Physical Geography
Sawalkote Hydropower Project on Chenab
▪ An apex committee of the Environment Ministry has accorded a fresh environmental clearance to the Sawalkote hydroelectric project.
▪ It is a 1,856 MW run-of-the-river (uses the natural flow of a river with little or no water storage) hydroelectric project located on the Chenab River ( a western river under IWT) in Ramban, J&K.
▪ It is reportedly the first major hydropower project on the Indus rivers to get environmental
clearance following India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) on April 23 (after the
Pahalgam terror attack).
▪ Hydroelectric Project on Chenab River: The Chenab River hosts the 390-MW Dulhasti project at Kishtwar, the 890-MW Baglihar project at Ramban, and the 690-MW Salal project at Reasi. These projects significantly contribute to the region’s energy supply.
▪ Chenab (or Chandrabhaga River) is the largest tributary of the Indus River, formed by the
confluence of the Chandra and Bhaga rivers at Tandi, in Himachal Pradesh.
Almatti dam
▪ Karnataka is acquiring land to raise the height of Almatti Dam under Upper Krishna Project (UKP) Phase III to expand irrigation and improve water storage.
About Almatti Dam
▪ A hydroelectric and irrigation project forming the main reservoir of the Upper Krishna Irrigation Project in North Karnataka.
▪ The dam was completed in July 2005, with an installed power generation capacity of 290 MW.
▪ States Involved: Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra (all riparian states of the Krishna basin).
Major Dams on Krishna River
✓ Almatti Dam – Karnataka.
✓ Narayanpur Dam – Karnataka.
✓ Srisailam Dam – Andhra Pradesh/Telangana border.
✓ Nagarjuna Sagar Dam – Telangana/Andhra Pradesh.
✓ Jurala Project (Priyadarshini Dam) – Telangana.
✓ Pulichintala Project – Andhra Pradesh.
✓ Prakasam Barrage – Andhra Pradesh.
