<p>“Unlike the famous KRS in Mysore, you don’t get to see too many tourists here, but I simply love this dam site set in pristine surroundings,” explains an excited young tourist at the Bhadra dam spot which this writer visited recently when the reservoir touch optimal storage level, thanks to good rain in the catchment areas of the river Bhadra.<br /><br />Located in the picturesque backdrop of forested islands and hilly spots, the Bhadra dam was designed by Sir M V Visvesvaraya. Though construction started in 1947, this multipurpose dam, (194 ft.in height, 5604 ft in length) could not be commissioned till 1965.<br /><br />Built across Bhadra river, it is located close to (two km) Lakkavallli in Tarikere taluk. The dam, named after this village, is better known as Lakkavalli dam.<br /><br />Originating in the Western Ghats, the river Bhadra courses through Bhadravathi town which is 18 km from the Bhadra reservoir from which about one lakh hectares of land is being irrigated annually by the farmers of Chikmagalur, Shimoga and Davanagere districts. The cultivable command areas (both kharif and rabi crops) under the Bhadra River Project cover about 1.3 lakh hectares. The Bhadra reservoir (storage capacity 71.5 TMC) has about 2,000 sq km catchment area including 720 hectares of forest land spread over the Malnad regions.<br /><br />With modernisation of Bhadra Reservoir Project taken up in 2007, the BRP’s the total irrigation potential estimated to be more than 1.7 lakh hectares, that is when revamping of the 428-km long main canal and 1435-km-long distributaries of the project get to be wholly executed. The major portion of the canal work of this Rs 950-crore modernisation project is now said to have been completed. The irrigation department’s 2011-12 annual plan proposes to provide Rs1.5 crore for the Bhadra modernisation project. Under the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme, the central government has provided more than Rs 300 crore for this project.<br /><br />The major irrigation Bhadra Project provides for a network of 180-km-long canals (both right and left canals) designed to distribute 3030 cubic ft. of the reservoir water for the command areas under irrigation. The branch canal system has 285-km-long water reach covering a cultivable area of 1.2 lakh hectares of irrigation lands in Shimoga, Chikmagalur and Davanagere districts.<br /><br />Canal irrigation apart, the Bhadra River Project meets the domestic and industrial water requirements of Bhadravathi town. It has also provided for the installation and maintenance of the project’s hydroelectric units. At the dam site, there are four units functioning with turbine generators of 40.4 megawatt power generating capacity. The left bank of the dam has three power generating units and on the dam’s right bank is the third unit.<br /><br />Ecological impact <br />It is an established fact that the construction of large dams is detrimental to the eco-system and also to the affected communities which inhumanly get displaced from their old village settlements because of submersion of agricultural lands and houses situated downstream of such mega irrigation projects. The Bhadra River Project is no exception for, even from official records, about 12,000 hectares of river side village area and 720 hectares of forest land was submerged due to the Bhadra dam.<br /><br />According to a research paper submitted in 2010 and accepted by the University of Mysore “the downstream of the Bhadra river for 40 km has shrunken in the river bed due to the Bhadra dam; the river flow is completely irregular over a period of years. The dam has altered the natural flow resulting in massive loss of riparian aquatic habitat and water quality…More than 60 per cent of the downstream dwellers have changed their livelihood occupations and also the migration level has increased particularly in the fishermen communities.”<br /><br />In 1970, the Krishna River Dispute Tribunal allocated 23 TMC of water to the Upper Bhadra Project. After 40 long years of the Tribunal’s decision, the Upper Bhadra Project, mired in controversies and corruption charges, is yet to be executed. The Upper Bhadra lift irrigation, (consisting of estimated Rs 3,388 crore for irrigation and Rs 2,597 crore for drinking water schemes), is expected to benefit the needy farmers mainly from dry taluks in Hosadurga, Hiriyur, Tumkur, Chitradurga, Challakere and Kolar. The Upper Bhadra Lift irrigation is projected to irrigate 1.8 lakh hectares in Chitradurga and Chikmagalur districts.