Dam vs Barrage

Dams and barrages are barriers constructed across a river or a natural water course for
diverting water into a canal for the purpose of irrigation or water supply, or into a
channel or tunnel for generation of electricity. However, despite their similarities, there
are differences in these two structures that will be discussed in this article for the help of
those who remain confused between a dam and a barrage.

Apart from differences in their functions, there are physical differences between dams
and barrages also. In case of barrage, the entire length across a river that is between
the banks is provided with gates having their bottom level touching the river bed level.
This implies that the water stored behind a barrage is totally dependent upon the height
of its gates. On the other hand, in the case of a dam, there are spillway gates near its
top level and the storage of water behind the dam is mainly due to the height of the
concrete structure and partially due to the height of the gate. However, care is taken
both in the case of dams as well as barrages to keep the number and size of gates
adequate to account for floods in monsoons.

A barrage is considered as a type of dam consisting of a series of large gates that can
be closed or opened to have a control on the amount of water passing through it. These
gates are primarily meant for controlling the flow of water and to stabilize the flow of
water for irrigation purposes. One key difference between a dam and a barrage
according to World Commission on Dams is that while a barrage is built for diverting
water, a dam is built for storing water in a reservoir to raise the level of water
considerably. A barrage is usually built where the surface is flat across meandering
rivers. It raises the water level only by a few feet.

It has to be kept in mind that both dams and barrages make use of surplus water and
the normal flow of water through the river. The river continues to flow normally as
before. A dam stores surplus flood water and distributes it through irrigation tunnels in
the dam or through canals from its reservoir. In the case of barrages, there is no such
storage and the canals take water directly from the rivers. Thus it can be said that
whereas dams add water, barrages subtract it.

Dam vs Barrage

• Dams are artificial barriers across a flowing river or any other natural water
body that are meant to obstruct, direct, or slow down the flow of water, thus
creating a reservoir or a lake.

• A barrage is an artificial obstruction at the mouth of a river that is used to

increase its depth to assist in navigation or for irrigation purposes.
 Both are constructed across the river to maintain the flow of river, for diverting water to
canal for irrigation, for generating electricity. So it become often confusing to
distinguish between both.

Apart from similarities these two have following differences

 In Barrage, the entire length across a river that is between the banks is
provided with gates having their bottom level touching the river bed level.
Therefore the water storage behind Barrage is totally dependent on Height of
its gates.

Fig: Barrage

 In Dam, there are spillway gates near its top level and the storage of water
behind the dam is mainly due to the height of the concrete structure
and partially due to the height of the gate.

Fig: Dam

 Barrage is considered as a type of Dam.

 According to World Commission on Dams
“a barrage is built for diverting water, a dam is built for storing water in a reservoir to
raise the level of water considerably and barrage is usually built where the surface is flat
across meandering rivers. It raises the water level only by a few feet.”

 A dam stores surplus flood water and distributes it through irrigation tunnels
in the dam or through canals from its reservoir.
 In the case of barrages, there is no such storage and the canals take water
directly from the rivers.
Thus it can be said that whereas dams add water, barrages subtract it.

Image Source: Google.

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Ask New Question
Nikhil Nair, worked at Gujarat State Electricity Corporation Ltd
Answered Mar 25 2015
A Barrage is a diversion headworks it's main aim is to divert the flow of river it does
not have a storage reservoir on its upstream side. The water is elevated only to few feet.
A Dam on the other hand is a storage headwork so the main aim of dam is to create a
storage reservoir on the upstream of the dam. Dams are mostly multipurpose projects
used for Irrigation, hydroelectric power, Flood control, recreation etc.
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Madhusudan Singh Raajot, Master of techology

Answered Jun 9
Originally Answered: What is the difference between a dam and a barrage?
A barrage is a weir that has adjustable gates installed over top of it, to allow different
water surface heights at different times. The water level is adjusted by operating the
adjustable gates.

The Teesta Barrage

The Kota Barrage across Chambal River

A dam is a high impervious barrier constructed across a river valley to form a deep
storage reservoir.

Rana Pratap Sagar Dam across Chambal River

In case of barrage, the entire length across a river that is between the banks is provided
with gates having their bottom level touching the river bed level. This implies that the
water stored behind a barrage is totally dependent upon the height of its gates.

On the other hand, in the case of a dam, there are spillway gates near its top level and
the storage of water behind the dam is mainly due to the height of the concrete structure
and partially due to the height of the gate.
A barrage is considered as a type of dam consisting of a series of large gates that can be
closed or opened to have a control on the amount of water passing through it. These
gates are primarily meant for controlling the flow of water and to stabilize the flow of
water for irrigation purposes.

One key difference between a dam and a barrage according to World Commission on
Dams is that while a barrage is built for diverting water, a dam is built for storing water
in a reservoir to raise the level of water considerably. A barrage is usually built where the
surface is flat across meandering rivers. It raises the water level only by a few feet.

Dams are artificial barriers across a flowing river or any other natural water body that
are meant to obstruct, direct, or slow down the flow of water, thus creating a reservoir or
a lake.

Thanks .