GROUP DETAILS

Group Leaders : Pranshu Aggarwal and Rahul Singh

Group Members :

Praveen Damke

Lakshay Gupta

Navneet Kumar

Rajnish Verma

Manoj Kumar Meena

Mohd Azeem

Munugoti Anurag Sharma

Manohar Singh

Rahul Raj Pandey

Pushpendra singh

Lokesh Meher

Mogili Praneeth

June Kumar Singh

Puneet Sharma
 CHAPTER 17

Dam in general and a few dams in particular

Q1. (a) What is meant by a "dam and a reservoir" ? What are the different materials that are
commonly used for darn construction and what are their comparative advantages and
disadvantages ?

Ans: A dam may be defined as an obstruction or a barrier built across a stream or a river. At the
back of this barrier, water gets collected, forming a pool of water. The side on which water gets
collected is called the upstream side, and the other side of the barrier is called the downstream
side. The lake of water which is formed upstream is often called a reservoir

Different materials for dam construction are

1.Timber dam: These are short lived, since in a few years time, rotting sets in. Their life is not more
than 30 to 40 years and must have regular maintenance during that time.

2. Steel dams: These are not used for major works. Today, steel dams are used as temporary coffer dams
needed for the construction of permanent dams. Steel coffer dams are usually reinforced with timber or
earthfill.

3. The hollow masonry gravity dams: They contain less concrete or masonry ; about 35 to 40% or
so. They are difficult to build and are adopted only if very skilled labour is easily available, otherwise
the labour cost is too-high-to-build its-complex structure.

4. Solid-masonry Gravity dams: These are familiar to us by now, after we have talked about Aswan,
Roosevelt, Hoover, and above all Bhakra dam.

(b) Discuss the geological and topological features which affect the selection of the type of dam.
Ans: features which affect the selection of the type of dam

(1) Topography. Topography dictates the 'first choice of the type of dam. For example:
(i) A narrow U-shaped valley, i.e. a narrow stream flowing between high rocky walls, would
suggest a concrete overflow dam.

(ii) A low, rolliing plain country, would naturally suggest an earth fill dam with a separate
spillway.
(iii)The mailability of a 'Spillway Site' is very important while selecting a particular kind
of dam.
(2) Geology and Foundation Conditions. The foundations have to carry weight of the dam. The
dam site must be thoroughly surveyed by geologists, so as to detect the thickness of the
foundation strata, presence of faults, fissured materials, and their permeability, slope, and
slip, etc.

Q2. (a) What are 'arch' and 'buttress' dams ? Illustrate with sketches and mention site conditions
favorable for construction of such dams.
Ans: Arch dam: Arch dams are very complex and complicated. They make use of the horizontal
arch action in place of weight to hold back the water. They are best suited at sites where the dam
must be extremely high and narrow .e.g. idduki dam in Kerala
Buttress dam: these are the dams in which we support the water weight by constructing
vertical walls along a dam. In this way the thickness of the dam is reduced and dam is
economical.

(b) Discuss the factors which are considered in the , selection of the site for a proposed dam. It is
assumed that the type of the dam has already been selected for the project.
Ans: factors for selection of the site for a proposed dam
1. Availability of strong foundation to bear the weight of dam.

2. For economy purpose the length of the dam should be minimum. It should contain large
amount of water for minimum height of dam.

3. The general bed level at dam site should preferably be higher than that of the river basin. This
will reduce the height of t h e d a m a n d w i l l facilitate the drainage problem.

4. Materials required for the construction should be easily available, either locally or in the near
vicinity, so that the cost of transporting them is as low as possible.

5. The reservoir basin should be reasonably water-tight. The stored water should not escape out
through its side walls and bed.

6. the value of land and property submerged by the proposed dam should be as low as- possible.
7. The dam site should be easily accessible, so that it can be economically connected to important
towns and cities by rails, roads, etc.

8. Site for establishing labour colonies and a healthy environment should be available in the
near vicinity.
Q3.(a) What useful purpose is served by a dam ? What are the illeffects of dam construction ?
Ans: a dam has many useful purposes which are:
1.It act as reservoir of water in summer season and can be used for drinking water and domestic uses.
2.It can also be used for irrigation purposes.
3. dam are used for generating electricity
4. sometimes they are used for making Military strategy
5. they are also used for flood control.
Ill effects of dam construction are
1.fish problem: In general for reproduction purpose the old fish go to there native place in
upstream side of rivers. The new born fishes go in downstream side. But due to construction of
these dam , old fish are not able to go upstream side. Due to this large number of fish died and it
will effect the fish market and economy of a nation.
Remedy of this problem is to construct fish ladder which helps the fish to reach upstream .
2. Submergence problems: due to large amount of water is collected in the reservoir a large
portion of land is submerged in water. This will lead to emigration of villagers.
3. Failure Problem: We try our best to build dams to last as long as possible. Every person
whosoever has worked on a dam hopes that the dam will live as long as the pyramids of Egypt.
But many a times, the dam give way under the continued insistent pressure of the water penned up
behind them. This failure of the dam may be caused either due to bad workmanship or due to
faulty design or due to the occurrence of unanticipated floods.
4. The Bomb Problem: The dams create dangers in wars, especially in modern atomic age. One
single atom bomb may cause the failure of Hoover Darn (Boulder Dam) or Bhakra Dam.

