Coordinates: 8°23′4″N 77°22′28″E

Perunchani Dam
Perunchani Dam is an irrigation dam at Perunchani, in
Kalkulam Taluk, Kanyakumari District, in the state of Tamil
Perunchani Dam
Nadu, India. It is one of the dams of the Kodayar Irrigation
System.[2] As there was water deficiency in the Kodayar
Irrigation System, Perunchani Dam was constructed in
December 1952 to store flood water of the Paralayar River as
an extension. It was built about 1 km (0.62 mi) upstream of the
Puthen dam on the Paralayar River. The irrigation system
became operational on 2 September 1953. It feeds the left bank
irrigation canal system of the Puthen dam, which is the terminal Perunchani Dam
structure of the system.[3][4]

Contents
Topography
Water resources
Features
Irrigation system
References
Bibliography

Topography
Location of Perunchani Dam in Tamil
The dam is built between two hillocks (part of the Western Nadu
Ghats) across the Paralayar River, a tributary of the Official name Perunchani Dam
Tamaraparani River, also known locally as the Kuzhithuraiar,
Country India
and is part of the basin that constitutes the west-flowing rivers
from Tadri to Kanyakumari. Tamaraparani River rises in the Location Kanyakumari
Western Ghats and flows through a distance of 56 km (35 mi) District, Tamil
before debouching into the Arabian Sea. The catchment area at Nadu
the Perunchani Dam site is 158.4 km2 (61.2 sq mi). The Coordinates 8°23′4″N
reservoir is thickly forested and inhabited by wild animals such
77°22′28″E
as tiger, elephants, and deer. The tribal community of Kanikars
resides around the periphery of the reservoir.[4][5][3][6] Opening date December 1952
Owner(s) Water Resources
The dam is located about 43 km (27 mi) from Nagercoil, the Organization,
administrative headquarters-town of Kanyakumari District, and
Government of
about 10 km (6.2 mi) from the town of Kulasekharam.[4][5]
Tamil Nadu
Dam and spillways
Water resources
Type of dam Straight Gravity
The average annual rainfall in the catchment is 2,240 mm Masonry dam with
(88 in), and the average annual yield at the dam site is concrete Spillway
218,000,000 m3 (7.7 × 109 cu ft).[3]
Impounds Paralayar River, a
tributary of
Features Tamiraparani
River
The dam was constructed between 1948–1953 by the then
Height 36.27 metres
State of Travancore-Cochin.[5] The height of the straight
(119.0 ft) above
gravity masonry dam above the deepest foundation is 36.27 m
foundation
(119.0 ft), with Full Reservoir Level (FRL) at 93.3 m (306 ft),
which is also the Maximum Water Level (MWL). The dam is Length 308 metres
308 m (1,010 ft) long. The gross storage capacity of the (1,010 ft)
reservoir is 818,400,000 m3 (2.890 × 1010 cu ft) at the FRL, Spillways One
which is also the effective storage capacity. The reservoir area
is 9,620 ha (23,800 acres). The spillway, with its crest at Spillway capacity 894.91 m3
88.7 m (291 ft), is designed to pass a discharge of 894.91 m3 (31,603 cu ft) per
(31,603 cu ft) per second. There are four spillway gate second
openings, each 12.19 m × 4.57 m (40.0 ft × 15.0 ft) in size. Reservoir
The total volume of material content in the dam is 51,000 m3
Creates Perunchani
(1,800,000 cu ft). The project lies in Seismic Zone-III.[7][3] The
dam is provided with drainage gallery of 45.7 m (150 ft) length Reservoir
in the central section of the river. It serves the purpose of Total capacity Live storage
collecting seepage water from the foundation of the dam and 818,400,000 m3
also as an inspection gallery, and measures 1.52 m × 2.29 m (2.890 × 1010 cu ft)
(5 ft 0 in × 7 ft 6 in).[5]
Catchment area 158.4 square
The fishing operation in the reservoir is limited to the kilometres
indigenous Puntus spp.[8] (61.2 sq mi)
Power Station
Irrigation system Operator(s) Tamil Nadu
Generation and
The dam is part of the Kodiyar Irrigation System, as its stored Distribution
waters are utilized only through a combined canal system Corporation
which provides irrigation to a total command area of 36,836 ha Limited
(91,020 acres). The irrigation system consists of four dams and
associated storage reservoirs, anicuts, and canal system.[2] The Commission date Unit 1: 21
first project to be implemented under this system was the December 2005
Pechiparai dam, built during 1948-53; the Kodiyar Left Bank Unit 2: January
Canal (KLBC) taking off from this dam feeds the Puthen dam, 22, 2006
which is a weir that was remodeled under World Bank Turbines 2 × 650 KW[1]
assistance during the 2000s. The next two dams to be built
were the Chittar dam I and Chittar dam II in the period from Installed capacity 1.3 MW
1964-1970; the storage waters of these two reservoirs were also
fed into the KLBC. The storage from the Perunchani reservoir is also fed into the Puthen weir.[2]

