The Jalaput dam is located on the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border. It is one of the oldest power projects of India. The Jalaput dam was built without reinforced concrete, a standard norm in all modern construction. It was built with random rubble masonry in cement mortar.
The seepage from the dam is almost nil, making it an engineering marvel of the pre-Independence era. The dam has managed to survive for seven decades beating the expectations of engineers about its life.
Which areas benefit from the dam?
The Jalaput dam serves as the main storage for Machkund Hydroelectric Project. The dam is 1,425 feet-long and its height from the deepest bed is 200 feet. The width of the dam at average bed-level is 148 feet while the top width is 18 feet
Five hydropower projects depend on the Jalaput dam. This includes - Machkund, Balimela, Upper Sileru, lower Sileru and Donkarayi. The dam has stored water of Machkund river which originates from the western slopes of the Eastern Ghats near Visakhapatnam district.
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