Context:
The water level in the Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) across the Cauvery recently breached the 100-ft mark as against its capacity of 124.80 feet owing to heavy rain in the catchment area of the river.
Relevance:
GS III: Infrastructure
Dimensions of the Article:
- Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) Dam
- Key Facts about Kaveri River
Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) Dam
- Type: Gravity dam
- Location: Located below the confluence of the Kaveri River with its tributaries Hemavati and Lakshmana Tirtha, in Mandya district, Karnataka.
- Usage:
- Provides irrigation water to Mysore and Mandya districts.
- Main source of drinking water for Mysore, Mandya, and Bengaluru.
- Supplies water to the Shivanasamudra hydroelectric power station.
- Releases water to Tamil Nadu, stored in the Mettur dam in Salem district.
- History:
- Constructed during the rule of Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV of Mysore.
- Construction began in 1911 and completed in 1931.
- Designed by Sir M. Visvesvaraya, renowned Indian engineer.
- Features:
- Built using surki mortar and limestone.
- Length: 2,621 meters (8,600 ft), Height: 40 meters (130 ft).
- Features 177 iron sluices, some with automatic doors.
- Reservoir area spans about 130 sq km, once the largest in Asia.
- Adjacent to Brindavan Gardens, known for its ornamental beauty.
Key Facts about Kaveri River
- Origin: Brahmagiri Hill in southwestern Karnataka.
- Course: Flows southeast for 765 km through Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, descending the Eastern Ghats with notable falls.
- Drainage: Basin covers Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and Puducherry.
- Outflow: Empties into the Bay of Bengal at Poompuhar, Mayiladuthurai district, Tamil Nadu.
- Major Left Bank Tributaries: Harangi, Hemavati, Shimsha, Arkavati.
- Major Right Bank Tributaries: Lakshmantirtha, Kabbani, Suvarnavati, Bhavani, Noyil, Amaravati.
-Source: The Hindu