During the period 1964-70 the storage capacity of the Pachipprai and Parunchani dams was increased by
raising the full reservoir level by 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in); this involved rising, strengthening, and improvement
measures.[9] The KLBC, which was originally designed to carry a discharge of 24.07 m3 (850 cu ft) per
second, was remodeled in 1965 to carry a discharge of 32.99 m3 (1,165 cu ft) per second. There is a small
branch canal taking off from the KLBC, before it joins the Puthen weir, which has an irrigation command
of 6,073 ha (15,010 acres).[2][10] The interlinking of the
Perunchani and Chittar dams provides an additional irrigation
potential of 15,000 acres (6,100 ha) in the system.[11]

References
1. http://www.tangedco.gov.in/hydrokoday.html
2. "Kodayar System JI02547" (https://web.archive.org/web/ Pechiparai dam, the first dam of the
20150412080606/http://india-wris.nrsc.gov.in/wrpinfo/ind Kodiyar Irrigation System
ex.php?title=Kodayar_System_JI02547). Water
Resources Information System of India. Archived from
the original (http://india-wris.nrsc.gov.in/wrpinfo/index.ph
p?title=Kodayar_System_JI02547) on 12 April 2015.
Retrieved 6 April 2015.
3. Senapati & Sahu 1995, p. 298.
4. "Places of Tourist Interest" (https://web.archive.org/web/2
0180618134330/http://www.kanyakumari.tn.nic.in/tourist.
html). Pechiparai Dam. National Informatics Centre.
Archived from the original (http://www.kanyakumari.tn.ni
c.in/tourist.html) on 18 June 2018. Retrieved 5 April
2015.
5. "Chapter – II Kanyakumari District – A Profile" (http://sho
dhganga.inflibnet.ac.in:8080/jspui/bitstream/10603/1570
1/8/08_chapter%202.pdf) (PDF).
TheShodhganga@INFLIBNET Centre.
6. "Kanyakumari District" (http://tnenvis.nic.in/files/KANYA
KUMARI%20%20.pdf) (PDF). National Informatics
Centre. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20150411
113201/http://tnenvis.nic.in/files/KANYAKUMARI%20%2
0.pdf) (PDF) from the original on 11 April 2015.
7. "Perunchani D00918" (https://web.archive.org/web/2015
0412083253/http://india-wris.nrsc.gov.in/wrpinfo/index.p
hp?title=Perunchani_D00918). Water Resources
Information System of India. Archived from the original (h
ttp://india-wris.nrsc.gov.in/wrpinfo/index.php?title=Perun
chani_D00918) on 12 April 2015. Retrieved 6 April
2015.
8. Sugunan 1995, p. 105.
9. Baliga 1995, p. 301.
10. "Puthen dam renovation nearing completion" (https://arc
hive.today/20150406090330/http://www.thehindu.com/2
002/03/26/stories/2002032603210500.htm). The Hindu.
26 March 2002. Archived from the original (http://www.th
ehindu.com/2002/03/26/stories/2002032603210500.htm)
on 6 April 2015.
11. Chicago 2005.

Bibliography
Baliga, B. S (1995). Madras District Gazetteers: Kanniyakumari District (https://books.googl
e.com/books?id=oWNDAAAAYAAJ). Superintendent, Government Press.
 Chicago, University of (2005). Kisan World (https://books.google.com/books?id=7dsjAQAA
MAAJ). Sakthi Sugars, Limited.
Kerala, University of (1988). Journal of Kerala Studies (https://books.google.com/books?id=
EwSSAAAAIAAJ). University of Kerala.
Senapati, Nilamani; Sahu, N. K. (1995). Orissa District Gazetteers: Kanniyakumari District (h
ttps://books.google.com/books?id=-GAKAQAAIAAJ). Superintendent, Orissa Government
Press.
Sugunan, V. V. (1995). Reservoir Fisheries of India (https://books.google.com/books?id=gW
xskWs5WywC&pg=PA105). Food & Agriculture Org. ISBN 978-92-5-103673-0.

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