(b) How do you classify dams according to

Q4. "Dams are the sources of sorrow and grief'. Debate the above statement giving points in
favour as well as against it.

Ans: Dams bring sorrows as well as benefits also for the human beings, animals and environment
too. In flat basins large dams cause flooding of large tracts of land, destroying local animals and
habitats. Dams restrict sediments that are responsible for the fertile lands downstream. Farmers
use chemical fertilizers and pesticides to compensate for the loss in productivity. So they suffer
for good production of their crops. Farmers growing crops on downstream sides have to wait for
the water for irrigation. But not always it brings us ill effect. It also main the water level for
irrigation in summer seasons. Many desert areas can now farm due to dams and canals that supply
water. Dams are very useful during flood times. They are used to sustain water from downstream.
But yet it has come with some serious problems. People living in villages and towns that are in the
valley to be flooded, must move out. This means that they lose their farms and businesses. In some
countries, people are forcibly removed so that hydro-power schemes can go ahead.

Q5. Narrate briefly the story of construction of any major dam of India.

Ans: Nagarjuna Sagar Dam:- In the earlier years of construction, a Control Board was the orverall
incharge of the Nagarjun Sagar Project including technical, financial and administration aspects. The project
was then located in the Andhra Pradesh and the Hyderabad States. After the reorganisation of States, the
project came entirely in Andhra Pradesh State. The State Government assumed its full responsibility w.e.f.
1.8.1959. The Control Board became an advisory Body to the State Government, whose advice is accepted
as a matter of convention. The programme of construction of dam and canals was so adjusted that
partial benefits started accruing even from 1967. The reservoir was able to deliver water to first crop of
Krishna delta in time for raising substantial acreage in 2nd crop.
The man-made lake of Nagarjuna Sagar fully submerged lands of 52 villages and partially
submerged that of 5 villages. About 4,900 families were displaced and rehabilitated in 24 Rehabilitation
centres. Good facilities, liberal compensation and other amenities were provided to those who had to
be uprooted.

As the Nagarjuna Sagar reservoir was to completely submerge the famous relics of Nagarjuna. Konda,
which was the seat of Ikshwaku Kings and one of the principal centres of Mahayana System of
Buddhism, the whole area was excavated by the Archaeological Department of the Government of India.
The more important of the relics were located in a museum constructed for the purpose, on the top of an
adjoining hill. Practically, all the relics had been unearthed and shifted to the museum. Expenditure to
the extent of 12 lakh rupees was debited to the Project and the balance was met by the Archaeological
department
 SYNOPSIS

Dam in general and a few dams in particular

This chapter deals with definition and uses of dam. A dam may be defined as an obstruction or a
barrier built across a stream or a river. At the back of this barrier, water gets collected, forming a
pool of water. The side on which water gets collected is called the upstream side, and the other
side of the barrier is called the downstream side. The lake of water which is formed upstream is
often called a reservoir.It explains history of dam construction and modern dam in world. It is
very difficult to say as where and when the first man-made dam was built. Archaeological
evidences help in estimating that the very first man made dam is at least 3000-5000 years old.

It deals with first flood control dam ASWAN dam. There are many types of dam in world and
they can be classified according to their use, construction materials and hydraulic design. It also
deals with the uses of dams.

A dam has many useful purposes as reservoir of water, irrigation purpose, generate electricity
and control floods. Apart from these numerous advantages and uses of a dam, it sometimes helps
us in planning war strategy and helps us in controlling the advancement of enemies and their
forces. Dams have been frequently opened in times of war. The Dutch breached their dikes during
Second World War to bedevil the invading Germans.

But dam can cause problems too e.g. fish problem, submergence problem, failure problem and
bomb problem.

There are many factors which governs the selection of a particular type of dam for example
topography, geology and foundation condition, availability of materials etc. In same way there are
many factors which govern the selection of dam site.

In the end chapter deals with stories of few important dams e.g. HOOVER DAM, BHAKRA
DAM, NAGAL DAM and NAGARJUNA DAM. It deals with their construction history, details
of dams, planning for dam and selection of suitable sites and their construction problems.