Almatti Dam
The Almatti Dam is a major hydroelectric and irrigation project built across the Krishna River in Bagalkot district, Karnataka. It forms an important component of the Upper Krishna Project (UKP), designed to provide water for agriculture, power generation, and drinking purposes. The dam has been central not only to Karnataka’s water management but also to inter-state river water disputes in southern India.
Background and Construction
The idea of harnessing the Krishna River for irrigation and power generation dates back to the early 20th century. However, detailed planning for the Almatti Dam took shape under the Upper Krishna Project, initiated in the post-independence period to utilise Karnataka’s allocated share of Krishna waters.
- Foundation stone: Laid in 1963, though construction was delayed for decades due to financial and political constraints.
- Construction period: Major work began in the late 1980s and early 1990s, with the dam completed in 2005.
- Implementing authority: Karnataka’s Krishna Bhagya Jala Nigam Ltd. (KBJNL) oversaw the project.
Structural Features
The Almatti Dam is a large earthen and concrete structure with significant storage capacity.
- Type: Earthen dam with a concrete spillway.
- Height: About 52 metres.
- Length: Approximately 1,568 metres.
- Reservoir (Lal Bahadur Shastri Reservoir): Spreads across parts of Bagalkot, Bijapur, and Gulbarga districts.
- Storage capacity: Around 123 tmc ft (thousand million cubic feet) at full reservoir level.
- Spillway: Equipped with radial gates to regulate water discharge.
Functions and Benefits
The Almatti Dam serves multiple purposes:
- Irrigation: Provides water to over 7 lakh hectares of agricultural land in northern Karnataka.
- Hydropower generation: Houses a 290 MW hydroelectric power station, supplying electricity to the state grid.
- Drinking water supply: Supplies water to towns and villages in the Krishna basin region.
- Flood control: Regulates water flow, helping to mitigate flooding downstream.
Inter-State Disputes
The dam has been at the centre of prolonged disputes over Krishna River water sharing among Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Telangana.
- The Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal (KWDT) initially fixed water allocations, leading to objections from downstream states that feared reduced water availability due to Almatti’s storage capacity.
- Andhra Pradesh particularly contested Karnataka’s plans to raise the dam height, arguing that it would affect irrigation projects downstream.
- The Supreme Court of India and successive KWDT verdicts have addressed these disputes, allowing Karnataka to utilise Almatti within its allocated share while ensuring downstream interests are safeguarded.
Socio-Economic Impact
- Positive impact:
- Boosted agriculture in drought-prone northern Karnataka.
- Generated renewable electricity.
- Improved water availability for domestic and industrial use.
- Negative impact:
- Large-scale displacement of people due to reservoir submergence.
- Submergence of historic sites, temples, and villages in Bagalkot district.
- Ongoing tensions among riparian states regarding equitable water distribution.
Contemporary Relevance
The Almatti Dam remains one of Karnataka’s most important water infrastructure projects. It continues to play a critical role in:
- Supporting agriculture in semi-arid regions.
- Contributing to Karnataka’s renewable energy mix.
- Acting as a symbol of the state’s efforts to secure fair utilisation of river waters.
At the same time, it remains a focal point in inter-state river water politics, illustrating the broader challenges of water sharing in India.
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