The Tarbela Dam Project in Pakistan had the objectives of power generation, irrigation, and diverting rivers away from India. Construction started in 1968 and was completed in 8.3 years at a cost of $2.63 billion. The project included a main dam, two auxiliary dams, two spillways, four tunnels, and a power station. Financing came from the Tarbela Development Fund and loans from other countries. After construction, the project provided significant benefits from power generation and irrigation releases, but also faced some problems like sink holes and excessive seepage.

1. Tarbela Dam Project

2. Group Members
• Jabran Umer
• Muhammad Faisal Ashraf
• Muhammad Adil
• Muhammad Abdul Rehman

3. Contents
• History
• Objectives
• Project Duration
• Project Constrain
• Project Cost
• Project life cycle
• Financing
• Tunnels
• Spillways
• Power Generation
• Construction Sequence
• Problems after construction
• Benefits

4. History
• In February 1960, Tippetts-Abbett-McCarthy-
Stratton of USA commonly known as TAMS,
were appointed the project consultants, and
were entrusted the task of investigations,
preparation of detailed designs and contract
documents for Tarbela Dam Project and also the
supervision of construction work during its
execution.
• The project consists of 9000 feet (2,743 meters)
long, 470 feet (143 meters) high main dam. A
power house 3478 MW five number tunnels, two
spillways, auxiliary and service spillways.

5. Objectives
• Power Generation
• Irrigation
• Diverting three eastern rivers (Ravi, Sutlej,
Beas) by India.

6. Project Duration
• Started in 1968
• Initial test filling 1974
• Estimated completion 7.25 year’s
• Actual completion time 8.3
years(approximately 1 year later)

7. Project Constrain
• Cost
– 2.63 billion
• Scope
– Power generation and irrigation
• Time
– 8.3 year’s

8. Project Cost
• The total cost of
project including
power units (1-14)
amount to US $ 2.63
billion.

9. Project life cycle
• Defining
– Primary objective is storage of water to
overcome the effect of diverting the three
eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas and Sutlej) and to
increase the agricultural production.

10. Project life cycle
• Planning & Execution
– The project was planned to have following
things essentially
• A major earth and rock filled dam.
• Two auxiliary earth and rock fill dam.
• Two spillways.
• Four outlet tunnels with 13.7m diameters.
• Power station.
– Cost of project US $ 2.63 billion.

11. Project life cycle
• Delivery
• Detailed O&M procedures were made in 1975
• Started Operating in April 1976.

12. Financing
• Tarbela Development Fund (TDF) in1968
• loans available from the Indus basin
Development Fund and new bilateral loan
agreements signed with the several countries
including Australia, Canada, France, Italy, New
Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States
of America and Germany
• Further extension of power house sponsored by
Oil Producing and Exporting Countries (OPEC)

13. Tunnels
• Total number of Tunnels 4
• Length half mile
• Tunnel 1, 2, 3 for power generation and
tunnel 4 for irrigation

14. Spillway
• Two Spillway on left bank (Service
spillway auxiliary spillway)
• Spillway is flood routing structure
• Spillways capacity is 1500,000 cusecs
• Service spillway has 44% of total capacity
• Discharge capacity of service spillway is
650,000 cusecs.
• Discharge capacity of auxiliary spillway is
850,000 cusecs.

15. Power Generation
Four power units of 175 MW installed on
each of the tunnels 1, 2, and 3.
The project has thus been enhanced from
2100 MW, as originally planned to 3478
MW.

16. Construction Sequence
• A contract signed for construction of civil
work of Tarbela Dam Project between
WAPDA and Tarbela Joint venture (TJV)
including three Italian and three French
heavy construction contractors.

17. Problems after construction
• Appearance of sink holes and cracks in
the impervious blanket of the bed of river.
• Excessive seepage through the
foundation.
• Erosion of the hills.

18. Benefits
Total (Rs.
Million)
Benefits (Rs.
Million) @
0.30 per
KWH
Generation
(MKWH)
Benefits
(Rs
million)
Release
s (MAF)
Year
6
5
4
3
2
1
11610.350
3406.350
11354.500
8204.00
41.020
1975-80
18378.672
8478.672
28262.240
9900.00
49.500
1980-85
32263.478
20699.478
68998.240
11564.00
57.820
1985-92
25733.643
16949.643
56498.810
8784.00
29.280
1992-96
133916.22
48241.622
85674.600
160805.4
05
95.194
1996-07
221902.21
97775.749
325919.21
124126
272.814
Total