List of Major Dams in India and Their Rivers
Rahul Kumar
SSC Exam Expert & Content Editor
Table of Contents
A practice set covering 30 major dams of India with their rivers and states, including practice questions and FAQs for quick SSC GK revision.
Major dams of India are a recurring SSC GK topic, with questions usually asked on which river a dam is built on and which state it is located in. This practice set covers 30 important dams, their rivers, and states for quick revision.
List of Major Dams in India: Quick Reference Table
| # | Dam | River | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tehri Dam | Bhagirathi | Uttarakhand |
| 2 | Bhakra Dam | Sutlej | Himachal Pradesh |
| 3 | Sardar Sarovar Dam | Narmada | Gujarat |
| 4 | Hirakud Dam | Mahanadi | Odisha |
| 5 | Nagarjuna Sagar Dam | Krishna | Telangana/Andhra Pradesh |
| 6 | Indira Sagar Dam | Narmada | Madhya Pradesh |
| 7 | Idukki Dam | Periyar | Kerala |
| 8 | Mettur Dam | Kaveri | Tamil Nadu |
| 9 | Krishnarajasagar Dam | Kaveri | Karnataka |
| 10 | Koyna Dam | Koyna | Maharashtra |
| 11 | Rihand Dam | Rihand | Uttar Pradesh |
| 12 | Ranjit Sagar Dam | Ravi | Punjab |
| 13 | Pong Dam | Beas | Himachal Pradesh |
| 14 | Ukai Dam | Tapi | Gujarat |
| 15 | Maithon Dam | Barakar | Jharkhand |
| 16 | Panchet Dam | Damodar | Jharkhand |
| 17 | Tungabhadra Dam | Tungabhadra | Karnataka |
| 18 | Almatti Dam | Krishna | Karnataka |
| 19 | Gandhi Sagar Dam | Chambal | Madhya Pradesh |
| 20 | Rana Pratap Sagar Dam | Chambal | Rajasthan |
| 21 | Jawahar Sagar Dam | Chambal | Rajasthan |
| 22 | Bansagar Dam | Son | Madhya Pradesh |
| 23 | Mullaperiyar Dam | Periyar | Kerala |
| 24 | Bhavani Sagar Dam | Bhavani | Tamil Nadu |
| 25 | Dantiwada Dam | Banas | Gujarat |
| 26 | Kadana Dam | Mahi | Gujarat |
| 27 | Salal Dam | Chenab | Jammu & Kashmir |
| 28 | Baglihar Dam | Chenab | Jammu & Kashmir |
| 29 | Pandoh Dam | Beas | Himachal Pradesh |
| 30 | Farakka Barrage | Ganga | West Bengal |
Practice Questions on Dams and Rivers
- Q1. Which is the tallest dam in India?
Answer: Tehri Dam, built on the Bhagirathi River in Uttarakhand - Q2. Bhakra Dam is built on which river?
Answer: Sutlej River - Q3. Which dam is built on the Narmada River in Gujarat?
Answer: Sardar Sarovar Dam - Q4. Hirakud Dam, one of the longest dams in the world, is built on which river?
Answer: Mahanadi River, Odisha - Q5. Which dam supplies water to Chennai and is built on the Kaveri River?
Answer: Mettur Dam, Tamil Nadu - Q6. Idukki Dam, known for its arch design, is located in which state?
Answer: Kerala, on the Periyar River - Q7. Which river has the Gandhi Sagar, Rana Pratap Sagar and Jawahar Sagar dams built on it?
Answer: Chambal River - Q8. Farakka Barrage is built on which river?
Answer: Ganga River, West Bengal - Q9. Which dam is a joint project between Jharkhand's Maithon and Panchet, part of the Damodar Valley Corporation?
Answer: Panchet Dam (Damodar River) and Maithon Dam (Barakar River) - Q10. Baglihar Dam, often discussed in India-Pakistan water disputes, is built on which river?
Answer: Chenab River, Jammu & Kashmir
Tips to Remember Dams and Rivers for SSC
- Group dams by river system (Narmada, Krishna, Chambal, Beas) rather than memorising them in isolation.
- Note dams that share a river, like Chambal (Gandhi Sagar, Rana Pratap Sagar, Jawahar Sagar) — these are a favourite SSC trap.
- Cross-check with our Major Rivers of India practice set since dam questions and river questions overlap heavily.
- Practice more with our previous year questions and mock tests.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Which is the tallest dam in India?
Tehri Dam in Uttarakhand, built on the Bhagirathi River, is the tallest dam in India.
2. Which state has the highest number of major dams in this list?
Gujarat and Karnataka both have multiple major dams listed here, including Sardar Sarovar, Ukai, Dantiwada and Kadana in Gujarat.
3. Which river has the most dams built on it in this list?
The Chambal River has three major dams listed: Gandhi Sagar, Rana Pratap Sagar and Jawahar Sagar.
4. What is Hirakud Dam famous for?
Hirakud Dam on the Mahanadi River in Odisha is known as one of the longest dams in the world.
5. Which dam is built on the Periyar River?
Both Idukki Dam and Mullaperiyar Dam are built on the Periyar River in Kerala.
6. Which dam is associated with India-Pakistan water disputes?
Baglihar Dam and Salal Dam, both on the Chenab River in Jammu & Kashmir, have featured in such discussions under the Indus Waters Treaty.
7. What is Farakka Barrage used for?
Farakka Barrage on the Ganga River in West Bengal is used to divert water into the Hooghly River to maintain its flow.
8. Which dam serves Chennai's water supply?
Mettur Dam on the Kaveri River is a key source feeding water supply and irrigation in Tamil Nadu.
9. How should I prepare dam-related questions for SSC exams?
Learn dams in groups by their river, since SSC frequently asks "which river is X dam built on" type questions.
10. Which dam is part of the Damodar Valley Corporation project?
Maithon Dam (Barakar River) and Panchet Dam (Damodar River), both in Jharkhand, are part of the Damodar Valley Corporation.
11. Is Krishnarajasagar Dam and Mettur Dam built on the same river?
Yes, both are built on the Kaveri River, Krishnarajasagar in Karnataka and Mettur in Tamil Nadu.
12. Which dam is built on the Tapi River?
Ukai Dam in Gujarat is built on the Tapi River.
13. How many dam-based questions are usually asked in SSC exams?
Typically 1-2 questions, making this a compact and high-value static GK topic.
14. Which dam is built on the Son River?
Bansagar Dam in Madhya Pradesh is built on the Son River.
15. Where can I practice more topics like this?
Visit our Practice Papers section for more river, dam and geography-based SSC practice sets.
Rahul Kumar
SSC Exam Expert & Content Editor
Rahul is a senior SSC exam strategist with 8+ years of experience helping aspirants crack CGL, CHSL and MTS exams. He writes in-depth notification breakdowns, exam pattern guides and preparation strategies.