<br /><br />Bhadra tourist spots<br />Among the must-see spots near Bhadra reservoir is the famous Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary, which certainly tops the list. Set amidst Muthodi and Lakkavalli forest ranges and spread over 500 sq.km area of wonderful natural reserve, the Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary is home to tigers, leopards, lions, elephants, sloth bears, gaurs, macaques, barking deer and other wildlife apart from rare species of avian creatures and reptiles. The Bhadra Reserve was declared a Tiger Reserve in 1998.<br /><br />The less known of the tourist spots here, however, include the centuries-old temples like Lakshminarasimha temple in Bhadravathi, Someshwara temple and Amrutheshwar temples situated close to the Bhadra dam. <br /><br />It is believed that the 12th century Someshwara temple of Somapura originally had a Someshwara linga made of precious green stone which was stolen and centuries later, a new Shivalinga made of Saligrama (seen now) had been installed. The historic Amrutheshwara temple was built by Amrutheshwara Dandanayaka (chieftain) in 1197 during the reign of Veera Ballala II. Both the temples come under the Archaeological Survey of India.<br /><br />Lakshmi Narasimha temple, which is an important landmark in Bhadravathi, said to have been built in 13th century by Veeranarasimha, the grandson of Vishnuvardhana, is known as Trikutachala temple with three raja gopuras (towers). Located in the old town area of Bhadravathi, the temple is built on a three-feet-high star-shaped solid foundation. The temple’s exteriors are decorated with exquisitely done Hoysala style sculptural carvings that can be seen in hundreds all around the outer walls. Lord Lakshmi Narasimha, the presiding deity apart the temple has the idols Krishna, Purushothama, Ganesha and Goddess Sharadamaba.<br /><br />How to get there <br />There are frequent buses from Bhadravathi and Shimoga to Bhadra dam. Both Bhadravathi and Shimoga are well-connected by bus and also by direct train service from Bangalore. Bhadra dam is 18 km from Bhadravathi and 28 km from Shimoga.<br /></p>
<p>“Unlike the famous KRS in Mysore, you don’t get to see too many tourists here, but I simply love this dam site set in pristine surroundings,” explains an excited young tourist at the Bhadra dam spot which this writer visited recently when the reservoir touch optimal storage level, thanks to good rain in the catchment areas of the river Bhadra.<br /><br />Located in the picturesque backdrop of forested islands and hilly spots, the Bhadra dam was designed by Sir M V Visvesvaraya. Though construction started in 1947, this multipurpose dam, (194 ft.in height, 5604 ft in length) could not be commissioned till 1965.<br /><br />Built across Bhadra river, it is located close to (two km) Lakkavallli in Tarikere taluk. The dam, named after this village, is better known as Lakkavalli dam.<br /><br />Originating in the Western Ghats, the river Bhadra courses through Bhadravathi town which is 18 km from the Bhadra reservoir from which about one lakh hectares of land is being irrigated annually by the farmers of Chikmagalur, Shimoga and Davanagere districts. The cultivable command areas (both kharif and rabi crops) under the Bhadra River Project cover about 1.3 lakh hectares. The Bhadra reservoir (storage capacity 71.5 TMC) has about 2,000 sq km catchment area including 720 hectares of forest land spread over the Malnad regions.<br /><br />With modernisation of Bhadra Reservoir Project taken up in 2007, the BRP’s the total irrigation potential estimated to be more than 1.7 lakh hectares, that is when revamping of the 428-km long main canal and 1435-km-long distributaries of the project get to be wholly executed. The major portion of the canal work of this Rs 950-crore modernisation project is now said to have been completed. The irrigation department’s 2011-12 annual plan proposes to provide Rs1.5 crore for the Bhadra modernisation project. Under the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme, the central government has provided more than Rs 300 crore for this project.<br /><br />The major irrigation Bhadra Project provides for a network of 180-km-long canals (both right and left canals) designed to distribute 3030 cubic ft. of the reservoir water for the command areas under irrigation. The branch canal system has 285-km-long water reach covering a cultivable area of 1.2 lakh hectares of irrigation lands in Shimoga, Chikmagalur and Davanagere districts.