Polavaram Indirasagar Dam Project

Polavaram Project is a multi-purpose irrigation project which has been accorded national project status by the central government.

• This dam across the Godavari River is under construction located in West Godavari District and East Godavari District in Andhra Pradesh state and its reservoir spreads in parts of Chhattisgarh and Odisha States also.

Indirasagar Polavaram an interstate project on river Godavari has been conceived as a part of recommendations of Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal (GWDT).

• GWDT finalized its award in 1980 .The award identifies individual projects that can be taken up by the co-basin states of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh (including Chhattisgarh), Orissa, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh (AP) on the main Godavari river as well as its tributaries.
• As a part of the award, the states of Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa executed an agreement dated 02-04-1980 to enable clearance of Polavaram Project to be undertaken by AP. 
• The agreement provides for construction of the project with a Full Reservoir Level of 150 Feet and with a spillway discharging capacity of 36 Lakh Cusecs at pond level of 140 feet and not less than 20 Lakh Cusecs at a pond level of 130 feet.
• In order to protect the lands and properties above level of 150 feet, in Orissa and Chhattisgarh, protective embankments with adequate drainage sluices have been provided at the cost of the project.