Massanjore Dam


Massanjore Dam is a hydropower generating dam over the Mayurakshi River located at Massanjore near Dumka in the state of Jharkhand, India. The Massanjore dam, across the Mayurakshi, was commissioned in 1955. It was formally inaugurated by Lester B. Pearson, Foreign Minister of Canada. The Mayurakshi River at the dam site has a catchment area of 1869 km2

Geography

Location

Massanjore dam at is about upstream from Siuri in West Bengal and is about from Dumka in Jharkhand.

Dam

It is 47.25 m high from its base and is 661.58 m long. The reservoir has an area of when full and has a storage capacity of. The length of the overflow section is 225.60 m and is controlled by 21 bays, each 9.144 m wide. The design discharge is 4.446 cumecs. The full reservoir level is 121.34 m and the flood level is 122.56 m. It cost Rs. 16.10 crore.

Canal

Mayurakshi Left Bank Canal- Length 20.54 kilometres.
Mayurakshi Right Bank Canal-Yet to be constructed.

Finance

The dam was funded by the counterpart rupee fund created through supplies of wheat and other materials from Canada for use in India. Canada devoted those rupees to the further development of the Mayurakshi dam project.

Flood reserve

Unfortunately, the Massanjore dam was not allowed to have a flood reserve. In 1956 the state government selectively took over flood control embankments till then maintained by the landlords or local bodies.