Maharashtra:Irrigation and hydro power
Irrigation
The State has 231 lakh ha of land under cultivation and area under forest is 52.1 lakh ha. Many irrigation projects are being implemented to improve irrigation. A watershed development programme is being implemented to ensure that soil and water conservation measures are implemented speedily in the unirrigated area.
Prior to the implementation of irrigation schemes in Maharashtra state only 2.74 lakhs hectares of land irrigation potential was created by investing Rs. 16.60 crores for irrigation schemes. The water resource development received special attention after the creation of separate Maharashtra state. In the 58 years, ever since the first five years plan, the irrigation department increased its irrigation potential till June 2009 up to 46.34 lakhs hectares. For the purpose Rs. 48,500/- was invested by March 2009. In the financial year 2009-10 total Rs.7128.62 crores have been invested which is expected to raise the irrigation potential up to 175 lakhs hectares. By 01 April 2010 there were total 1023 irrigation projects including 68 major, 128 Medium, 807 minor and 20 lift irrigation schemes worth Rs. 80,000 crores were in progress in the state. Once these projects are completed, it will generate additional irrigation potential of up to 38.58 lakhs of hectares. As such the government aimed at achieving irrigation potential in 85 lakhs hectares area under irrigation through surface water including state level projects.
Irrigation Potential in Maharashtra
According to Barve Commission report, in 1962, the first Maharashtra Irrigation Commission popularly has known as estimated surface irrigation potential of 52.61 lakh hectares and 9 lakh hectares as grand water potential.
The Ultimate potential in Maharashtra state as per evaluation by the World Bank in the year 1979 was estimated at 61.93 lakh hectares. In 1984, the state government had appointed a fact finding committee on regional imbalance in Maharashtra under the chairmanship of late V. M. Dandekar to identify backlog portion pertained to irrigation in three regions of the state.
The Committee had found that the major backlog portion pertained to the irrigation and accordingly estimated that Rs.1386 crores would be required to remove the backlog. It was estimated that three-fourth of ultimate irrigation potential is liked to be realised through surface water.
Different studies have revealed that, it is estimated that about three fourth of ultimate potential i.e. 63.05 lakh hectares would be through surface water resources. Second Maharashtra irrigation commission (Chitale Commission) report submitted in 1999 estimated that 126 lakh hectares (55.75%) area can be brought under irrigation.
Hydro power in Maharashtra
Mahagenco has an installed capacity of 13602 MW. This comprises of Thermal (nearly 75%, i.e. 10170 MW) and a gas based generating station at Uran, having an installed capacity of 672 MW. The Hydro Electric Projects in the State of Maharashtra were designed, erected and commissioned through the Water Resource Department (WRD) of GoM. After commissioning, the hydro projects were handed over on long term lease to Mahagenco for Operation and Maintenance. Presently there are 25 hydel projects, having capacity of 2580 MW.
Bhira Hydroelectric Project
Bhira Hydroelectric Project is an electricity generating complex in Bhira, Maharashtra state, India. It generates power using water from the nearby Mulshi Dam. Bhira lies approximately 150 km from Mumbai. Its construction was completed in 1927.
The plant’s maximum output capacity is nominally 300 MW, generated by six 25 MW Pelton turbines and a 150 MW pumped storage generator added in 1997. In 2014 two 10 kW microturbine units were added to generate further power from the tailrace after the main turbines.
Dhom Dam
Dhom Dam, is an earthfill and gravity dam on Krishna river near Wai in state of Maharashtra in India.
The height of the dam above lowest foundation is 50 m (160 ft) while the length is 2,478 m (8,130 ft). The volume content is 6,335 km3 (1,520 cu mi) and gross storage capacity is 13.80 TMC or 382,270.00 km3 (91,711.45 cu mi).
Dimbhe Dam
Dimbhe dam, is a gravity dam on Ghod River near Ambegaon, Pune district in State of Maharashtra in India.
The height of the dam above lowest foundation is 67.21 m (220.5 ft) while the length is 852 m (2,795 ft). The volume content is 1,151.23 km3 (276.19 cu mi) and gross storage capacity is 38,220,000.00 m3 (1.349726562×109 cu ft). The dam is located in the Ghod basin and is part of the Kukadi project, which constructed five dams in the region. Other dams included in this project are Yedgaon Dam, Manikdoh Dam, Pimpalgaon Joge Dam and Wadaj Dam. A 5 MW power house is also built at the foot of this dam.
Jayakwadi Dam
The harsh project is one of the largest irrigation projects in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is a multipurpose project. The water is mainly used to irrigate agricultural land in the drought-prone Marathwada region of the state. It also provides water for drinking and industrial usage to nearby towns and villages and to the municipalities and industrial areas of Aurangabad and Jalna district. The surrounding area of the dam has a garden and a bird sanctuary.
A plan to build a dam on Godavari river in the drought-prone Marathwada region was first conceived during rule of state of Hyderabad. The plan was to build a dam in Beed district near village Jaikwadi with storage capacity of 2,147 MCM (million cubic metres).The project came to be known as Jayakwadi project after the name of the village. However, after formation of new state of Maharashtra and comparative analysis on alternative places, it was decided to build a dam 100 km upstream at Paithan. The project was continued to name as Jayakwadi even after it was shifted to a new location. Building dam at higher level made it possible to have longer canals and thus providing irrigation facility to a larger region. The project proposal for this was completed by 1964.
Ghatghar Dam
Ghatghar Dam refers to two associated gravity dams built using roller-compacted concrete, the first use in India. They are situated in Ghatghar village in Ahmednagar district Maharashtra, India. Both dams create a lower and upper reservoir for the 250 MW pumped-storage hydroelectric power station. The upper Ghatghar dam is 15 m (49 ft) tall and on the Pravara River, a tributary of Godavari river.The lower Ghatghar dam is 86 m (282 ft) tall and on the Shahi Nalla River directly to the south west of the upper reservoir in a steep valley. The hydro power project diverts Godavari river basin water outside the basin area to a west flowing river of Western ghats.
Koyna Dam
The Koyna Dam is one of the largest dams in Maharashtra, India. It is a rubble-concrete dam constructed on Koyna River which rises in Mahabaleshwar, a hillstation in Sahyadri ranges. It is located in Koyna Nagar, Satara district, nestled in the Western Ghats on the state highway between Chiplun and Karad.
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