Brahamaputra Basin

Brahamaputra Basin
d) Khandong: Khandong Dam is on Kopilli River, a tributary of Brahmaputra, is located at a
distance of 70 km from Lanka in Assam. The height of this dam is 61 m.Live storage of the dam
is 129.5 MCM.
e) Doyang: Doyang is a rockfill dam on the Doyang River, a tributary of Brahmaputra, 30 km from
Wokha in Nagaland. The height of the dam is 92 m and the reservoir has a live storage capacity
of 565 MCM at FRL 333.00 m.
f) Rangit-III: Rangit-III dam constructed as a part of Ranhit hydroelectric station commissioned in
the year 2000 by NHPC on Greater Rangit River, a tributary of Teesta River. The dam is located
at a distance of 130 km from Siliguri in South Sikkim District. The height of the dam is 45 m high.
The reservoir has a live storage capacity of 1.175 MCM.
Construction of mega dams of this basin, like Subansiri Lower, Ranganadi, Khandong, Karbi Langpi,
Teesta-V, Teesta III & IV Low dam etc. are only to tap the hydro power of this region. As shown in
Figure 7, 75% of the total dams are constructed to generate hydropower only.Multi-purpose dams
are very less in Brahmaputra Basin. The basin-wise distribution of water resource structures of the
basin are shown in the Table 9. About 33.30% of dams in Brahmaputra basin have storage capacity
above 500 MCM. Only few dams like Umium (Meghalaya), Doyang (Nagaland) and Rangit-III (Sikkim)
have some other uses like fisheries and water supply. Umium reservoir water also used to local level
irrigation of some downstream regions and also supply drinking water to some local cantonment
area.
Barrage and weir are mostly used in the Brahmaputra basin for the agricultural irrigation purposes.
All the major command areas of the Brahmaputra basin are irrigated by constructing diversion
structures i.e weir and barrage. The Sukla and Jamuna weir are the oldest water resources structures
associated with Sukla and Jamuna major Irrigation project undertaken in the 3rd plan. Jamuna weir
of length 302.36 m is the largest weir constructed in the Brahmaputra Basin completed in 1969.
Other important weirs of this region are - Umiam-Umtru, Umiam and Pahumura weir.
Barrages associated with the major and medium irrigation projects of this basin are Teesta, Dhansiri,
Barolia, Jaldhaka, Burisuti, Garufella, Dzuza, Baradikarai, Champamati, Longa, Bhumki barrage etc.
Teesta Barrage across Teesta River in West Bengal, about 9.6 km downstream of Sevoke Railway
bridge on the Assam Rail Link is the largest barrage of Brahmaputra basin with length of 921.5 m
completed in 1986.
Salient features of the dams, Barrages, weirs and anicuts of the Brahmaputra basin are listed in the
(Annexure IV: A & B).
Table 9. Sub-basin wise number and type of water resources structures
Sl. No. Sub Basin Dam Barrage Weir Anicut Lift Power House
1 Brahmaputra Lower 13 16 5 0 2 18
2 Brahmaputra Upper 3 1 0 0 2 3
Source: India-WRIS
www.india-wris.nrsc.gov.in 39