This document provides an introduction to dams, including their historical development, classification, and key factors in site selection and design. It discusses how beavers inspired early dam construction and provides examples of some early dams from ancient civilizations. It also covers classification of dams based on purpose, materials, hydraulic action, structural action, and project size. Additionally, it discusses social issues related to dam construction like displacement and rehabilitation.

1. CHAPTER NO 1
INTRODUCTION TO DAMS
Prof.Manjunath.B
Sanjivani College of Engineering Kopargaon

2. UNIT- I SYLLABUS
• Introduction
• Historical development of dams
• Different terms related to dams
• Selection of site for dam
• Factors governing selection of type of dam
• Classification of dam: Based on Purpose, Project,
Hydraulic action, Structural action.
• Dams and Earthquake
• Dams and social issues
• Large dams Vs Small dam
• Displacement and rehabilitation
• Dams and climatic change

3. INTRODUCTION
• Beavers – The generation of dam
• Dams – Significance for the life
• Dams- Worldwide
• Dams – India
• Dams - Maharashtra
• ..BEAVER
DAMHow_Beavers_Build_Dams___Leave_it
_to_Beavers___PBS.mp4

4. Beaver Dam

5. Sadd el Kafara dam
This is rubble masonry wall dam of ht 11m & length 107m was
built by King Khufu during 2900 BC

6. Soloman Reservoir
King Soloman constructed this reservoir in Judah to supply water
to Jerusalem in 1098 BC

7. Almansa Gravity Dam
Persian King Darlus constructed this dam on river Kur at
Persepolis during 521 – 485 BC

8. Marib dam, Southern Arabia
This dam of height 19m was constructed by King of sabeans in
1700 BC

9. Kalatala Tank
This dam of Height 24 m and 6 Km long was constructed at
Anuradhapura

10. Tissa Wewa Reservoir
307 BC

11. Alcantarilla Dam
This dam is constructed in Spain in 2nd century BC after Roman
arrival.

12. Proserpina Dam
Roman constructed this 19m Ht & 427 m long dam near Merida
during early 2nd Century

13. Subaico Dam
Constructed by Emperor Nero in 1St century near Rome. 1st
stone masonry dam

14. Bhojpur Lake , MP
Raja Bhoj constructed this dam on Betwa River in 11th century .
It has saddle spillway

15. Alicante dam
1st dam constructed in Spain in 1348 AD with rubble masonry . It
is 14.6 m high.

16. Ferreol dam
Earth dam of height 36m was constructed during 1667 - 1675

17. Meer Allum Dam, Hyderabad
This dam od ht 12m & 762 m curved arch thick 2.6m was
constructed in 1800

18. Roosevelt Dam
Constructed on salt river located at North east , Phoenix. Ht
109m

19. Hoover Dam
Built in 1930 it is concrete arch gravity dam that spans Colorado
river . 221m high

20. Oroville Dam
Earth fill embankment dam constructed on feather river at
Oroville city, California, 230 m high.

21. Mauvoisin Dam, Switzerland
World 2nd largest arch dam , 250m high .

22. Vajot dam
Built across Vajot valley in 1961 at 262 m ht.

23. Tehri dam
Multipurpose rock and earth filled embankment highest dam in
India on Bhagirathi river. (260m)

24. Grande Dixence dam
Concrete gravity dam on Dixence river, Switzerland at a ht 285m

25. Nurek Dam
Earthfilled embankment dam on the Vakhsh river in Tajikistan &
is 300m high

26. Rogun Dam
Vakhsh river in Tajikistan

27. Tarbela dam
Indus river, Pakistan , largest earth fill dam in the world, 2nd
largest by structural volume of height 143m

28. Three Gorges Dam
The world largest dam, China

29. Bhakra Dam
Highest Concrete Gravity dam in Asia and Second Highest in the
world across river Sutlej in Himachal Pradesh

30. DAM
• Dam is a solid barrier constructed at a suitable
location across a river valley to store flowing water.
• Storage of water is utilized for following objectives:
• Hydropower
• Irrigation
• Water for domestic consumption
• Drought and flood control
• For navigational facilities
• Other additional utilization is to develop fisheries

