At a distance of 47 km from Aurangabad, the Jayakwadi Dam
is an earthen dam built across the sacred Godavari River at Paithan village in
Aurangabad district of Maharashtra. It is one of the largest earthen dams of
Maharashtra and is one of the best in Aurangabad tourist places.
The foundation of the dam was laid by the then Prime
minister of India Lal Bahadur Shastri on 18th October 1965. The dam was
inaugurated on 24th February 1976 by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The
chief engineer of this project was Mr. A.A.A. Siddiqui. Its height is
approximately 41.30 m and length of 10 km with total storage capacity 2,909 MCM
(million cubic meters) and effective live storage capacity is 2,171 MCM. The
total catchment area of dam is 21,750 Sq. km. There are total 27 gates for the
dam.
Jayakwadi Dam or Paithan Dam is constructed over the
sacred river Godavari and is the major source of water supply to the Aurangabad
city. Nath Sagar Jalashay is the name of the reservoir formed by Jayakwadi Dam.
Fed by the Godavari and Pravara rivers the reservoir is about 55 km long and 27
km wide and spans over 350 Sq. km. Total submergence area due to the reservoir
is approximately 36,000 hectares. Unfortunately siltation has taken a heavy
toll on the project. It is estimated that approximately 30% of the dam is
filled with silt, reducing its life as well as storage capacity.
Jayakwadi project is used mainly to irrigate agricultural
land of drought-prone region of Marathwada. Other important purpose was to
provide water for drinking and industrial usage to nearby towns and villages
and to the municipalities and industrial areas of Aurangabad and Jalna. The 80%
of water of dam is meant for irrigation, 5-7% for drinking water and the rest
for industrial purposes. Jayakwadi Dam houses a hydroelectric power plant with
installed power generating capacity of 12 MW. The dam is also a primary source
of water to the Parli Thermal Power Station.
Dnyaneshwar Udyan is one of the largest gardens in
Maharashtra resembling the Brindavan Gardens of Mysore. It is spread over 125
hectares and is situated on the banks of Nath Sagar Lake formed due to
Jayakwadi Dam. Jayakwadi Bird Sanctuary, sprawls across the backwaters of Nath
Sagar reservoir, houses variety of flora and fauna. A wide range of resident
and more than 70 species of migratory birds can found in the vicinity. Some of
them include Siberian migratory birds, Flamingos, Porchards, Cranes etc. The
ideal time to visit the place is from October and March.
Dnyaneshwar Udyan Timings: 5.30 AM to 11 PM
Dnyaneshwar Udyan Entry Fee: Rs. 10 per Person
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