Ghatghar Dam, Gravity dam in Ahmednagar district, Maharashtra, India
Ghatghar Dam is a gravity dam complex in Ahmednagar district, Maharashtra, made up of two separate structures that form an upper and a lower reservoir. The lower structure is considerably taller than the upper one, and a power station fitted with reversible turbines uses the stored water to generate electricity.
Construction of the complex began in 1995 and was completed by 2006, with the power station becoming operational in 2008. It was the first project in India to use roller-compacted concrete for building a dam.
The dam supplies water to farming communities across the region and is closely tied to the daily life of surrounding villages. Visitors can see how the stored water feeds irrigation channels that run through the countryside below.
The site sits in the hilly terrain of the Western Ghats, so sturdy footwear is a good idea for the uneven paths. Both reservoirs are visible from elevated points, and the best time to visit is after the monsoon season when the basins are full.
The complex redirects water from the Godavari River basin to rivers that flow in the opposite direction, westward through the Western Ghats. Moving water across a mountain watershed like this is an approach rarely seen elsewhere in the region.
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