Umiam dam

• The Office of the Deputy Commissioner (DC) in Ri Bhoi district, Meghalaya had recently issued a warning to residents living downstream of Umiam Dam that the water may be released any time in case there is further rise in water level in the reservoir above the safe level.

ABOUT UMIAM DAM

• The Umiam Dam, also known as the Barapani Dam, is a large reservoir located in the state of Meghalaya in northeastern India.
• It is situated on the Umiam River, a tributary of the Brahmaputra River.
• Primary purpose -To provide hydroelectric power generation and supply drinking water to the region. It serves as a major water source for Shillong and its surrounding areas.
• Umiam Dam was constructed in the early 1960s as a part of the Umiam-Umtru Hydro-Electric Project.
• It is a concrete gravity dam, standing at a height of approximately 55 meters and having a length of about 1,009 meters.
  • The Umiam Dam has a hydroelectric power station with a total installed capacity of 2×30 megawatts.
• The dam creates a reservoir known as the Umiam Lake, which covers an area of about 220 sq km.