Vaigai
Vaigai is a mapped river in the YearMaps hydrographic index. Vaigai Dam stands on this watercourse and is written up below. River courses organise settlement, agriculture and frontier-making more durably than any political boundary, and this reach is indexed against the dams, lakes and cities within its catchment.
- Feature Class
- River
- Dams Recorded
- 1
- Coordinates
- 9.83°, 78.25°
About Vaigai
Vaigai is a semi-perennial river in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It flows through the districts of Theni, Dindigul, Madurai, Sivagangai, and Ramanathapuram in the southern part of the state. The city of Madurai is situated on the banks of the river. The river is 295 km (183 mi) long, with its drainage basin spread across 7,009 km2 (2,706 sq mi).
Vaigai originates in Varusanadu Hills of the Western Ghats, and flows north through the Cumbum Valley, between the Palani Hills to the north and the Varusanadu Hills to the south. It rounds the eastern corner of the Varushanad Hills, and turns southeast, running through southern Tamil Nadu. The river empties into the Palk Bay near Alagankulam in the Ramanathapuram district. During the 20th century, the river basin was extensively developed for irrigation, flood control, and the generation of hydroelectric power.
Encyclopedic summary adapted from Wikipedia: Vaigai River (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Vaigai in Depth
Course
The Vaigai is a 295 km (183 mi) long semi-perennial river. The river originates in the eastern slopes of the Varusanadu Hills in the Western Ghats. It flows northwards for some distance, before it turns eastwards, and then flows roughly southeast till it reaches the Bay of Bengal at Palk Bay near Alagankulam. The river is at its peak volume during the monsoons, and often ends up dry in the summer.
The tributaries of the Vaigai include Suriliyar, Theniar, Varattar, Nagalar, Varahanadhi, Manjalar, Marudhanadhi, Sirumaliar, Sathaiyar, and Uppar.
Suriliyar and Theniar join the river initially before it turns eastwards.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Vaigai River (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Vaigai: Key Facts
| Length | 240 km |
|---|---|
| Drainage basin | 7,031 km² |
Facts from Wikidata Q2744225 (CC0).
Vaigai Dam
Vaigai Dam
Masonry / Earth dam · Tamil Nadu, India
Vaigai Dam is a masonry / earth dam on the Vaigai in Tamil Nadu, India, standing 34 m (112 ft) high and completed in 1959. It carries an installed hydroelectric capacity of 6 MW. The structure impounds Vaigai Reservoir.
The Vaigai Dam is built across the Vaigai River near Andipatti, in the Theni district (Madurai district, before British India) of Tamil Nadu, South India. Near the dam, the Government of Tamil Nadu has constructed an Agricultural Research Station to research the cultivation of various crops, including rice, sorghum, black gram, cowpea and cotton.
Adapted from Wikipedia: Vaigai Dam (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Dam type
- Masonry / Earth
- Structural height
- 34 m (112 ft)
- Installed capacity
- 6 MW
- Impounded river
- Vaigai
- Reservoir
- Vaigai Reservoir
- Location
- Tamil Nadu, India
- Year completed
- 1959
- Height rank
- #106 of 115 indexed
- Output rank
- #101 of 102 indexed
- Coordinates
- 10.0500°, 77.5833°
Notable: Lifeline reservoir of historic Madurai and southern Tamil Nadu.
Among the 115 dams indexed in YearMaps, Vaigai Dam ranks #106 by structural height, behind Jinping-I Dam (305 m). By installed generating capacity it ranks #101, behind Three Gorges Dam (22,500 MW).
Nearest cities: Dindigul (59 km), Madurai (60 km), Rajapalaiyam (70 km).
More about Vaigai Dam
History
Vaigai Dam was inaugurated on 21 January 1959 by the then Chief Minister K. Kamaraj. It is one of the few dams not constructed between two mountains, so this dam completely depends on its concrete strength. The dam is the lifeline of farmers in six districts, namely Theni, Dindigul, Madurai, Sivagangai, Virudhunagar and Ramanathapuram. It provides water for irrigation in these districts and also serves as a source of drinking water for major cities such as Theni, Madurai, and Ramanathapuram, which lie along its riverbed.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Vaigai Dam (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Vaigai Dam: Key Facts
| Crest length | 3,474 m |
|---|
Facts from Wikidata Q3569076 (CC0).
Major River Dossiers
Hand-written studies of the great river systems of history.
Connected Reaches
Nearby watercourses in the same drainage network.
Water Bodies in the Catchment
Settlements Along the Reach
Hydraulic Infrastructure Nearby
Surrounding Terrain
Vaigai: Quick Answers
- Where is Vaigai?
- Vaigai is located in India, at 9.8315° N, 78.2525° E.
- Are there dams on the Vaigai?
- Yes. YearMaps records one dam on the Vaigai: Vaigai Dam.
- How tall is Vaigai Dam?
- Vaigai Dam is 34 metres (112 ft) high and was completed in 1959.