31. Factors governing selection of type
of dam
• Availabity of water
• Foundation and geology
• Watertight basin
• Economic height
• Less losses
• Topography
• Environmental considerations
• Land acquisition and rehabilitation issues.
• Earthquake zone
• Site for spillway

34. Different terms related to dam
• Dam: An obstruction built on a stream or a river to collect
water behind it.
• Reservoir: An artificial seasonal or permanent lake, that is
created at the U/S of a dam and used for the purpose of
Irrigation, Drinking, Land reclamation, Electricity generation,
Fishing, Recreation and (or) Protection of towns from flood
danger.
• Catchment: The action of collecting water, especially the
collection of rainfall over a natural drainage area.
• Gorge: A narrow valley between hills or mountains, typically
with steep rocky walls and a stream running through it.
• Width of dam: measured along the dam /foundation interface.

35. • Heel: Contact of dam with the ground on the
upstream side.
• Toe: Contact of dam on the downstream side.
• Abutment: Sides of the valley on which the structure
of the dam rest OR end support of the dam.
• Galleries: Small rooms like structure left within the
dam for checking operations.
• Diversion tunnel: Tunnels are constructed for
diverting water before the construction of dam. This
helps in keeping the river bed dry.

36. • Economic height of dam: The vertical distance from the
lowest point of natural ground on the downstream side
of the dam to the highest part of the dam which would
impound the water at which overall cost of the dam is
minimum.
• Axis of dam: The horizontal centerline of a dam in the
longitudinal direction.
• Spillways: It is the arrangement near the top to release
the excess water of the reservoir to downstream side
• Sluice way: An opening in the dam near the ground
level, which is used to clear the silt accumulation in the
reservoir side.

37. Classification of dam based on Purpose
• Storage
• Detention Coffer (Debris dam)
• Diversion (Weir or barrage)

38. Classification of dam based on
Material
• Earth:
Ex- Green Mountain dam, California
Nagarjun Sagar (India)
• Rock fill: Loose rocks and boulders are piled into the
river bed.
Ex: The salt springs dam in California
• Solid masonry gravity dam
• Hollow masonry gravity dam
• Steel
• Timber
• R.C.C.

39. Classification of dam based on
Hydraulic action
• Overflow ( Non eroded material )
• Non Overflow
• Rigid and Non rigid Dams : Those which are
constructed of rigid materials like masonry,
concrete, steel timber etc while non rigid dams
are constructed of earth and rock fill material

40. Classification of dam based on
Structural action.
• Gravity
• Embankment
• Arch
• Buttress

41. Classification of dam based on
Size of project
Sr.
no
Particulars Culturable
command area
(SqKm)
Hydraulic
head (m)
Gross Storage
capacity
(Cum.Mm)
1 Minor Less than 20 7.5 to 12 0.5 to 10
2 Medium Greater than 20
& less than 100
12 to 30 10 to 60
3 Major Greater than 100 Grater than
30
Grater than 60

42. Dams and Earthquake
• Springs dam (San Francisco, U.S.A) in 1906.
• Pacoima dam (San Fernando) in 1971.
• Hsinfengkiang dam (Canton, China) in 1962
• Koyana (lndia) in 1967 .
• The reservoir induced seismicity is likely to be
small that hardly it has a potential to cause
tectonic movement of plates

43. Dams and social issues
• Mulshi hydroelectric project in Maharashtra
was opposed during 1920-1921 .
• The Hirakund river valley project in Odisha
also, faced protests in1957 .
• Bhopalptanam (Chhattisgarh).
• lnchampalli (Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh,
Chhattisgarh ) .
• Bodhghat (Chhattisgarh) .
• Sardar Sarovar project in Gujarat

44. Displacement and rehabilitation
• Undervaluation of compensation.
• Failure in acquiring alternate cultivable land.
• Absence of advance and comprehensive planning
for rehabilitation.
• Traumatic, forced and delayed relocation. .
• Problems at resettlement sites Multiple
displacements.
• Failure in providing alternative livelihood.
• Lack of transparent, justifiable and
comprehensive policy Lack of targeted efforts on
economic, legal and cultural fronts