About
Tungabhadra Dam is one of India's earliest post-Independence interstate dam projects — a 2.44 km composite (concrete gravity + earthen embankment) dam on the Tungabhadra river at Hospet, Karnataka. The project was sanctioned in 1949 (immediately after Independence) and completed in 1953, making it India's first major post-Independence dam project after Hirakud.
The dam impounds 3.76 cubic km of water, irrigating 3.5 lakh hectares across Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh — making it among the largest interstate-shared dam projects in India. The associated 27 MW Tungabhadra Hydroelectric Power Station feeds the southern grid.
The site is historically significant: the dam is located near the Hampi UNESCO World Heritage Site (the ancient Vijayanagara Empire ruins). The dam's reservoir has submerged some peripheral Vijayanagara-era ruins, though the main Hampi monuments remain above water level. The Archaeological Survey of India coordinated with the dam construction to relocate selected ruins.
A major maintenance concern: the original 1953 spillway gates have been heavily corroded by 70 years of operation. Major rehabilitation began in 2018 with new stainless-steel-lined gates + automated control systems.
Cross-references
8Indian Standards, IRC codes, and InfraLens knowledge articles that bear on this project's design and execution. Each link opens the relevant reference page.
Related calculators
3InfraLens calculators most relevant for dam projects.
Notable features
- India's first major post-Independence interstate dam project (1953)
- 2.44 km composite dam — concrete gravity + earthen embankment
- Irrigates 3.5 lakh hectares across Karnataka + Andhra Pradesh
- 27 MW associated hydroelectric station
- Located near Hampi UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Major rehabilitation begun 2018 with new spillway gates