<br /><br />Canal irrigation apart, the Bhadra River Project meets the domestic and industrial water requirements of Bhadravathi town. It has also provided for the installation and maintenance of the project’s hydroelectric units. At the dam site, there are four units functioning with turbine generators of 40.4 megawatt power generating capacity. The left bank of the dam has three power generating units and on the dam’s right bank is the third unit.<br /><br />Ecological impact <br />It is an established fact that the construction of large dams is detrimental to the eco-system and also to the affected communities which inhumanly get displaced from their old village settlements because of submersion of agricultural lands and houses situated downstream of such mega irrigation projects. The Bhadra River Project is no exception for, even from official records, about 12,000 hectares of river side village area and 720 hectares of forest land was submerged due to the Bhadra dam.<br /><br />According to a research paper submitted in 2010 and accepted by the University of Mysore “the downstream of the Bhadra river for 40 km has shrunken in the river bed due to the Bhadra dam; the river flow is completely irregular over a period of years. The dam has altered the natural flow resulting in massive loss of riparian aquatic habitat and water quality…More than 60 per cent of the downstream dwellers have changed their livelihood occupations and also the migration level has increased particularly in the fishermen communities.”<br /><br />In 1970, the Krishna River Dispute Tribunal allocated 23 TMC of water to the Upper Bhadra Project. After 40 long years of the Tribunal’s decision, the Upper Bhadra Project, mired in controversies and corruption charges, is yet to be executed. The Upper Bhadra lift irrigation, (consisting of estimated Rs 3,388 crore for irrigation and Rs 2,597 crore for drinking water schemes), is expected to benefit the needy farmers mainly from dry taluks in Hosadurga, Hiriyur, Tumkur, Chitradurga, Challakere and Kolar. The Upper Bhadra Lift irrigation is projected to irrigate 1.8 lakh hectares in Chitradurga and Chikmagalur districts.<br /><br />Bhadra tourist spots<br />Among the must-see spots near Bhadra reservoir is the famous Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary, which certainly tops the list. Set amidst Muthodi and Lakkavalli forest ranges and spread over 500 sq.km area of wonderful natural reserve, the Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary is home to tigers, leopards, lions, elephants, sloth bears, gaurs, macaques, barking deer and other wildlife apart from rare species of avian creatures and reptiles. The Bhadra Reserve was declared a Tiger Reserve in 1998.<br /><br />The less known of the tourist spots here, however, include the centuries-old temples like Lakshminarasimha temple in Bhadravathi, Someshwara temple and Amrutheshwar temples situated close to the Bhadra dam. <br /><br />It is believed that the 12th century Someshwara temple of Somapura originally had a Someshwara linga made of precious green stone which was stolen and centuries later, a new Shivalinga made of Saligrama (seen now) had been installed. The historic Amrutheshwara temple was built by Amrutheshwara Dandanayaka (chieftain) in 1197 during the reign of Veera Ballala II. Both the temples come under the Archaeological Survey of India.<br /><br />Lakshmi Narasimha temple, which is an important landmark in Bhadravathi, said to have been built in 13th century by Veeranarasimha, the grandson of Vishnuvardhana, is known as Trikutachala temple with three raja gopuras (towers). Located in the old town area of Bhadravathi, the temple is built on a three-feet-high star-shaped solid foundation. The temple’s exteriors are decorated with exquisitely done Hoysala style sculptural carvings that can be seen in hundreds all around the outer walls. Lord Lakshmi Narasimha, the presiding deity apart the temple has the idols Krishna, Purushothama, Ganesha and Goddess Sharadamaba.<br /><br />How to get there <br />There are frequent buses from Bhadravathi and Shimoga to Bhadra dam. Both Bhadravathi and Shimoga are well-connected by bus and also by direct train service from Bangalore. Bhadra dam is 18 km from Bhadravathi and 28 km from Shimoga.<br /></p>
